Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from the great hornbill, Buceros bicornis.

Thirteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized from the great hornbill, Buceros bicornis. In analyses of 20 individuals, the numbers of alleles per locus varied from two to 11. The expected and observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.22 to 0.88 and from 0.20 to 1.00, respectively. The mean polymorphic information content was 0.62. Among these, three loci deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. However, no significant genotypic disequilibrium was detected between any pair of loci. These microsatellite markers are useful for the population genetic study of the great hornbill.