Collection Of Sponges Research Articles

Museum collections as untapped sources of undescribed diversity of sponge-zoantharian associations with the description of six new species of Umimayanthus (Zoantharia: Parazoanthidae) from Western Australia and eastern Indonesia

Abstract The zoantharian genus Umimayanthus consists largely of species that live in obligate symbioses with sponges. Although zoantharians have often been overlooked in field collecting campaigns and in research, sponges are usually well-collected, and many natural history museums harbor numerous sponge specimens. Thus, these sponge collections may also include previously overlooked zoantharian species. Such is the case in this research, in which we examined sponge specimens in museum collections from Western Australia and eastern Indonesia. Based on our morphological and molecular analyses, we herein describe six species of Umimayanthus new to science, and redescribe another species described over a century ago. These species can be distinguished by their sponge associations, gross polyp and colony morphology, and depth ranges. Based on these findings, it appears that the Central Indo-Pacific region of Western Australia and Indonesia can be considered a hotspot for sponge-associated zoantharian diversity. We provide a key for the identification of all formally described species in the genus, but caution that there are likely more Umimayanthus species awaiting discovery.

A new Acanthotetilla sponge from the Southwest Atlantic (Tetillidae, Spirophorina, Tetractinellida, Demospongiae), with an updated discussion on the diversity, distribution and morphologic characters of Acanthotetilla spp.

Acanthotetilla is a genus of tetillid sponges diagnosed by the presence of medium-sized, heavily spined oxeas, which are known as megacanthoxeas (or simply acanthoxeas). Currently, seven species are known worldwide: three from the Western Atlantic (A. gorgonosclera, A. rocasensis and A. walteri), three from the Western Indian (A. hemisphaerica, A. enigmatica and A. seychellensis) and one from the Western Pacific (A. celebensis). A megacanthoxea-bearing specimen was obtained from the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Southwest Atlantic, in 2016. It is described here as a new Acanthotetilla, namely, A. noronhensis sp. nov. This new species has two categories of megacanthoxeas, like A. celebensis from Celebes/Sulawesi Sea, Indonesia. However, the former differs from the latter, as well as from other congeners, by the combination of endolithic habit and spiculation. Acanthotetilla noronhensis sp. nov. is known on the basis of a single specimen from a large collection of sponges from Fernando de Noronha. Besides, the species was not found in other sponge collections from different areas of Brazil, including oceanic areas. Thus, the new species has probably a low abundance and restricted distribution, alike all other known Acanthotetilla species, aside A. celebensis, which (regardless its low abundance) occurs in a large sector of the western Pacific. Despite A. noronhensis sp. nov. and A. celebensis being separated by a wide geographic distance, the unique occurrence of two categories of megacanthoxeas might suggest closer phylogenetic relationship and biogeographic history as well. A wider discussion on the diversity, distribution and morphologic characters of Acanthotetilla spp. is supplied in this study. A comparative taxonomic table and a taxonomic identification key to Acanthotetilla spp. is supplied as well.

Sponges in the continental shelf (73 – 210 m) of the southwestern area of Isla Fuerte and Alta Guajira, with the description of new records for the Colombian Caribbean

The biodiversity of sponges in environments beyond 50 m is poorly known, as access to this type of environment without specialized technology is difficult. This study aims to understand the biodiversity of the group present on the continental shelf of the southwestern area of Isla Fuerte and Alta Guajira. Sponge samples were collected via trawls during exploration sessions in hydrocarbon blocks between 73 and 210 m, which were fixed and taken to the sponge collection of the Museum of Marine Natural History of Colombia (MHNMC) in 2012. Then, in 2022, these samples were processed and identified in the laboratory using standard methods. A taxonomic list is presented, with 89 taxa belonging to the classes Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha, which are grouped in 16 orders, 33 families, 51 genera, and 45 species, out of which 10 are new records for the Colombian Caribbean. Only one species was identified for Alta Guajira, which could be attributed to a difference in substrate composition and to the fact that, in the Isla Fuerte sector, due to diapirism and gas emanation events in the continental shelf, there is a greater availability of food, which can support the composition of sessile benthic organisms such as sponges.

