Calcareous Sponge Species Research Articles

On some Calcaronea (Porifera: Calcarea) from the Barents Sea and adjacent Polar Basin

Four common calcareous sponge species from the Arctic are described. One species, Sycandra rappi Morozov sp. nov. is new to science. It differs in the complement of spicules from S. utriculus (Schmidt, 1869). In the latter case, there is an additional kind of spicule, small sickle-shaped diactines, in the distal cones; these spicules are absent in the new species. Additionally, current placement of the genus Sycandra Haeckel, 1872 in the family Grantiidae Dendy, 1892 is discussed. Sycetta asconoides (Breitfuss, 1896) has been relocated to the genus Grantia Fleming, 1828, as we found cortical triactines in the examined material, including type specimen slides. The fourth species, Grantia arctica (Haeckel, 1872), is described from the Franz Joseph Land for the first time. The biogeography of the Arctic calcareous sponges is also briefly discussed.

New species of calcareous sponges of the family Leuconiidae (Porifera: Calcarea: Baeriida) from Kuril Islands, NW Pacific

New species of calcareous sponges of the family Leuconiidae (Porifera: Calcarea: Baeriida) from Kuril Islands, NW Pacific

First record of the rare Leucetta avocado sponge from Sangihe Islands, Indonesia

Calcareous sponges represent the rarest class of marine sponges, constituting only 4% of the currently known sponge species globally. While abundant of demosponges have been reported from various locations in Indonesia, only 40 species of calcareous sponges have been identified in the country over the past 200 years. This suggests the rarity of these sponges and a significant knowledge gap regarding the Leucetta sponge in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to describe the biology of a calcareous sponge belonging to the genus Leucetta, which was collected from the Sangihe Islands in Indonesia. Morphological analysis was conducted using a modified acid digestion method, and the obtained data were compared to reported data for Leucetta sponges. The sponge exhibited triactine spicules, which are characteristic of Leucetta species. The number list of Indonesian Leucetta sponges was determined through a literature search. Previous research indicated that 40 identified calcareous sponges were reported in Indonesia between 1890 and 2023. Interestingly, L. avocado is known as a native sponge to Palau, although this species and closely related species have been reported elsewhere. Therefore, it is predicted that the current distribution of L. avocado in the Sangihe Islands and Bali could be attributed to a combination of the Indonesian Throughflow, sexual propagation, or stepping stone scenarios. This research provides new insights into the biology of L. avocado from Indonesia.

First records of the rare shrimp family Disciadidae from Chinese waters with description of a new species

A new species of Disciadidae Rathbun, 1902, representing the first recorded observation of this caridean family from the South China Sea, is here described and illustrated from nearshore waters off Jinqing Island, in the Xisha Islands. The new species, Discias nanhaiensis sp. nov., is likely associated with a calcareous sponge species, Leucaltis sp. It is characterized by a lanceolate rostrum with serrated margins, a dorsomedial posterior tooth on the second pleomere, an unarticulated mandibular palp, non-serrate lateral margin of the uropodal exopod, and distal margin of telson with four pairs of spines, and these combined features may distinguish the new species from its congeners. An identification key to all Discias species is provided. http://urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0645B1F0-C9E4-4F30-8593-2C062CBC988B

Leucotreton kurilense, a new genus and species of calcareous sponges of the family Sycanthidae (Porifera: Calcarea: Leucosolenida) from the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with contribution to taxonomy and nomenclature of related genera

A calcareous sponge Leucotreton kurilense gen. et sp. nov. (Sycanthidae) is described from the area of the Kuril Islands. It differs from all members of the family Sycanthidae in its aquiferous system, which is intermediate between leuconoid and sylleibid. Taxonomic status and nomenclature of several taxa formerly assigned to Sycanthidae is discussed. It is shown that the genus Dermatreton Jenkin, 1908 does not belong to Sycanthidae but this name is a senior synonym of Breitfussia Borojevic et al., 2000 (Jenkinidae), syn. nov.; Dermatreton contains three species previously included in Breitfussia: D. chartaceum Jenkin, 1908, D. schulzei (Breitfuss, 1896), comb. nov. and D. vitiosum (Brøndsted, 1931), comb. nov. It is shown that Tenthrenodes Jenkin, 1908 should be considered as a junior synonym of Sycon Risso, 1827, syn. nov. A new genus Scytotreton gen. nov. (Sycanthidae) is created to accommodate two species originally described in the genera Dermatreton and Tenthrenodes, respectively: Scytotreton hodgsoni (Jenkin, 1908), comb. nov. and S. scotti (Jenkin, 1908), comb. nov.

