title: New molecular tools for the identification of 2 endangered smooth-hound sharks, Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus punctulatus.
abstract: The smooth-hounds represent a significant proportion of the elasmobranch catch in the Adriatic basin of the Mediterranean Sea, where the common (Mustelus mustelus) and blackspotted (Mustelus punctulatus) smooth-hounds co-occur. The 2 species share several morphological and morphometric characters that lead to frequent misidentification. In order to provide information useful for their species identification, we performed a morphological identification of several Mustelus specimens to select individuals unambiguously attributed to 1 of the 2 species, and assayed these with 3 new molecular tests. First, we developed and validated a mitochondrial DNA assay based on species-specific amplification of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI). Second, a fragment analysis of 15 microsatellites cross-amplified from several triakid species was performed to identify diagnostic loci. Finally, a length difference was identified in the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region and a diagnostic test based on its amplification was established. All the samples classified morphologically as M. mustelus and M. punctulatus showed a species-specific profile using all the 3 molecular tests. In addition, cross-amplification of microsatellites allowed identification of 9 highly polymorphic loci that will be useful for the study of the mating system and population differentiation of the 2 species.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Ilaria A M
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riginella
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Alessia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cariani
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Fausto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tinti
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell).
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzoldi
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Biology, University of Padova, via U. Bassi 58/b, 35131 Padova, Italy (Marino, Riginella, Mazzoldi, and Zane); Department of Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), School of Sciences, University of Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126 Bologna, Italy (Cariani and Tinti); and School of Biology & Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland (Farrell). lorenzo.zane@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zane
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D008522:Mediterranean Sea; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics; D012754:Sharks / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: ITS2; Mustelus; genetic identification; microsatellite loci; mitochondrial DNA; smooth-hound sharks