McCormack2017 Conference10 Program&abstracts Galway

10 World Sponge
th
Conference
NUI Galway
25-30 June 2017
Áras na Mac Léinn
CAMPUS MAP
and Bailey Allen Hall
1 The Quadrangle Accessible Route Across

Campus (for the mobility
2 Áras na Gaeilge impaired)
To Galway City
3 The Hardiman Building IT Building
4 Arts Millennium Building Cafés, restaurants and bars

5 Sports Centre
A An Bhialann Cathedral
6 Arts / Science Building
B Smokey Joe’s Café D
7 IT Building Martin Ryan Building
C 8 10
8 Orbsen Building River
D College Bar 9 Corrib
9 Student Information Desk 7 12
(SID) / Áras Uí Chathail E Zinc Café C
10 Áras na Mac Léinn 11
F Friars Restaurant
and Bailey Allen Hall
Arts / Science Building
11 Human Biology Building 13
(under construction) Engineering Building
AD
12 Bank of Ireland Theatre River SC

RO
Corrib
Q U IN C E
hW
13 Martin Ryan Building 10t
TY
SI
B
14 Áras Moyola 2
NTENN
VER
I
15 J.E. Cairnes School of 6

UN
A 3
Business and Economics
IA L B R ID
16 Corrib Village Áras Moyola
University Road
GE
(Student Accommodation)
Cover photographs - Bernard Picton. South Africa, 2008.

Entrance
17 Institute of Lifecourse and
Society
18 Park and Ride 1
4
D IS
19 Engineering Building
T IL L
5
E RY
R OA
Under Construction NE WC A S T L
D
E ROA D
Please excuse our temporary
appearance.
The Hardiman Building
Institute of Lifecourse and Society

19
D
E OA
L ER
ST
14 CA
W
NE
Arts Millennium Building

Newcastle Road
15 Entrance
16 F
P&R
18
17
J.E. Cairnes School of Business
and Economics
Entrance
Corrib Village
June 25-30 2017
NUI Galway
10th World Sponge Conference
1