Biological and Chemical Monitoring of Rostov NPP as Effective Tool to Prevent Biological Disturbances in the Circulation and Technical Water Supply Systems

The technical and circulating water supply systems of nuclear power plants use water from natural or technical water bodies to provide the water supply to the nuclear power plants. Individual elements and equipment of technical water, are called technical water supply systems. In technical and circulating water supply systems, biological fouling is a collection of microorganisms, algae, molluscs, sponges, bryozoans and other biological organisms that have settled and developed on the heat exchange surfaces of units, in pipelines and on the structures of circulating water coolers. This fouling is caused by the introduction of micro-organisms and dispersal forms of fouling organisms with water from the source. In order to prevent and eliminate biological fouling on the equipment of technical and circulating water supply systems of nuclear plants, Rosenergoatom Concern JSC has adopted a production programme aimed at regular biological and chemical monitoring of water supply systems of nuclear plants.

Computational Metabolomics Tools Reveal Subarmigerides, Unprecedented Linear Peptides from the Marine Sponge Holobiont Callyspongia subarmigera.

A detailed examination of a unique molecular family, restricted to the Callyspongia genus, in a molecular network obtained from an in-house Haplosclerida marine sponge collection (including Haliclona, Callyspongia, Xestospongia, and Petrosia species) led to the discovery of subarmigerides, a series of rare linear peptides from Callyspongia subarmigera, a genus mainly known for polyacetylenes and lipids. The structure of the sole isolated peptide, subarmigeride A (1) was elucidated through extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, HRMS/MS, and Marfey's method to assign its absolute configuration. The putative structures of seven additional linear peptides were proposed by an analysis of their respective MS/MS spectra and a comparison of their fragmentation patterns with the heptapeptide 1. Surprisingly, several structurally related analogues of subarmigeride A (1) occurred in one distinct cluster from the molecular network of the cyanobacteria strains of the Guadeloupe mangroves, suggesting that the true producer of this peptide family might be the microbial sponge-associated community, i.e., the sponge-associated cyanobacteria.

EP403: Finding merit in impurity: Designing a cost-effective workflow for saliva genome sequencing

