A monograph of the calcareous sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) of Greenland

Abstract

Greenland has more than 200 years of history of studies of the sponge fauna and is the type locality for a number of species. Many of these have not been encountered since, and as the type material has been hard to find or even lost, their taxonomic status has remained uncertain. In this study all species of calcareous sponges previously reported from Greenland are reviewed. The revision is based predominantly on new or unidentified material collected during various expeditions, but also on material used by previous authors. This includes samples from all coasts of Greenland, from the southernmost Kap Farvel area to Peary Land on the northern coast, some of the northernmost records of calcareous sponges ever. Greenland is a transition zone between the western and eastern Atlantic boreal calcareous sponge faunas, being home to species from both sides of the North Atlantic combined with some true Arctic species. There is also a strong link between the Canadian and Greenlandic sponge faunas. Twenty-eight species have been identified, from which six are new to Greenland and one is new to science. New records for Greenland are:Clathrina arnesenae(Rapp, 2006);Clathrina camura(Rapp, 2006);Clathrina pellucida(Rapp, 2006);Sycon abyssaleBorojevic & Graat-Kleeton, 1965;Leucandra validaLambe, 1900; andSycettusa thompsoni(Lambe, 1900).Clathrina tendalisp. nov. has been described from western Greenland andLeucosolenia corallorrhiza(Haeckel, 1872) andLeucandra penicillata(Schmidt, 1869) have been resurrected. Keys for identification of higher taxa and the different species of Greenlandic Calcarea are provided.