Data from: New molecular tools for the identification of two endangered smooth-hound sharks, Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus punctulatus

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 (M. punctulatus) smooth-hounds co-occur. The two 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 one of the two species, and assayed these with three new molecular markers. First, we developed and validated a mitochondrial DNA assay based on species-specific amplification of the cytochrome 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 Mustelus mustelus and M. punctulatus showed a species-specific profile using all the three molecular markers. In addition, cross-amplification of microsatellites allowed identification of nine highly polymorphic loci that will be useful for the study of the mating system and population differentiation of the two species.