Boring Sponge Research Articles

Effects of ocean acidification on the interaction between calcifying oysters (Ostrea chilensis) and bioeroding sponges (Cliona sp.)

Ocean acidification can negatively affect a broad range of physiological processes in marine shelled molluscs. Marine bioeroding organisms could, in contrast, benefit from ocean acidification due to reduced energetic costs of bioerosion. Ocean acidification could thus exacerbate negative effects (e.g. reduced growth) of ocean acidification and shell borers on oysters. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of ocean acidification on the oyster Ostrea chilensis, the boring sponge Cliona sp., and their host-parasite relationship. We exposed three sets of organisms 1) O. chilensis, 2) Cliona sp., and 3) O. chilensis infested with Cliona sp. to pHT 8.03, 7.83, and 7.63. Reduced pH had no significant effect on calcification, respiration and clearance rate of uninfested O. chilensis. Low pH significantly reduced calcification leading to net dissolution of oyster shells at pHT 7.63 in sponge infested oysters. Net dissolution was likely caused by increased bioerosion by Cliona sp. at pHT 7.63. Additionally, declining pH and sponge infestation had a significant negative antagonistic effect (less negative than predicted additively) on clearance rate. This interaction suggests that sponge infested oysters increase clearance rates to cope with higher energy demand of increased shell repair resulting from higher boring activity of Cliona sp. at low seawater pH. O. chilensis body condition was unaffected by sponge infestation, pH, and the interaction of the two. The reduction in calcification rate suggests sponge infestation and ocean acidification together would exacerbate direct (reduced growth) and indirect (e.g., increased predation) negative effects on oyster health and survival. Our results indicate that ocean acidification by the end of the century could have severe consequences for marine molluscs with boring organisms.

Effects of boring sponge Pione vastifica (Hancock, 1849) infestation on redox status and histological structure in Pacific oyster Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793) gills

The Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793), is the most widely cultivated bivalve species in the world. Despite the oyster's resistance to most pathogens, oyster farms are increasingly suffering losses due to infestation by various boring agents, particularly boring sponges. Boring sponges Pione vastifica (Hancock, 1849) penetrate and destroy the shell of the oysters, creating a network of channels and chambers in the shell. This ultimately results in a reduction in the marketability and barrier protection of oysters, as well as an impairment of their functional status. The objective of this study was to identify the mechanisms of oyster response to exposure to the boring sponge and to assess the health status of the species in the context of its ecological and economic importance. This paper examines the effect of the boring sponge on the organism of Pacific oysters M. gigas, namely on the level of lipid peroxidation and the activity of the main antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase - SOD, catalase - CAT, glutathione peroxidase - GPx), as well as histopathological changes in the gills of oysters with different degrees of boring sponge infestation. In contrast to the SOD activity, the CAT and GPx activities were found to be dependent on the extent of damage inflicted upon the shell by the boring sponge. In the initial phase of shell damage (1 and 25%), the CAT activity exhibited no notable deviation from the control level. However, the GPx level demonstrated a pronounced decline. In the second stage (26-50% of damage), there was an increase in CAT activity, and the levels of GPx returned to control levels. Despite a low level of antioxidant defense activity, an increase in lipid peroxidation was observed. In the fourth stage (76-100% damage), the highest level of lipid peroxidation was observed. This was accompanied by an increase in CAT production and a decrease in GPx activity. However, no significant disturbances in the structure of gill tissues were found with an increasing degree of damage caused by the spread of boring sponges. In our study, only local histological abnormalities were observed in stages 2, 3, and 4 of infection. The results of the present work demonstrate the influence of the boring sponge infestation process on the redox balance of oyster gill.

