A total of 37 microsatellite loci from the Russell's snapper, Lutjanus russellii, were successfully isolated and characterized. Thirty-four loci were polymorphic in L. russellii samples. Twenty of the 37 markers did not differ significantly from Hardy–Weinberg expected genotype proportions. Significant linkage disequilibrium was detected in one pairwise comparison. The numbers of alleles and observed heterozygosities in polymorphic loci ranged from two to 16 and from 0.41 to 0.95, respectively. These markers will be useful for studying the population genetic structure of this species.