We report new primers for the amplification and sequencing of 11 nuclear markers in squamate reptiles and anuran amphibians (five in squamates, six in anurans). Ten out of the 11 loci are introns (three of which are linked) that were amplified using an exon-primed, introncrossing (EPIC) PCR strategy, whereas an eleventh locus spans part of a protein-coding gene. Squamate and anuran primers were initially developed for Lacerta schreiberi (Squamata: Lacertidae) and Pelodytes spp. (Anura: Pelodytidae), respectively. Cross-species amplification of the squamate markers was evaluated in four genera representing two additional families, whereas for anurans three genera corresponding to three additional families were tested. Three out of the five loci were successfully sequenced in all squamate taxa tested. Cross-amplification of the six anuran markers had lower, but still significant, success. We predict these markers will be of great utility for both population genetics and phylogenetic studies.

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Background: Wall lizards of genus Podarcis are abundant and conspicuous reptiles inhabiting Europe and North Africa. In recent years, they have become a popular lizard model for phylogeographical and evolutionary ecology studies. However a lack of suitable nuclear markers currently presents a limitation on analyses of molecular evolution within this genus. We address this limitation by developing twenty-one new primer pairs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of anonymous sequence markers in Podarcis vaucheri and performed an assay of their cross-amplification and polymorphism levels in two closely-(P. bocagei and P. liolepis) and two distantly-related (P. muralis and P. tiliguerta) congeners.