Late Quaternary bioerosion pattern controlled by upwelling events at Puerto Lobos (Chubut, Argentina)

Bioerosion traces are a powerful tool for reconstructing benthic paleo-communities through the geological record. The late Quaternary marine deposits of Patagonia (Argentina) are elongated ridges parallel to the present coast, rich in sand, gravel and shells, the latter being the main substrate for bioerosion traces. However, the ichnological studies in the Quaternary are scarce in high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere. This work describes for the first time the bioerosion traces recorded in shells belonging to diverse taxa of mollusc from Quaternary deposits in Puerto Lobos, Southern of San Matias Gulf (Patagonia, Argentina). This study complements the scarce information on bioerosion traces in the Southern Hemisphere. A total of 710 mollusc shells were obtained from four Quaternary beach ridges at Puerto Lobos. As a result, 15 ichnotaxa were recorded for the first time in the site, 13 of them for the first time in the Holocene of San Matías Gulf. Through qualitative analysis, bioerosion patterns were observed in the late Quaternary of Puerto Lobos. The abundance of worm and sponge borings in the Pleistocene could be related to warm and sediment-free waters. On the contrary, the results of the bioerosion study in the Holocene and recent samples were very similar. This could indicate that the same environmental factor controlled both bioerosion patterns. For the Holocene, it was observed that the bioerosion pattern is mainly represented by trace produced by suspension and filter-feeding organisms, such as bryozoans, among others. Together with the increase in ichnodiversity, this could indicate an increase in nutrient availability in the San Matías Gulf associated with upwelling events. Therefore, our results reinforce the hypothesis proposed by previous authors that the upwelling events currently observed in the study area began during the mid-Holocene.

Short communication: The boring sponge (Pione vastifica, Hancock, 1849) induces oxidative stress in the Pacific oyster (Magallana gigas, Thunberg, 1793)

Boring sponge infection affects growth, development and reduces the soft tissue weight of oysters. In this study, we investigated the effects of boring sponge on the activity of three antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GP)) in the mantle, and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and potential genotoxicity in hemocytes of the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas. Our results showed a significant increase in ROS production and DNA damage in hemocytes. Notably, the activity of SOD, CAT, and GP in the mantle was not significantly affected by boring sponge infection. Collectively, these results suggest that sponge invasion may cause oxidative stress in Pacific oyster hemocytes through ROS overproduction.

Limited impact of a bioeroding sponge, Cliona sp., on Ostrea chilensis from Foveaux Strait, New Zealand.

Bioeroding sponges can cause extensive damage to aquaculture and wild shellfish fisheries. It has been suggested that heavy sponge infestations that reach the inner cavity of oysters may trigger shell repair and lead to adductor detachment. Consequently, energy provision into shell repair could reduce the energy available for other physiological processes and reduce the meat quality of commercially fished oysters. Nevertheless, the impacts of boring sponges on oysters and other shellfish hosts are inconclusive. We studied the interaction between boring sponges and their hosts and examined potential detrimental effects on an economically important oyster species Ostrea chilensis from Foveaux Strait (FS), New Zealand. We investigated the effect of different infestation levels with the bioeroding sponge Cliona sp. on commercial meat quality, condition, reproduction, and disease susceptibility. Meat quality was assessed with an index based on visual assessments used in the FS O. chilensis fishery. Meat condition was assessed with a common oyster condition index, while histological methods were used to assess sex, gonad stage, reproductive capacity, and pathogen presence. Commercial meat quality and condition of O. chilensis were unaffected by sponge infestation. There was no relationship between sex ratio, gonad developmental stage, or gonad index and sponge infestation. Lastly, we found no evidence that sponge infestation affects disease susceptibility in O. chilensis. Our results suggest that O. chilensis in FS is largely unaffected by infestation with Cliona sp. and therefore reinforces the growing body of evidence that the effects of sponge infestation can be highly variable among different host species, environments, and habitats.

Does the Presence of Boring Sponges Alter Timing of Sex Change in Slipper Shell Snails, Crepidula fornicata?

