Development and Characterization of 12 Microsatellite Markers for an Economically Important Fish, Caranx ignobilis, in the Philippines

Abstract

The giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) is an important food fish that faces increasing demand due to human population growth, necessitating genetic monitoring. This study intends to spearhead the development of microsatellite markers to assess the genetic variation of C. ignobilis populations. A total of 150 C. ignobilis specimens from six localities in the Philippines were analyzed. Based on next-generation sequencing data, 12 primer pairs were developed with high amplification rates and polymorphism across different loci. This study introduces the first microsatellite markers exclusively for C. ignobilis, which can be used for monitoring and management purposes.