Saliva is often the specimen of choice when selecting a non-invasive sample type. Properly collected, saliva is more stable and convenient to ship than blood. However, DNA extracted from saliva is notorious for its bacterial contamination, with bacterial content as high as 50% in some collections. While a high percentage of bacterial DNA may not interfere with many genetic tests, it constitutes an obstacle for genome sequencing (GS) by consuming valuable sequencing space. We aimed at designing and implementing cost-effective processes that would enable us to offer PCR-free GS using saliva-derived DNA as a clinical test. Saliva specimens were provided by volunteers from HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology after written informed consent was obtained. Saliva specimens were collected with Oragene OGD-600 and OGD-675 kits (DNAgenotek). DNA was extracted with the QIAsymphony SP instrument. Libraries for PCR-free GS were generated using 0.5-1.5 μg of saliva-derived DNA with the TruSeq DNA PCR-free kit and IDT for Illumina TruSeq DNA Indices (Illumina). Sequencing was performed using the NovaSeq 6000 System, S4 flowcell, and v1.5 reagent kit. Data processing was performed with an in-house secondary pipeline that utilizes BWA-MEM (via Sentieon) for alignment, strelka2 for variant calling, and kraken2 for measuring percent human DNA versus percent bacterial contamination. Tertiary analysis was performed using an in-house tool, Codicem. Several development and optimization experiments were performed to assess: 1) input requirements for PCR-free GS from saliva-derived DNA; 2) correlation between percent aligned reads and percent human DNA; and 3) genome coverage requirements needed to accurately assess bacterial contamination. We have observed that an input of 0.5 - 1 μg can be used for saliva-derived DNA, consistent with inputs for blood-derived DNA. We also found that an initial low coverage run (1X) for saliva-derived DNA could be used to estimate bacterial contamination of a sample, and our analysis pipeline was able to accurately estimate percent human DNA at a coverage as low as 0.5X. The percent aligned reads differed largely between individuals due to high variability in bacterial DNA contamination. As expected, percent aligned reads correlated with percent human DNA (R2=0.998). The estimation of bacterial content could then be used to facilitate the most efficient sample processing by informing the amount of library required to achieve the desired coverage. We further investigated whether a different collection method of saliva allowed us to improve sequencing efficiency. A sponge collection kit (OGD-675) showed a substantial reduction in bacterial contamination with increase in percent human DNA and percent reads aligned compared to a spit collection kit (OGD-600). On average, human DNA content was 95.44% in sponge kits compared to 85.15% in spit kits. Furthermore, the distribution of percent aligned reads in GS data obtained from saliva specimens collected with sponge kits was much narrower than that for the samples collected with the spit kit (99.46-83.47% compared to 97.09-46.44%). Despite smaller collection volumes in sponge kits and subsequent lower total DNA yields (average of 7.8 μg in sponge kits compared to 12 μg in spit kits), we observed DNA amounts extracted from sponge kits to be sufficient for primary and confirmatory testing. A supplementary stability study performed using DNA isolated 0 and 31 days after collection showed that bacterial contamination did not significantly increase over time for either sponge or spit collection kits (average increase from 3.01% to 3.56% in sponge kits and from 10.27% to 12.31% in spit kits). However, we noted that percentage aligned reads decreased more during the 30 days of storage in samples with high bacterial contamination at initial extraction, with up to 8% increase in bacterial contamination observed for samples with initial human DNA content less than 60%. Consequently, we observed a narrower distribution of percentage aligned read changes over time in DNA isolated from the sponge collection kits (0.01-1.58% compared to 0.1-8.8%). HudsonAlpha Clinical Services Lab has validated PCR-free GS assay with saliva-derived DNA as an input. The workflow efficiency is increased due to the implementation of a preliminary sequencing to 1X coverage as a method to estimate bacterial contamination. This step allows us to triage samples and eliminate failures due to insufficient coverage, as well as balance sequencing pools to achieve desired coverage. As a result of our studies, we found that a sponge saliva collection kit provides sufficient DNA yields with relatively low bacterial contamination, making the sponge kit the preferred collection method for GS applications.

Studying Porifera WBR Using the Calcerous Sponges Leucosolenia.

Sponges (Porifera), basal nonbilaterian metazoans, are well known for their high regenerative capacities ranging from reparation of a lost body wall to whole-body regeneration from a small piece of tissues or even from dissociated cells. Sponges from different clades utilize different cell sources and various morphological processes to complete the regeneration. This variety makes these animals promising models for studying the evolution of regeneration in Metazoa. However, there are few publications concerning the regenerative mechanisms in sponges. This could be partially explained by the delicacy of sponge tissues, which requires modifying and fine adjusting of common research protocols. The current chapter describes various methods for studying regeneration processes in the marine calcareous sponge, Leucosolenia. Provided protocols span all significant research steps: from sponge collection and surgical operations to various types of microscopy and immunohistochemical studies.

Brief Report: HIV-1 Seroconversion Is Not Associated With Prolonged Rectal Mucosal Inflammation.

Determine the impact of HIV-1 seroconversion on inflammatory cytokines in the rectal mucosa. Secondary analysis of data from men who have sex with men and transgender women who participated in a HIV prevention trial Lima, Peru. From July to December 2017, 605 men who have sex with men and transgender women were screened for rectal gonorrhea/chlamydia (GC/CT). Fifty GC/CT-positive cases were randomly selected and matched with 52 GC/CT-negative controls by age and number of receptive anal intercourse partners in the last month. All participants were HIV-negative at baseline and those with GC/CT at baseline and/or follow-up received appropriate antibiotic therapy. Participants underwent sponge collection of rectal secretions for the measurement of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α) and were screened for rectal GC/CT and HIV at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared inflammatory cytokine levels between participants diagnosed with HIV during follow-up and persons who remained HIV-negative. Eight participants were diagnosed with HIV at the 3-month (n = 6) or 6-month (n = 2) visit. The median number of receptive anal intercourse partners in the month before HIV diagnosis was the same for those who acquired HIV and those who did not. There were no significant differences in inflammatory cytokine levels in rectal mucosa between participants who did and did not experience HIV seroconversion at any time point. Despite a surge in viral replication during acute infection, findings from this study suggest that there is no prolonged effect of HIV-1 seroconversion on inflammatory cytokine levels in the rectal mucosa.

