Development of microsatellite markers for muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) and cross‐species amplification in two other esocids

We report the development of seven polymorphic microsatellite loci in muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) using an unenriched subgenomic library. Polymorphic loci exhibited 2–11 alleles with observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.190 to 0.917 (n = 24). All seven loci amplified by their respective primer pairs resulted in monomorphic products in northern pike (E. lucius) whereas three loci amplified monomorphic products in grass pickerel (E. americanus americanus); these results imply conservation of flanking sequence but loss of polymorphism between these closely related species. Only one of six microsatellite primers developed in a previous study in northern pike amplified polymorphic products in muskellunge.