AbstractThe Atlantic slipper limpet, Crepidula fornicata, is a sequential hermaphrodite whose size at sex change is plastic with respect to social and population cues. As an organism allocates energy between growth, reproduction, and maintenance, the increased cost of one process may affect another. Thus, C. fornicata affected by a stressor might have to alter the balance of energy allocation, potentially leading to changes in the timing of sex change. One such biotic stressor, the boring sponge Cliona celata, has been demonstrated to affect growth and condition of numerous molluscs. In this study, we explored whether the presence of the boring sponge affected the rate of sex change for C. fornicata, using both field surveys and an in situ manipulation. Population surveys suggested that while boring sponges may reduce tissue condition of slipper limpets, this relationship is highly variable and likely confounded by site variables. Using population metrics (size at sex, L50), the presence of a boring sponge did not appear to affect sex change. Likewise, during the in situ experiment where we manipulated stack sex ratios, we did not find any differences in the timing of sex change between male-male and male-female stacks, even though C. fornicata without sponges grew significantly faster. Thus, results from field surveys and our in situ experiment suggest that sex change in this species appears robust to biotic stressors. This study suggests that C. fornicata will undergo sex change when conditions dictate, even if it is experiencing some level of biotic stress, a strategy that likely allows it to maximize lifetime reproductive output.

Short Communication: Diversity of sponges associated in seagrass meadows at coastal area of Pacitan District, East Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Setiawan E, Chodiantoro MR, Insany GF, Subagio IB, Dewi NK, Muzaki FK. 2021. Short Communication: Diversity of sponges associated in seagrass meadows at coastal area of Pacitan District, East Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 22: 3105-3112. Sponges are sessile organisms and aquatic filter feeders that play an important role in marine ecosystems. They are also secondary metabolite compounds that exhibit promising novel properties. Indonesia has been categorized as a hot spot for sponge diversity. Despite this fact, some Indonesian coastal areas, especially in the southern area of East Java, have not yet been comprehensively explored to understand its diversity and potential value. For this reason, we investigated species richness of sponges associated with seagrass meadows in the southern coastal area of Pacitan District, in East Java. Seagrass meadows are important coastal areas that have been recognized as buffer zones for sustainable marine conservation because it provides safe shelter and acts as a nursery for many fishes and other invertebrates, including sponges. We identified 16 genera out of 12 families from two selected beaches in Pacitan. Boring sponges belonging to the Clionaidea family were dominant in those areas, covering more than 20 percent of the total recorded specimens. Moreover, conspicuous boring sponges in this study can be used for further environment alert since this group plays a vital role and negatively impacts destroying the calcium carbonate of marine organisms.

The late Holocene demise of a sublittoral oyster bed in the North Sea.

A fossil oyster bed (Ostrea edulis) was recently encountered offshore Helgoland (German Bight). Oysters are important filter feeders in marine environments and their habitat structure supports a large associated biodiversity. The European flat oyster Ostrea edulis has historically occurred in vast populations in the North Sea, but declined massively in the early 20th century. The ecological restoration of Ostrea habitats is a current focal point in the North Sea. To better understand the mechanisms that caused the local collapse of the oyster population, this study investigated the size structure, weight, and age of the shells, along with the spatial dimensions, seafloor properties, and environmental context of the oyster bed. The results show that the demise of the population occurred around 700 CE, ruling out excessive harvest as a driver of decline. Synchronicity of increased geomorphological activity of rivers and concurrent major land use changes in early medieval Europe suggest that increased sedimentation was a viable stressor that reduced the performance of the oysters. The shells provided no indication of a demographically poor state of the oyster bed prior to its demise, but manifested evidence of the wide-spread occurrence of the boring sponge Cliona sp. Our study challenges the assumption of a stable preindustrial state of the European flat oyster in the North Sea, and we conclude that the long-term variability of environmental conditions needs to be addressed to benchmark success criteria for the restoration of O. edulis.

Palaeoenvironmental significance of sponge spicules in pre-Messinian crisis sediments, Northern Italy