New Latrunculiidae (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) from the Agulhas ecoregion of temperate southern Africa.

Sixteen species of Latrunculiidae Topsent, 1922, belonging to the genera Latrunculia du Bocage, 1869, Strongylodesma Lévi, 1969, Cyclacanthia Samaai Kelly, 2004, Samaai Kelly, 2002, are currently known from the temperate waters of South Africa. Extensive new sponge collections from the Amathole region of South Africa revealed the existence of three new species of Tsitsikamma, T. amatholensis sp. nov., T. madiba sp. nov., and T. beukesi sp. nov., and a new species of the endemic South African genus Cyclacanthia, C. rethahofmeyri sp. nov. With the recent addition of two new species of Tsitsikamma from Algoa Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park (T. michaeli Parker-Nance, 2019; T. nguni Parker-Nance, 2019) the total number of known South African Latrunculiidae is now 20 species in four genera. Here we propose two new subgenera of Tsitsikamma, Tsitsikamma Samaai Kelly, 2002 and Clavicaulis subgen. nov., based on the morphological groups "favus" and "pedunculata" hypothesized by Parker-Nance et al. (2019). Species in the nominotypical subgenus Tsitsikamma, containing the type species, are thick encrusting to hemispherical with a rigid honeycombed choanosome, while species in the new subgenus Clavicaulis subgen. nov. have a purse or sac-like morphology with little choanosomal structure. Despite the obvious species-level differences in morphology, multivariate analysis based on spicule measurements (anisostyle length, discorhabd length, shaft and whorl length) was not able to distinguish between the proposed Tsitsikamma species, but separated known species T. favus Samaai Kelly, 2002, T. pedunculata Samaai Kelly, 2003, and T. scurra Samaai Kelly, 2003, from each other. Similarly, DNA barcoding of the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear ITS of Tsitsikamma specimens failed to clearly differentiate between species, but was able to differentiate sister taxon relationships within the Latrunculiidae.

The Natural History Museum Fossil Porifera Collection

This article provides updated information about the Porifera Collection at The Natural History Museum (NHM), London. With very little information available regarding fossil sponge digitization or any similar initiative, this paper covers the type and figured specimens and drawer label content data of the Porifera Collection and also describes the collection and its research potential. With approximately 71,000 specimens, of which more than 60% are Mesozoic, the NHM holdings offer the best Mesozoic sponge collection in the world and one of the most important due to its breadth and depth. The Porifera Collection covers all stratigraphic periods and all taxonomic groups and includes almost 3000 cited and figured specimens including types. Although most of the specimens come from the British Isles, worldwide samples are also present, with abundant specimens from other Commonwealth countries and from Antarctica.

ISOLASI ACTINOMYCETES SIMBION SPONGE PULAU BARRANG CADDI MAKASSAR SEBAGAI PENGHASIL SENYAWA ANTIMIKROBA

Sponges as a residence for microorganisms make it a High Microbial Abundance Sponge (HMAS) where 40-60% of the biomass of the sponge consists of microorganisms. One of the bacteria that originates from the sea and has long been known to be breed is Actinomycetes. Actinomycetes that are symbiotic with sponges are very numerous and rich in the discovery of new chemotypes with interesting therapeutic activities that are not found in terrestrial organisms. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activity of Actinomycetes isolates obtained from Barrang Caddi Island sponges. Actinomycetes isolation was carried out by pour and spread plate methods. From seven isolates actinomycetes obtained from sponge collections from Barrang Caddi Island, Makassar City, South Sulawesi are able to inhibit test microbes in initial screening with antagonistic test.

