Isolation and characterization of six polymorphic microsatellite loci in South African hares (Lepus saxatilis F. Cuvier, 1823 and Lepus capensis Linnaeus, 1758)

We have developed six novel, polymorphic microsatellite markers for the scrub hare, Lepus saxatilis. These markers have been tested for 150 scrub hares and 67 Cape hares from different localities across southern Africa. All six loci amplified consistently well and most were highly polymorphic. Four loci amplified consistently in five different leporid genera. The microsatellites presented here will be useful for phylogeographical studies in the scrub hare and other leporidae.