Development of microsatellite markers for the neotropical tree species Dipteryx alata (Fabaceae)

Abstract

Dipteryx alata Vogel (Fabaceae) is a neotropical tree species that is widely distributed in eutrophic and drained soils of seasonal savannas (cerrad ã o) in the cerrado biome, central Brazil. The seeds have a very woody endocarp with an edible nut that is eaten and dispersed by mammals, such as bats, tapirs, and monkeys ( Sano et al., 2004 ). The seeds are also consumed by humans raw or toasted and are a source of raw material for small and midsized food industries, playing an important role in the economy of the local population of central Brazil. The species is threatened because of the high levels of disturbance caused by fi re during the dry season and habitat fragmentation due to agricultural expansion ( Collevatti et al., 2010 ). Despite its high ecological and economic importance, studies on population genetics of D. alata are still scarce due to the lack of codominant markers, such as microsatellites (but see Collevatti et al., 2010 ). Here we report the development and characterization of eight microsatellite loci for D. alata aimed at the study of population genetic structure and patterns of gene fl ow and mating system.