Molecular biodiversity of Iranian shallow water sponges

Despite their importance, our knowledge of the biodiversity and phylogeography of sponges in the Persian Gulf and adjacent waters is largely unexplored. Such knowledge, however, is necessary to better understand those patterns and processes that generated and maintained sponge diversity in this largely separated marginal sea, and to create a foundation for future exploration of the marine natural resources in this area. Recently, several expeditions resulted in the so far largest sponge collection of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, which now led towards the most comprehensive molecular taxonomic inventory of sponges in this region to date. We analyzed a total of 143 samples molecularly and identified 52 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) based on 28S and CO1. Additional molecular comparison with the Red Sea sponge fauna indicate a strong differentiation and high levels endemism between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea respectively, supporting findings for other marine phyla.

Sponges from Doumer Island, Antarctic Peninsula, with description of new species of Clathria (Axosuberites) Topsent, 1893 and Hymeniacidon Bowerbank, 1858, and a re-description of H. torquata Topsent, 1916.

Antarctic sponges were mainly studied from trawling or dredging (shallow and deep water) during pioneering oceanographic expeditions carried out since the late 19th century. More recently, sponge collections by SCUBA diving have allowed the detection of species in more cryptic habitats such as rocky walls. In this study, we analyzed Antarctic sponges collected by SCUBA (in 2016 to 2018; shallower than 25 m) around Doumer Island (Palmer Archipelago, Western Antarctic Peninsula-WAP), where only five sponge species have been known. We gathered over 215 specimens, most part identified; 18 known species and one new species. Clathria (Axosuberites) retamalesi sp. nov., is set apart from its congeners on account of the combination of its habit, categories and dimensions of spicules. The East Antarctic material named as Hymeniacidon spec. (3397 m depth) from the Gauss scientific collection has been related to the shallow species H. torquata Topsent, 1916. We described H. torquata based in several specimens (n= 51) from Doumer Island (WAP), only ca. 41 km from Petermann Island (the type locality). Spicules of H. torquata are smaller than the ones present in the Hymeniacidon spec. material, which is here named Hymeniacidon hentscheli sp. nov., since it does not fit into any known cold water species of Hymeniacidon from Antarctica or the Southern Hemisphere, due to a combination of habit, oscula shape, and spicule dimensions. Only five sponge species were previously known from Doumer Island, also collected by SCUBA. Our findings suggest that the ongoing study of collections of sponges assembled at Doumer Island will still yield new taxonomic findings.

Hatchability of gemmules of two Neotropical freshwater sponges (Porifera: Spongillida)

ABSTRACT Inland waters experience extreme environmental conditions determining the evolution of several adaptive strategies of the fauna to these variable conditions. Freshwater sponges produce resisting bodies called gemmules that contain totipotent cells and specialized spicules (gemmuloscleres). Completely formed gemmules exhibit low metabolic rates and may become dormant during periods of environmental stress. Until now, few species had their hatchability tested against different environmental conditions. The purpose of the present study was to test the capacity of hatching gemmules of two freshwater sponge species (Heteromeyenia cristalina Batista, Volkmer-Ribeiro & Melão, 2007 and Radiospongilla inesi Nicacio & Pinheiro, 2011) from inland waters from different localities. Five assays were tested (A): A1 (water of sponge collection site); A2 (Pirangi River water); A3 (Araraquara Pond water); A4 (mineral water) and A5 (A1 after drying gemmules). For each assay, three replicates with 30 gemmules were used. The gemmules were observed daily during 30 days. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA and a posteriori Tukey test. Results showed that gemmules from both species submitted to A3 have not hatched, probably due to its very high conductivity. There was a significant difference between assays (A1, A2 and A4) and between species (F2, 12 = 77.2; P < 0.001). Comparison between A1 and A5 showed significant differences between both assays and species (F1, 8 = 27.5; P < 0.001). Radiospongilla inesi presented high hatching rate at all assays, while H. cristalina had a high hatching rate only on A1 and A5. Results clearly show that each species has a different capacity of hatching.

New Species of Lissodendoryx Topsent, 1892 (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Coelosphaeridae) and Myxilla Schmidt, 1862 (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Myxillidae) from the Northeast Pacific.