The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) created a substantial negative impact on the Mediterranean marine fauna and flora because hypersaline conditions were established in many marginal basins. At the northern margin of the Tertiary Piedmont Basin, Northern Italy, the Messinian successions exposed at Banengo and Moncalvo recorded the transition into and through the MSC with well-preserved nanno-, micro- and macrofossils. Siliceous sponge spicules present in these pre-MSC sediments reflect the sponge population in this area with twenty different morphological types of spicule identified, twelve of them attributable to sponge genera of the modern Mediterranean sponge fauna. The most common genera were Stelletta, Geodia and Dercitus, with fewer records of Tethya, Chondrilla, Alectona and Samus. Only two types of spicule belong to species not currently present in the Mediterranean sponge fauna and are putatively attributed to the tropical species Stelletta purpurea and Diplastrella megastellata. The sponge assemblage thriving before the onset of the MSC provided new information on the sponge diversity and palaeoenvironment of this northern sector of the palaeo-Mediterranean basin over this crucial period. These data, integrated with information derived from the associated fossils (nannofossils, benthic and planktic foraminifers, and bryozoans), indicate that the considered sites were coastal localities, with sediments rich in an organic matter likely derived from phytoplankton blooms. At both sites, the presence of patchy rocky substrates on the seafloor is testified by a diversified group of sponges typical of hard substrata. These rocks were, very likely, carbonate as suggested by the presence of spicules of typical boring sponges. In the studied sites, common epiphytic foraminifers and bryozoan segments indicate the presence of Posidonia seagrass or algal meadows.

Opportunistic colonizers in the Kallankurichchi Formation, Cauvery Basin, South India: Implications on Maastrichtian environmental stress

Serpulids are marine filter‐feeding annelids that live in calcareous tubes. Their distribution, colonization, and proliferation are dependent on physical environmental variables, including energy conditions. This article documents the occurrences of serpulid colonies over opportunistic colonizing trace fossil of Ophiomorpha‐rich sedimentary unit in the Lower Maastrichtian Kallankurichchi Formation of the Ariyalur Group, Cauvery Basin, South India and links them with ecosystem dynamics, as a function of changes in eustatic and other relative sea‐level changes and attendant variations in environmental parameters. Present observations indicate episodic changes in faunal composition, diversity, and population, across the boundary between Kattupiringiyam Inoceramus limestone Member and Tancem biostromal Member of the Kallankurichchi Formation. The boundary marked a significant change from low‐moderate energy, to high‐energy waters, thus replacing a filter‐feeding community by an opportunistic community. The opportunistic colonizers/trace makers of Ophiomorpha irregulaire occupied the ecospaces vacated by the sea‐level changes. Systematic studies of faunal association across the boundary indicate a sudden appearance of significant populations of Serpula colonies above the surface (i.e., after the changes in ecosystem conditions) and enhancement of intensity of sponge boring in benthic organisms. This means that the changes brought about by the newer environmental conditions were supportive for opportunistic colonizers followed by parasitic and commensalic organisms. Significant reduction of Gryphaea population that was increasingly replaced by Alectryonia, Exogyra, and Terebratula is also documented. These changes, collectively, indicate prevalent environmental stress due to relative sea‐level variations and attendant ecological conditions, to which, the opportunistic colonizers and parasitic organisms responded positively, while the native organisms dwindled in population and were forced to parasitic invasions.

Carbonate crusts around volcanic islands: Composition, origin and their significance in slope stability

