The published complete mitochondrial genome of the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus) is a misidentified Pacific spadenose shark (Scoliodon macrorhynchos) (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes)

George Sangster; Jolanda A Luksenburg

doi:10.1080/23802359.2021.1884019

The published complete mitochondrial genome of the milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus) is a misidentified Pacific spadenose shark (Scoliodon macrorhynchos) (Chondrichthyes: Carcharhiniformes)

Mitochondrial DNA B Resour. 2021 Mar 11;6(3):828-830. doi: 10.1080/23802359.2021.1884019.

Authors

George Sangster¹, Jolanda A Luksenburg^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
² Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
³ Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.

Abstract

The recently published mitogenome of milk shark Rhizoprionodon acutus (MN602076/NC_046016) was fully resolved in an unexpected phylogenetic position in the original mitogenome announcement, which rendered the genus Scoliodon paraphyletic. Here, we show that this mitogenome is actually that of a misidentified Pacific spadenose shark (Scoliodon macrorhynchos). The error is documented to avoid the perpetuation of erroneous sequence information in the literature.

Keywords: Genus-level paraphyly; misidentification; mitogenome; sequence artifacts.