Collections of sponges by the late Dr. William C. Austin and the authors (N. McDaniel, R. Harbo and B. Ott) provided material for descriptions of new species from two genera of Poecilosclerida for shallow waters of Southern British Columbia, Canada and Northern Washington, USA: Lissodendoryx and Myxilla. There have been no new species of these two genera described for the Northeast Pacific since Laubenfels' work in central California (Laubenfels 1930, 1932) and Lambe's reports in 1893 to 1895 for Geological Survey of Canada sponge collections from British Columbia, Canada to the Bering Sea. We describe three new species of Lissodendoryx (Lissodendoryx) (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Coelosphaeridae) and one new species of Myxilla (Myxilla) (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Myxillidae): L. (L.) barkleyensis n. sp., L. (L.) littoralis n. sp., L. (L.) toxaraphida n. sp. and M. (M.) austini n. sp. Lissodendoryx (L.) barkleyensis n. sp. is cave-dwelling, has acanthostyles 112-260 µm, tornotes 107-177 µm, arcuate isochelas 8-28 µm and two sizes of sigmas 18-29, 26-55 µm. Lissodendoryx (L.) littoralis n. sp. fistulate habitus is adapted to muddy substrates similar to some Polymastia species also found commonly in the Northeast Pacific. It has subtylostyles 185-336 µm, tylotes 112-229 µm, arcuate isochelas 11-23 µm, and sigmas 30-75 µm. Lissodendoryx (L.) toxaraphida n. sp. is the only described Lissodendoryx species with raphides shaped like toxas. It has acanthostyles 140-286 µm, tornotes 143-195µm, arcuate isochelas 18-34 µm and toxiform raphides 65-156 µm. Myxilla (M.) austini n. sp. has a fistulate habitus and both tornote and tylote megascleres. It appears to be tolerant of low oxygen environments. Myxilla (M.) austini n. sp. has smooth to sparsely spined styles 193-353 µm, tylotes 153-221 µm, tornotes 174-260 µm, two sizes of anchorate isochelas 13-27, 42-81 µm, and two sizes of sigmas 13-47, 33-78 µm. All specimens were collected from shallow water (intertidal to 25 m).

Evaluation of the use of Polyurethane Residue Aggregated to the Plaster of Civil Construction

The study deals with the reuse of Polyurethane (PU) obtained from a kitchen sponge added to plaster for use in civil engineering. The kitchen sponge is an item widely used by the population in their daily lives, generating a significant accumulation of waste. Thus, from the analysis of the properties of the kitchen sponge, it was seeking possible reuse of the kitchen sponge using it as an aggregate in plaster. The objective is to evaluate the properties of the material and consequently the search for an alternative of reuse of the waste to reduce the impact of the waste on the environment from the disposal. The methodology is composed of the collection of kitchen sponges already used, the processing, its application as an aggregate to gypsum and water, the preparation of plates for the tests and the evaluation of the properties. In general, the mixture presents significant results, highlighting excellent impact resistance and maintaining characteristics of the plaster, such as its pick time and compressive strength.

Unravelling the moons: review of the genera Paratetilla and Cinachyrella in the Indo-Pacific (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Tetillidae).

Paratetillabacca (Selenka, 1867) and Cinachyrellaaustraliensis (Carter, 1886) occur in a broad range of marine environments and are allegedly widely distributed species in the Indo-Pacific. We coin the term ‘moon sponges’ for these species as they are spherical in shape with numerous porocalices resembling the lunar surface. Both species have a complex taxonomic history with high synonymization, in particular by Burton (1934, 1959). An examination of the junior synonyms proposed by Burton (1934, 1959) was conducted to establish the validity of the names. More than 230 specimens from Naturalis Biodiversity Center were reviewed that belong to the genera Paratetilla and Cinachyrella from marine lakes, coral reefs, and mangroves in Indonesia. The aim of the current study was to untangle the taxonomic history, describe the collection of moon sponges from Indonesia, and develop a key. We extensively reviewed the taxonomic literature as well as holotypes of most of the species synonymized by Burton. The taxonomic history of Paratetilla spp. and Cinachyrellaaustraliensis showed some cases of misinterpreted synonyms, misidentifications, and lack of detailed descriptions for some species. The conclusion of the revision is that there are three valid species of Paratetilla (P.arcifera, P.bacca, and P.corrugata) and four valid species of Cinachyrella (C.australiensis, C.porosa, C.paterifera, and C.schulzei) in Indonesia. This is furthermore corroborated by molecular work from previous studies. ParatetillaarciferaWilson 1925 and C.porosa (Lendenfeld, 1888) are resurrected. A full review of taxonomic history is provided as well as a key for identification of moon sponges from Indonesia. All species are sympatric and we expect that there are undescribed species remaining within the Tetillidae from the Indo-Pacific. Our current review provides the framework from which to describe new species in the genera Paratetilla and Cinachyrella from the Indo-Pacific.