Extensive carbonate crusts discovered forming on the slopes of seamounts in many parts of the world's oceans are providing extra stability to the volcanic edifices. These crusts are hardgrounds composed of mixtures of volcaniclastic debris and bioclastic material, in most cases cemented by calcite, in the form of isopachous coatings around grains and pore-filling spar. Such crusts, which have been collected by a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), are described here from moderate-depth to deeper-water slopes (180–820 m) around the volcanic island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, and from the nearby Kick'em Jenny submarine volcano off Grenada. Radiogenic 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios from the carbonates give an indication of age (up to 0.4 Ma years old) but they also demonstrate that some samples have been altered by hydrothermal-volcanic processes, to give ages much older than expected (14 to 18 Ma) based on the foraminifera present. Such alteration is also supported by carbon and oxygen isotope (δ13C and δ18O) ratios, although most samples retain typical marine values. In many cases δ18O is usually a little more positive than expected from modern Caribbean shallow-water carbonates, likely reflecting cooler water at their moderate depths of lithification. Just one sample, from Kick'em Jenny, has very negative δ13C (−42‰) indicating methanogenesis. Crusts are also reported here from the Mediterranean Sea, with an example described from Kolumbo submarine volcano, northeast of the Santorini volcanic complex in the Hellenic subduction zone, that are similar in many respects to those from the Caribbean. Typically, the biota of the crusts consists of calcareous red algae (commonly encrusting volcanic clasts), foraminifera (benthic, some also encrusting, and planktic), subordinate serpulids, bivalves, pteropods and heteropods, and rare deeper-water corals. Some bioclasts are derived from shallower water, others from the moderate depths of the slope itself, and planktic fallout. In addition, there is evidence for the former presence of microbes from the occurrence of calcified filaments and peloids in intragranular cavities. Several generations of sponge borings are usually present as well as calcite cement. Dissolution and calcite replacement of aragonitic bioclasts and cement, and sponge spicules (originally opaline silica), have taken place. The carbonate crusts are attributed to seawater circulating within the surficial sediment, in some cases mixing with hydrothermal fluid driven by geothermal and volcanic processes. Submarine volcanic slopes clearly provide a location for moderate-depth carbonate production and cementation, but a further significance of these hardgrounds is in stabilising seamounts, enabling their slopes to avoid frequent collapse, dissection and readjustment. However, when failure does occur, larger-scale submarine landslides involving coherent slabs are more likely.

Opportunistic infestation of boring sponge Cliona sp. on naturally settled Porites lutea on concrete manhole rings in Vedala

Opportunistic infestation of boring sponge Cliona sp. on naturally settled Porites lutea on concrete manhole rings in Vedala

The relationship between fish abundance and benthic community structure on artificial reefs in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, and the importance of sea whip corals Leptogorgia virgulata.

Autogenic engineers (i.e., biogenic structure) add to habitat complexity by altering the environment by their own physical structures. The presence of autogenic engineers is correlated with increases in species abundance and biodiversity. Biogenic structural communities off the coast of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (Delmarva) are comprised of multiple species including boring sponge Cliona celata, various hydroids (i.e., Tubularia sp., Obelia sp., Campanular sp.), northern stone coral Astrangia poculata, sea whips Leptogorgia virgulata, and blue mussels Mytilus edulis. Sea whips are soft corals that provide the majority of vertical height to benthic structure off the coast of the Delmarva peninsula. The mid-Atlantic bight is inhabited by several economically valuable fishes; however, data regarding habitat composition, habitat quality, and fish abundance are scarce. We collected quadrat and sea whip images from 12 artificial reef sites (i.e., shipwrecks) ranging from 10 to 24 m depth to determine proportional coverage of biogenic structures and to assess habitat health, respectively. Underwater video surveys were used to estimate fish abundances on the 12 study sites and determine if fish abundance was related to biogenic coverage and habitat health. Our results showed that higher fish abundance was significantly correlated with higher proportional sea whip coral coverage, but showed no significant relationship to other biogenic structure. Assessment of sea whip condition (as a damage index) showed that sea whip corals on artificial reefs off the Delmarva coast exhibited minor signs of degradation that did not differ significantly among study sites.

Relationships between boring sponge assemblages and the availability of dead coral substrate on Mexican Pacific coral reefs

AbstractBoring sponges are an important component of bioeroder assemblages in tropical coral reefs. They are considered as a potential threat for coral reef health, and the increase of dead corals is expected to promote their abundance. The relationship between the availability of dead coral substrata and the development of boring sponge assemblages was evaluated during El Niño 2015–16 at five reefs from Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico. Environment and substrate quality were assessed. Overall, environment conditions remained normal in relation to previous studies in the area. Only water temperature showed unusually high records at all sites and coincided with bleaching and mortality of corals, possibly caused by the effects of the El Niño event. Abundance of boring sponges in dead corals and coral rubble was lower than during previous studies. Although sponge abundance was not directly related to cover of both dead corals and coral rubble, cover of dead corals showed a high correlation with the variation in the structure of sponge assemblages across sites.Cliona vermiferadominated sponge assemblages at all sites, and its abundance was high under conditions of high cover of live corals and low cover of bleached corals. Since overall sponge abundance responded in a similar way, these results suggest that boring sponge assemblages dominated byC. vermiferaare enhanced by conditions favourable for corals. Our results imply that El Niño events in the Mexican Pacific are not likely to cause immediate population outbreaks of boring sponges.