Integrative taxonomy of calcareous sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from Réunion Island, Indian Ocean

AbstractThe Western Indian Ocean Province is reckoned for its rich marine diversity; however, sponges of the Mascarene Islands ecoregion are still poorly known. In La Réunion, only three species of class Calcarea have been registered. Hence, calcareous sponges were searched in seven sites representing various habitats of the Western coast of La Réunion, but found in only three of them. A total of 23 sponge samples was identified using morphological and molecular taxonomy. This sampling represents 11 species, all new records for the region, and seven of them are new to science: Ascandra mascarenica sp. nov., A. oceanusvitae sp. nov., Janusya indica gen. et sp. nov., Leucascus tenuispinae sp. nov., Lelapiella tertia sp. nov., Soleneiscus intermedius sp. nov. and Leucandra ornata sp. nov.; and a new genus, Janusya gen. nov.. Based on results from this and from previous studies, we propose the synonymization of the order Murrayonida with Clathrinida. A very low sampling effort has thus increased the number of calcareous sponge species from the Mascarenes Islands ecoregion by 69 % and from La Réunion by 367%.

Carbonic Anhydrases: An Ancient Tool in Calcareous Sponge Biomineralization.

Enzymes of the α-carbonic anhydrase gene family (CAs) are essential for the deposition of calcium carbonate biominerals. In calcareous sponges (phylum Porifera, class Calcarea), specific CAs are involved in the formation of calcite spicules, a unique trait and synapomorphy of this class. However, detailed studies on the CA repertoire of calcareous sponges exist for only two species of one of the two Calcarea subclasses, the Calcaronea. The CA repertoire of the second subclass, the Calcinea, has not been investigated so far, leaving a considerable gap in our knowledge about this gene family in Calcarea. Here, using transcriptomic analysis, phylogenetics, and in situ hybridization, we study the CA repertoire of four additional species of calcareous sponges, including three from the previously unsampled subclass Calcinea. Our data indicate that the last common ancestor of Calcarea had four ancestral CAs with defined subcellular localizations and functions (mitochondrial/cytosolic, membrane-bound, and secreted non-catalytic). The evolution of membrane-bound and secreted CAs involved gene duplications and losses, whereas mitochondrial/cytosolic and non-catalytic CAs are evidently orthologous genes. Mitochondrial/cytosolic CAs are biomineralization-specific genes recruited for biomineralization in the last common ancestor of calcareous sponges. The spatial–temporal expression of these CAs differs between species, which may reflect differences between subclasses or be related to the secondary thickening of spicules during biomineralization that does not occur in all species. With this study, we extend the understanding of the role and the evolution of a key biomineralization gene in calcareous sponges.

The choanoderm of Sycettusa hastifera (Calcarea, Porifera) is able to generate new individuals

AbstractOne of the main characteristics of sponges is their capacity for cell dedifferentiation. This capability can allow an impressive amount of asexual reproduction in these animals, because they are able to develop new individuals from just a few somatic cells. Studies of dedifferentiation, however, have focused mainly on sponges of the class Demospongiae. Therefore, we investigated here whether individuals of three different species of Calcarea are able to reconstitute new individuals following artificial fragmentation. We observed that fragmentation releases clumps of choanoderm able to initiate somatic embryogenesis. In Borojevia brasiliensis (asconoid aquiferous system, subclass Calcinea) and Paraleucilla magna (leuconoid aquiferous system, subclass Calcaronea), these clumps started to develop, but they did not pass through the first developmental phases. In Sycettusa hastifera (syconoid aquiferous system, subclass Calcaronea), the choanoderm was reorganized into primmorphs that fused to each other and formed an exopinacoderm. The first primmorphs’ spicules were triactines. Despite a large mortality rate, the primmorphs developed into olynthus stages. The somatic embryogenesis and the metamorphosis of the olynthus were similar to those observed during the sexual development of this and other calcareous sponge species. Our results show that in S. hastifera, and perhaps in other syconoid calcareous sponges, somatic embryogenesis occurs mainly from choanocytes, at least in vitro. However, primmorph development does not follow the same pattern observed in post‐metamorphic sexual development, as in that case diactines are always the first spicules to be synthesized in calcaronean species.

