| Abstract: | Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers for three trinucleotide and three tetranucleotide microsatellite loci were developed for red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) to aid in studies of genetic population structure in Alaskan waters. Number of alleles ranged from six to 18 alleles (N = 562), and locus heterozygosities ranged from 0.505 to 0.839. Six primers were cross amplified with golden king crab (Lithodes aequispinus); five primers with blue king crab (P. platypus); and one primer with the splendid hermit crab (Labidochirus splendescens), the ‘missing link’ between pagurid and lithodid crabs. No cross amplification occurred with Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) or Aleutian hermit crab (Pagurus aleuticus). |