Examination of the potential relationship between boring sponges and pea crabs and their effects on eastern oyster condition.

The eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica provides a number of ecosystem services and is an important commercial fishery species along the US East and Gulf Coasts. Oyster populations have declined dramatically due to overharvesting, habitat loss, and disease. As restoration efforts and aquaculture of oysters continue to increase throughout their range, it is important to consider the impacts of a number of potential oyster pests, including the boring sponge Cliona spp. and the pea crab Zaops (Pinnotheres) ostreum, on oyster populations. Both of these have been demonstrated to reduce oyster growth, condition, and in some instances, reproductive output. Boring sponges in particular are a major concern for oyster growers and managers. Our monitoring efforts have suggested that pea crabs might be more prevalent in sponge-infested oysters; we therefore conducted an observational study to determine if there was any relationship between pea crab prevalence and sponge presence, and to examine whether the presence of both pests had synergistic effects on oyster condition. At 2 very different sample sites, North Carolina and New Jersey, oysters with 1 pest (i.e. boring sponge) were significantly more likely to have the second pest (i.e. pea crab) than the background population. Furthermore, sponge presence negatively affected oyster condition in North Carolina only, while pea crabs significantly reduced condition at both locations. When sponges and pea crabs were present together, the effects on oyster condition were additive. This study provides further evidence that interactions between an individual and a fouling/pest organism can alter oyster susceptibility to other parasites.

Rocky-shore unconformities marking the base of Badenian (Middle Miocene) transgressions on Mt. Medvednica basement (North Croatian Basin, Central Paratethys)

Badenian (Middle Miocene) transgressive deepening-upward successions located in the NE part of Mt. Medvednica (North Croatian Basin, Pannonian Basin System) unconformably overlie Mesozoic basement. Triassic and Upper Cretaceous limestone pebbles, cobbles, and boulders of the Badenian basal conglomerates display abundant in situ bivalve borings of Gastrochaenolites and sponge borings of Entobia. This Gastrochaenolites-Entobia ichnoassemblage is related to the Entobia subichnofacies of the Trypanites ichnofacies, characterizing littoral rocky-shore environments (wave-cut platforms and marine transgressive surfaces with a low or null rate of sedimentation). Gastrochaenolites torpedo, Gastrochaenolites lapidicus, and Entobia recorded in Badenian basal conglomerates (compared with modern Northern Adriatic rocky-shore environments), enabled more precise palaeoenvironmental interpretations. The occurrence of G. torpedo (produced by lithophaginid bivalves) on all sides of individual limestone lithoclasts in the Gornje Oresje basal conglomerate, coupled with truncation of the formation (possibly indicating multiphase colonization), reflect gravel transport, roll-over, overturning and erosion by wave action in high-energy rocky-shore settings. Gornje Psarjevo-2 basal conglomerate boulders were probably not subjected to significant movement and abrasion, as suggested by good preservation of both G. lapidicus (potentially produced by gastrochaenid bivalves), associated G. torpedo, as well as abundant shallow Entobia borings. The Badenian Gastrochaenolites-Entobia ichnoassemblage also could be the result of a composite development. However, direct cross-cutting relationships between G. torpedo and G. lapidicus and/or Entobia were rarely observed. In addition, Badenian boring tracemakers might have coexisted at the same water depth. Northeast Mt. Medvednica Badenian successions probably formed during different Central Paratethys transgressive pulses (NN5 and NN6 Zones). However, exact timing of Badenian transgressions, stratigraphic correlations and tectono-eustatic implications are unresolved, due to sparsely integrated biostratigraphic and high-precision geochronological studies of Early–Middle Miocene North Croatian Basin deposits and due to the absence of a uniform biostratigraphic zonation and regional chronostratigraphic division of Central Paratethys.