Short-term temporal variability in a temperate sponge assemblage

Despite the importance of sponges in marine benthic communities, still little is known about patterns of natural temporal variability, which is important for developing suitable management and monitoring strategies. Here, we examined the temporal variation of sponge assemblages on the Wellington South Coast in New Zealand over a 2-year period. Subtidal monitoring stations were established at three sites separated by a maximum distance of approximately 6 km. We found significant differences in sponge abundance and assemblage composition between sites, and also between seasons; however, there were no significant differences between the 2 years for a given season, suggesting the presence of cyclical seasonal variation. Over 60 % of the spatio-temporal assemblage variation could be explained by just eight sponge species, demonstrating the importance of just a few dominant species in driving assemblage composition patterns. Furthermore, the temporal changes were primarily driven by calcareous sponge species. Our results demonstrate the dynamic but cyclical nature of temperate sponge assemblages, which are correlated with seasonal temperature changes.

ESQUEMAS DE DISTRIBUCIÓN DE ESPONJAS ARRECIFALES (PORIFERA) DEL NOROCCIDENTE DEL GOLFO DE URABÁ, CARIBE SUR, COLOMBIA

The North-West of Urabá Gulf in the Southern Caribbean supports a variety of coral reef zones in conditions of high turbulence and fluctuating turbidity and salinity. Sponge composition and density were surveyed and their relationship with physical and structural features of the reef zones were analyzed. In total, 65 demosponges and 1 calcareous sponge species were encountered along belt transects (20 m2) on 11 stations between 1 and 17 m in depth. Sponge density in Urabá tended to be higher than in other areas with water conditions optimal for coral reef development (i.e. Roncador, Serrana and Quitasueño remote oceanic atolls in the SW Caribbean, Colombia) due possibly to higher concentrations of organic suspended materials discharged from rivers. Nevertheless, this effect was not reflected in the Urabá‘s species richness as just a limited number of species (Niphates erecta, Iotrochota birotulata and Mycale laevis) had high densities. Multivariate analyses showed that sponge community composition varies along a depth gradient and across habitats (coral and geomorphological zones), similar to the patterns observed in other Caribbean areas. However, marked taxonomic differences between shallow (<4 m) and deeper (>6 m) zones and the great increase of the sponge density below just 6 m, seem to be a unique feature of Urabá. The absence of many species and the low abundance of sponges in shallow zones (< 6 m) may be due, not only to the variables associated to low depth, like turbulence, which is periodically very strong, but also to great fluctuations in surface salinity due to discharges of the Atrato and other local rivers. The shallow and deep stations that had low sponge richness and density, showed the greatest urchin densities (especially Echinometra viridis); therefore, it is possible that these urchins may be playing an additional controlling role on sponge populations.

Calcareous sponge genomes reveal complex evolution of α-carbonic anhydrases and two key biomineralization enzymes.

BackgroundCalcium carbonate biominerals form often complex and beautiful skeletal elements, including coral exoskeletons and mollusc shells. Although the ability to generate these carbonate structures was apparently gained independently during animal evolution, it sometimes involves the same gene families. One of the best-studied of these gene families comprises the α- carbonic anhydrases (CAs), which catalyse the reversible transformation of CO2 to HCO3− and fulfill many physiological functions. Among Porifera –the oldest animal phylum with the ability to produce skeletal elements– only the class of calcareous sponges can build calcitic spicules, which are the extracellular products of specialized cells, the sclerocytes. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms of their synthesis, but inhibition studies suggest an essential role of CAs. In order to gain insight into the evolution and function of CAs in biomineralization of a basal metazoan species, we determined the diversity and expression of CAs in the calcareous sponges Sycon ciliatum and Leucosolenia complicata by means of genomic screening, RNA-Seq and RNA in situ hybridization expression analysis. Active biomineralization was located with calcein-staining.ResultsWe found that the CA repertoires of two calcareous sponge species are strikingly more complex than those of other sponges. By characterizing their expression patterns, we could link two CAs (one intracellular and one extracellular) to the process of calcite spicule formation in both studied species. The extracellular biomineralizing CAs seem to be of paralogous origin, a finding that advises caution against assuming functional conservation of biomineralizing genes based upon orthology assessment alone. Additionally, calcareous sponges possess acatalytic CAs related to human CAs X and XI, suggesting an ancient origin of these proteins. Phylogenetic analyses including CAs from genomes of all non-bilaterian phyla suggest multiple gene losses and duplications and presence of several CAs in the last common ancestor of metazoans.ConclusionsWe identified two key biomineralization enzymes from the CA-family in calcareous sponges and propose their possible interaction in spicule formation. The complex evolutionary history of the CA family is driven by frequent gene diversification and losses. These evolutionary patterns likely facilitated the numerous events of independent recruitment of CAs into biomineralization within Metazoa.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-014-0230-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Biocalcite, a multifunctional inorganic polymer: Building block for calcareous sponge spicules and bioseed for the synthesis of calcium phosphate-based bone.

