A microsatellite panel for mating system analysis and broodstock management of captive long-snouted seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus

We characterized a microsatellite-based panel for parentage analysis in Hippocampus guttulatus using families obtained under captive conditions. Offspring obtained by natural breeding from 49 founder breeders in different aquaria were genotyped for six selected loci. A theoretical exclusion power for parentage inference close to one was obtained from the broodstock, which enabled us to trace back all offspring to a single parental pair with high confidence, under the simple mating scenario managed. The family analysis revealed a very low percentage of false exclusions due to genotyping errors or null alleles (0.9%) and conformance to Mendelian segregation for all loci. Their potential for parentage analysis was confirmed in a more complex scenario, using all breeders as parental candidates, with over 95% of offspring being assigned to the same single pair. Parentage data revealed a monogamous mating system for H. guttulatus in captivity. These loci constitute a useful panel for genealogical traceability and also for investigating relatedness among founders to assist with captive breeding for H. guttulatus.

► We test six microsatellites to assign parentage of captive long-snouted seahorses.
► Loci show high exclusion power, low typing error and fit Mendelian segregation.
► Genetic parentage shows monogamous mating system of captive long-snouted seahorse.
► Useful microsatellite tool to support captive breeding of long-snouted seahorse.