We report the development of nine polymorphic microsatellite markers for Corallina officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758), a calcifying intertidal red alga and important ecosystem engineer spread along the North East Atlantic. Characterization and analysis of loci were made using 15 individuals of C. officinalis from populations in Iceland and the UK. The average number of alleles per locus was 3.78 (range 2-6) and mean of gene diversity was 0.58 (range 0.38-0.77). The set of microsatellites developed here will provide a useful molecular tool for population genetic and conservation studies.
Keywords: Corallina officinalis; Genetic diversity; Marginal population; Microsatellites; Red algae.