Development of microsatellite markers for Stachyurus macrocarpus and Stachyurus macrocarpus var. prunifolius (Stachyuraceae), critically endangered shrub species endemic to the Bonin Islands

Stachyurus macrocarpus and S. macrocarpus var. prunifolius are critically endangered shrub species in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands, Japan. These species are extremely rare, and the numbers of individuals in wild populations are 68 in S. macrocarpus and 13 in S. macrocarpus var. prunifolius. For the investigation of genetic diversity, genetic structure and relatedness among remnant individuals of these endangered species, we developed eight microsatellite markers from S. macrocarpus var. prunifolius and characterized these markers for S. macrocarpus var. prunifolius and S. macrocarpus using all naturally occurring individuals of these species. The expected heterozygosities of these markers ranged from 0.14 to 0.67 in S. macrocarpus var. prunifolius, and from 0.02 to 0.84 in S. macrocarpus. The markers described here will be useful for investigating the genetic diversity, genetic structure and relatedness among remnant individuals, and planning the restoration of these critically endangered species.