Bioerosion in shells from the Early Permian Rio Bonito Formation, Brazil: Taphonomic, paleobiological, and paleoecological implications

We report the occurrence of sponge borings in composite molds of heteropectinid shells from Early Permian marine siliciclastic deposits of the Paraná Basin of southern Brazil. Sponge borings are preserved mainly as chambers (Entobia) and channels (Entobia and Clionolithes). Three preservational variations of Entobia are present, morphologically equivalent to the alpha, beta, and gamma ontogenetic stages of clionid sponges. This equivalence suggests that the ontogenetic behavior in clionid sponges remains the same since Early Permian times and points to a conservative evolutionary trend for this group. The pattern of bioerosion and other taphonomic signatures indicate rapid shell burial due to frequent and energetic storm events that might have limited the time available for bioerosion activity. The new findings improve the Paleozoic record of Entobia and Clionolithes and indicate that sponge borings have potential to be preserved in ancient siliciclastic rocks.

Bioerosion and encrustation rates in recent mollusk death assemblages on a supratidal siliciclastic setting, Playa Norte, Veracruz State, Mexico

This study presents both qualitative and quantitative data regarding marine mollusk (gastropods and bivalves) shell bioerosion and encrustation based on death assemblages obtained from a recent supratidal environment in Playa Norte, Veracruz State. The objectives of this study were to assess the nature of bioerosion and encrustation processes and to investigate the role of these taphonomic features contributing to the deterioration of natural shell accumulations within a tropical siliciclastic tidal environment. The assemblage comprises 31 species: 13 gastropods and 18 bivalves. The bioerosion and encrustation degrees were low to moderate for both types. The most abundant traces were predatory gastropod structures (Oichnus paraboloides and O. simplex), whereas sponge borings (Entobia isp.), polychaete dwellings (Caulostrepsis taeniola), and echinoid raspings (Gnatichnus isp.) were less frequent. The encrusting organisms include polychaete serpulids, bryozoans, and rare foraminifers (Homotrema rubrum). Because of the low bioerosion and encrustation degrees occurring in this area, accumulation is expected to predominate over biotic destruction. As deposition conditions (richly fossiliferous carbonate sandstone beds) were similar to those prevailing in the Tuxpan Formation during the Miocene (Langhian), it is suggested that this study provides an equivalent reference to interpret mollusk fossil assemblages located in this site.

Potensi antitumor dari beberapa spons laut asal teluk Manado

Screening of antitumor for the extract and fraction from the marine sponges ofManado Gulf, Aaptos sp., Acervochalina sp., Gelliodes sp., Theonella sp., and orangeboring sponge have been done by use P388 murine leukemia cell. Activity test resultshowed IC50 of the extract and fraction from Aaptos sp were: MeOH extract 5938ng/mL and BuOH extract 125000 ng/mL; Acervochalina sp: EtOH extract 125000ng/mL, PE extract 125000 ng/mL, EtOAc extract 4251 ng/mL, BuOH extract125000 ng/mL; Gelliodes sp: EtOH extract 125000 ng/mL; Theonella sp: EtOHextract 125000 ng/mL, PE extract 9282 ng/mL, EtOAc extract 3273 ng/mL, BuOHextract 125000 ng/mL; orange boring sponge: MeOH extract 1422 ng/mL. Based onthe IC50 value, it could be concluded that MeOH extract of Aaptos sp., EtOAc extractof boring sponge could be a sources for cytotoxic compounds.

Microarray Glycan Profiling Reveals Algal Fucoidan Epitopes in Diverse Marine Metazoans

Despite the biological importance and pharmacological potential of glycans from marine organisms, there are many unanswered questions regarding their distribution, function and evolution. Here we describe microarray-based glycan profiling of a diverse selection of marine animals using antibodies raised against fucoidan isolated from a brown alga. We demonstrate the presence of two fucoidan epitopes in six animals belonging to three phyla including Porifera, Molusca and Chordata. We studied the spatial distribution of these epitopes in Cliona celata (‘boring sponge’) and identified their restricted localisation on the surface of internal chambers. Our results show the potential of high-throughput screening and probes commonly used in plant and algal cell wall biology to study the diversity and distribution of glycan structures in metazoans.