Calcium carbonate is the material that builds up the spicules of the calcareous sponges. Recent results revealed that the calcium carbonate/biocalcite-based spicular skeleton of these animals is formed through an enzymatic mechanism, such as the skeleton of the siliceous sponges, evolutionarily the oldest animals that consist of biosilica. The enzyme that mediates the calcium carbonate deposition has been identified as a carbonic anhydrase (CA) and has been cloned from the calcareous sponge species Sycon raphanus. Calcium carbonate deposits are also found in vertebrate bones besides the main constituent, calcium phosphate/hydroxyapatite (HA). Evidence has been presented that during the initial phase of HA synthesis poorly crystalline carbonated apatite is deposited. Recent data summarized here indicate that during early bone formation calcium carbonate deposits enzymatically formed by CA, act as potential bioseeds for the precipitation of calcium phosphate mineral onto bone-forming osteoblasts. Two different calcium carbonate phases have been found during CA-driven enzymatic calcium carbonate deposition in in vitro assays: calcite crystals and round-shaped vaterite deposits. The CA provides a new target of potential anabolic agents for treatment of bone diseases; a first CA activator stimulating the CA-driven calcium carbonate deposition has been identified. In addition, the CA-driven calcium carbonate crystal formation can be frozen at the vaterite state in the presence of silintaphin-2, an aspartic acid/glutamic acid-rich sponge-specific protein. The discovery that calcium carbonate crystals act as bioseeds in human bone formation may allow the development of novel biomimetic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Na-alginate hydrogels, enriched with biosilica, have recently been demonstrated as a suitable matrix to embed bone forming cells for rapid prototyping bioprinting/3D cell printing applications.

Three new species of the genus Paraleucilla Dendy, 1892 (Porifera, Calcarea) from the coast of Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil.

Three new species of calcareous sponges from the coast of Bahia State, NE Brazil are described. All of them belong to the genus Paraleucilla (Calcaronea, Leucosolenida, Amphoriscidae): P. solangeae sp. nov., P. oca sp. nov., and P. incomposita sp. nov. The number of species recorded from the Bahia coast has thus increased from 10 to 13. Including these new species, there are now 50 calcareous sponge species known from the entire Brazilian coast. Paraleucilla is now composed of 11 species, six of them occurring along the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The remaining species occur mainly in the Indian Ocean, and also in the Pacific Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea. An identification key for all Paraleucilla species is provided. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Professor Solange Peixinho, to acknowledge her contribution to our understanding of the biodiversity of Calcarea from the Bahia coast in Brazil.

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

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.

Two new species of calcareous sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the deep Antarctic Eckström Shelf and a revised list of species found in Antarctic waters

The paper reports on two new species of calcareous sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) from the Antarctic Weddell Sea, Clathrina brandtae sp. nov. and Leucetta delicata sp. nov., collected at 600 m depth during the ANT XXIV/2-SYSTCO expedition in January 2008. The new species are described based on a combination of morphological and molecular data. With these new additions the number of species of calcareous sponges reported from south of 50°S (~south of the Polar Front) reaches 50 species. We report an exceptionally high degree of endemism within the group, and as many as 44 out of the 50 species of calcareous sponges are solely confined to Antarctic waters. An updated list of species of calcareous sponges from the area is provided.

Clathrina clara (Calcarea: Clathrinida: Clathrinidae) as foulers on onshore farmed oysters (Pinctada fucata)

A calcareous sponge species was observed as a fouler in the onshore oyster culture tanks at Visakhapatnam Regional Centre of Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI). The sponge was collected and preserved for further studies. The material was deposited in the CMFRI museum. The species was identified as Clathrina clara (family Clathrinidae, order Clathrinida, subclass Calcinea, class Calcarea). The species is being recorded for the first time from Indian waters.

