RESOLVING GENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS WITH MICROSATELLITE MARKERS - A PARENTAGE TESTING SYSTEM FOR THE SWALLOW HIRUNDO-RUSTICA

Eight polymorphic microsatellite markers from the swallow were isolate d and characterized. Extraordinary variability was revealed at the HrU 6 locus with 45 different alleles scored among 46 unrelated individual s. The probability that the same genotype combination would occur in t wo random and unrelated individuals at six selected loci was as low as 1.3 x 10(-8) and the combined exclusion probability was 0.9996. Stabl e Mendelian inheritance was observed in about 1000 meioses. No signifi cant linkage was revealed and for almost all combinations of marker-pa irs, linkage closer than 5 cM could be excluded. At two loci, null (no namplifying) alleles were encountered. Thirteen (30%) extra-pair offsp ring were identified in 5 (56%) broods when applying the marker set on a nearly complete swallow colony. We were able to identify a single m ale from the or-her families in the colony as the most likely father f or nine of the 13 extra-pair offspring.