Unravelling the moons: review of the genera Paratetilla and Cinachyrella in the Indo-Pacific (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Tetillidae)

Paratetillabacca(Selenka, 1867) andCinachyrellaaustraliensis(Carter, 1886) occur in a broad range of marine environments and are allegedly widely distributed species in the Indo-Pacific. We coin the term ‘moon sponges’ for these species as they are spherical in shape with numerous porocalices resembling the lunar surface. Both species have a complex taxonomic history with high synonymization, in particular by Burton (1934, 1959). An examination of the junior synonyms proposed by Burton (1934, 1959) was conducted to establish the validity of the names. More than 230 specimens from Naturalis Biodiversity Center were reviewed that belong to the generaParatetillaandCinachyrellafrom marine lakes, coral reefs, and mangroves in Indonesia. The aim of the current study was to untangle the taxonomic history, describe the collection of moon sponges from Indonesia, and develop a key. We extensively reviewed the taxonomic literature as well as holotypes of most of the species synonymized by Burton. The taxonomic history ofParatetillaspp. andCinachyrellaaustraliensisshowed some cases of misinterpreted synonyms, misidentifications, and lack of detailed descriptions for some species. The conclusion of the revision is that there are three valid species ofParatetilla(P.arcifera,P.bacca, andP.corrugata) and four valid species ofCinachyrella(C.australiensis,C.porosa,C.paterifera, andC.schulzei) in Indonesia. This is furthermore corroborated by molecular work from previous studies.ParatetillaarciferaWilson 1925 andC.porosa(Lendenfeld, 1888) are resurrected. A full review of taxonomic history is provided as well as a key for identification of moon sponges from Indonesia. All species are sympatric and we expect that there are undescribed species remaining within the Tetillidae from the Indo-Pacific. Our current review provides the framework from which to describe new species in the generaParatetillaandCinachyrellafrom the Indo-Pacific.

Optimising the collection of female genital tract fluid for cytokine analysis in pregnant women

IntroductionTo better understand the immunology of pregnancy, study of female genital tract fluid (FGF) is desirable. However the optimum method of collection of FGF in pregnant women for immunological methods, specifically cytokine measurement, is unknown. MethodsA prospective study of HIV-uninfected pregnant women comparing two methods of FGF collection: polyvinyl acetal sponge collection of cervical fluid (CF) and menstrual cup collection of cervicovaginal fluid (CVF). Samples were collected at 3 time points across the second and third trimesters: 14–21, 22–25 and 26–31 weeks. Multiplex chemi-luminescent assays were used to measure: IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, IL-13 and TNF-α. Optimal methodology for cytokine normalisation (sample weight, volume and total protein) was explored. ResultsAll cytokines were measurable in both fluid types. IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-6 were detected at the highest concentrations (ranking order CF > CVF > plasma). CVF collection was simpler, provided the largest volume of sample (median 0.5 g) with the potential for undiluted usage, and allowed for self-insertion. CF cytokine concentrations were intrinsically associated with sample weight and protein concentration however CVF cytokines were independent of these. ConclusionBoth methods of collection are robust for measurement of FGF cytokines during pregnancy. We recommend CVF collection using a menstrual cup as a viable option in pregnant women for high dimensional biological techniques.

Rediscovery of Eunapius carteri (Bowerbank, 1863) in Western Europe

The freshwater sponge collections of the National Museum of Natural History of Madrid were examined and the presence of Eunapius carteri (Bowerbank, 1863) in the Iberian Peninsula was rediscovered. An approach to its ecology is also presented. This species is not currently considered within the Iberian and Western European fauna. Therefore, its rediscovery changes the conception of this species' biogeographical distribution in Europe linked to its ecology.