USE OF BIOCHEMICAL-GENETIC MARKERS TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN ADDUCTOR MUSCLES OF THE SEA SCALLOP (PLACOPECTEN-MAGELLANICUS) AND THE ICELAND SCALLOP (CHLAMYS-ISLANDICA)

Three biochemical techniques were applied to adductor muscles of Placopecten magellanicus and Chlamys islandica, two commercially important scallops, to search for species-specific genetic markers. Allozyme electrophoresis identified two enzyme systems, mannose phosphate isomerase and glutamic oxaloacetate transaminase, which appear to be diagnostic. Sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene in each species showed 15 nucleotide differences over 1815 base pairs. Digestion of the gene with the restriction enzyme XHO I released two fragments in Placopecten and three in Chlamys. All three techniques could be developed for management purposes as part of an enforcement programme to identify illegally caught scallops.