Redescription of Jenkina articulata Brøndsted from the deep Eckström Shelf, E-Weddell Sea, Antarctica and a comment on the possible mass occurrence of this species

This paper reports on an unexpected large catch of the rare calcareous sponge species Jenkina articulata Brøndsted, 1931, taken in the Antarctic Weddell Sea during the ANT XXIV/2-SYSTCO expedition in January 2008. This species is only known from the original description from two specimens collected from the type locality off Wilhelm II-Land. During the SYSTCO expedition more than 60 specimens were collected using an Agassiz trawl at 600 m depth on the Eckström Shelf, Eastern Weddell Sea. Based on this collection, we give a redescription of the incompletely known species, place the locality of catch in a major context, and discuss possible explanations for the rich occurrence of this species in the sponge-ground fauna.

Diet Composition of Two Temperate Calcareous Sponges: Leucosolenia echinata and Leucetta sp. from the Wellington South Coast, New Zealand

Sponges are an important component of benthic ecosystems in New Zealand, and as suspension feeders they can process large volumes of water meaning that their interaction with the water column is likely to be of great importance. Our research focuses on the functional role of sponges as suspension feeders in temperate rocky subtidal ecosystems on the Wellington South Coast, New Zealand. We investigated the diet composition of two common species of calcareous sponges (Leucosolenia echinata and Leucetta sp.) by identifying and quantifying food particles from water samples using flow cytometry, and estimating the removal efficiency for these species. The natural diet of both species included heterotrophic bacteria, Prochlorococcus sp. and Synechococcus sp., similar to that previously reported for demosponges. We found significant differences in the number of picoplanktonic organisms present between ambient and exhalent water for both study species. Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus were removed with the highest efficiency irrespective of sponge species (52-57%). Both species had similar overall removal efficiencies, but we detected significant differences in the removal rates of the three types of bacteria in each species. Our study is the first to investigate the natural diet of calcareous sponges in temperate rocky subtidal reefs using flow cytometry and we provide evidence for differences in the diets of calcareous sponges and demosponges.

Calcareous sponges from abyssal and bathyal depths in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica

Calcareous sponges have traditionally been regarded as shallow-water organisms, a persistent myth created by Hentschel (1925), partly supported by the problematic question of calcareous skeletal secretion under high partial CO 2-pressure below the CCD in the abyss. Up to now, only few species world-wide of the sponge class Calcarea have been described from depths below 2000 m. By far, the largest number of records of Antarctic Calcarea is known from shelf areas between 50 and 400 m depth. They have only been sporadically recorded on the lower shelf and the upper slope from depths between 570 and 850 m. From abyssal depths in the Antarctic there are no previous records of calcareous sponges. It was therefore a big surprise when the first true deep-sea Calcarea from the Antarctic were collected at depths between 1120 and 4400 m during the ANDEEP I, II and III expeditions ( Janussen et al., 2006). To date, five calcareous sponge species have been found, including three species new to science. The three new species belong to the genera Ascaltis, Clathrina and Leucetta. Although calcareous sponges are rare in the Antarctic deep sea, they seem to constitute a constant component of the fauna. Antarctic Calcarea shows all the characteristics of need for revision and further collection and investigation. Still, many new species are likely to be discovered in the Antarctic deep-sea.

Calcareous sponges of the genera Clathrina and Guancha (Calcinea, Calcarea, Porifera) of Norway (north-east Atlantic) with the description of five new species

The taxonomy and distribution of 11 species of calcareous sponges of the subclass Calcinea from the Norwegian coast are reviewed. The Norwegian Calcinea represents a mixture of southern boreal/boreal and boreoarctic species, and the calcinean sponge fauna of northern Norway has strong similarities to the Greenlandic and the White Sea/Barents Sea sponge faunas. Most Norwegian Calcinea have their main distribution between 20 and 100 m depth, although some species are found only in the shallow sublittoral or from sublittoral to abyssal depths. Six species were previously reported in the area: Clathrina coriacea (Montagu, 1818), Clathrina cribrata Rapp et al., 2001, Clathrina nanseni (Breitfuss, 1896), Clathrina septentrionalis Rapp et al., 2001, Guancha blanca Miklucho-Maclay, 1868 and Guancha lacunosa (Johnston, 1842). Five species are new to science: Clathrina corallicola, Clathrina jorunnae, Guancha arnesenae, Guancha camura, and Guancha pellucida spp. nov. A key to the known Norwegian Calcinea is provided. © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2006, 147, 331–365.