Contents
Welcome to Galway
................................................................................................................................................................................ 23
Speaker Biographies
................................................................................................................................................................................ 25
General Information
Conference Venue:.................................................................................................................................................. 30
Parking on Campus: ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Wi-Fi Code............................................................................................................................................................. 30
Conference Programme
................................................................................................................................................................................ 31
Plenary Session
Sensation and the energetics of sponge filter feeding
Sally P. Leys1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 41
Evolution
A Solution to the Conundrum of Non-Bilaterian Relationships?
Gert Wörheide1,2, Paul Simion3, Michael Eitel1, Michaël Manuel4, Hervé Philippe4, Davide Pisani6 .................. 42
Sponges versus Ctenophora : The Evolution of Epithelial Proteins
André Le Bivic1, Hassiba Belahbib2, Emmanuelle Renard3, Carole Borchiellini3 ................................................ 42
Save the best for the last: mRNA editing and multiple linear chromosomes in mitochondria of
calcaronean sponges.
Dennis Lavrov1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 43
Think like a sponge: Examining neural-marker genes in context
Jasmine Mah1 & Sally P. Leys1 .............................................................................................................................. 43
Tetractinellida is a hot-spot of Group I Introns: vertical gene transfer, secondary losses and implications
for DNA barcoding
Astrid Schuster1, Jose V. Lopez2, Leontine E. Becking3, 4, Shirley A. Pomponi5, Michelle Kelly6, Gert
Wörheide1, 7, 8, Dirk Erpenbeck1, 8, Paco Cárdenas9 ................................................................................................ 44
Evolution and Development of the Skeleton in Selective Marine Haplosclerids
Jose Maria Aguilar-Camacho1, Liam Morrison2 & Grace P. McCormack1 ........................................................... 44
Molecular Diversity of Demosponges in the Indo-Pacific
Dirk Erpenbeck 1, 2, Astrid Schuster1, Oliver Voigt1, Kathryn Hall3, Merrick Ekins3, Christine Schönberg4,
Nicole J. de Voogd, 5, Michelle Kelly6, John N.A. Hooper3, 7, Cecile Debitus8, Gert Wörheide1, 2, 9 ...................... 45
Foliose fans of the sea: the Phyllospongiinae
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab1, Jane Fromont2, Oliver Gomez2, Nikos Andreakis1 & Nerida Wilson2, 3 .......... 46
Diversity analysis of a fossil sponge fauna (Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) from Italy (Eocene, Lessini Mts)
Viviana Frisone 1, Andrzej Pisera 2, Nereo Preto 3 & Wolfgang Kiessling 4 ........................................................... 46
The Chondrilla species complex along N-S gradient in the tropical Western Atlantic: an integrative approach
Carla Zilberberg1, C. Lazoski2, Alexander V. Ereskovsky3, Marinella S. Laport4, Cristiane Hardoim4, 5,
Michelle Klautau6, Antonio M. Solé-Cava7 & Nicole Boury-Esnault3 .................................................................. 47
Biodiversity and biogeography of Tropical Western Atlantic Calcarea (Porifera)
Fernanda Azevedo 1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, André Padua1, Taynara Louzada1, Tayara Fontana1, Raisa
Rizzieri1, Pedro Leocorny1, Eduardo Hajdu2, Thierry Pérez3 & Michelle Klautau1 .............................................. 48
3
Systematics Miriam Reverter1, 2, Marie-Aude Tribalat1, Grace P. McCormack3 & Olivier P. Thomas1 .................................... 59
The Evolution of Sponge Systematics from Aristotle (4th BC) to the 10th World Sponge Conference in Integrative taxonomy reveals a high diversity of Homoscleromorpha in Cabo Frio, Southeastern Brazil
Galway (21stAC). (SW Atlantic)
Nicole Boury-Esnault ............................................................................................................................................ 49 Guilherme Muricy1, Celso Domingos1, Anaíra Lage1, Mirelly Balbino1, Carolline Pequeno1, Daniele
S. Quintela1, Emilio Lanna2, Cristiane Hardoim1, 3, Gabriela Puccinelli3, Marinella Laport3, Carla
The importance of cytology towards integrative taxonomy of sponges
Zilberberg4, Philippe Willenz 5, Alexander Ereskovsky6, 7, Thierry Perez6, Dennis Lavrov8 ................................. 60
Alexander Ereskovsky1, 2 & Philippe Willenz3, 4 .................................................................................................... 50
Phenotypic Plasticity in Sponges: a case study on Callyspongia sp. from Northeastern Brazil
Diversity of Deep-Water Lithistids of the Tropical Western Atlantic: Are They Really Isolated Survivors?
Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu, Mariana Ventura Alves, Thomáz Vieiralves & Thiago Silva de Paula ................................. 61
Andrzej Pisera ....................................................................................................................................................... 50
Sponges of the genus Agelas from the Indo-Pacific
Variation between Giant Barrel Sponges Around the Globe
Merrick Ekins ........................................................................................................................................................ 61
Thomas Swierts1, Daniel F. Cleary2, Katja T.C.A. Peijnenburg1 & Nicole J. de Voogd1 ...................................... 51
Evolutionary transformations of choanocyte kinetid in the phylum Porifera and their significance for
Homoscleromorpha diversity revised through an Integrative Systematics phylogenetic reconstructions
César Ruiz1, Thierry Pérez1 ................................................................................................................................... 51 Igor Pozdnyakov1, Agniya Sokolova2, Sergey Karpov1, 3, Alexander Ereskovsky4, 5 ............................................. 62
Current outlook on carnivorous sponge diversity and systematics Historical overview on the Adriatic calcarean sponges
Jon Thomassen Hestetun1, Hans Tore Rapp1 ......................................................................................................... 51 Mirna Halasz1, Helena Ćetković1, Michelle Klautau2 ........................................................................................... 62
Nothing in sponge systematics makes sense - except in the light of DNA!
Christine Morrow1, 2, 3, Jean Vacelet 4, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli 5, Ulisses Pinheiro 6, Kevin Calabro 2, Sponges & Microbes
Olivier Thomas 2 & Grace P. McCormack 1. ......................................................................................................... 52 Exploring microbial dark matter in sponge symbioses
Are we there yet? Novel families and genera revealed within Verongimorpha while expanding geographic Ute Hentschel Humeida1 ........................................................................................................................................ 64
and habitats explorations. Sponge Bleaching, Symbiodinium Symbioses, and forces that shape Coevolutionary Specialization.
M. Cristina Díaz1, 2, Pierre Chevaldonné3, Maude Dubois3, Marie Grenier3, César Ruiz3, Alexander Malcolm Hill, Garrett Fundakowski, Tyler Heist1, Connor Hughes2, Nasheya Rahman, Shiv Toolsidass,
Ereskovsky3, Jean Vacelet3, Nicole Boury-Esnault3 & Thierry Pérez3 .................................................................. 53 Tongu Wang, Paul Kwam, April Hill, John Wesley Cain3, Barry Lawson ............................................................ 64
A proposal for the family level classification of Calcinea (Porifera, Calcarea) Molecular and metabolic interactions in sponge-microbe symbiosis
Oliver Voigt 1, Fernanda Azevedo 2, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján 2, Hans Tore Rapp 3, Gert Wörheide 1, 4 & Torsten Thomas, Lucas Moitinho e Silva, Giampiero Batani, Ana I.S. Esteves, Mary Nguyen, David
Michelle Klautau 2 ................................................................................................................................................. 54 Reynolds, Cristina Diez-Vives, Rajesh Thangamani, Lu Fan ............................................................................... 65
Cinachyrella australiensis (Carter, 1886) In The Indo- West Pacific: An Integrative Approach To Genome-informed insights into the function of a coral reef sponge holobiont
Understanding A Complex Species Complex Rebecca Fieth1, Jabin Watson1, Benedict Yuen1, Maely Gauthier1 & Sandie Degnan1 ......................................... 65
Kathryn A. Hall1, Miranda E. Vidgen1 & John N.A. Hooper1 ............................................................................... 54 Sponge Symbionts – key to understanding sponge responses to climate change
Taxonomy of deep-sea sponges living on polymetallic nodule fields in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Heidi Luter 1, 2, Holly Bennett1, 2, James Bell1, Nicole Webster2 ............................................................................ 66
Zone (CCFZ), East Pacific
Metagenomics and FISH-CLEM visualization of marine sponge-associated Chloroflexi
Daniel Kersken1, 2, Dorte Janussen1 & Pedro Martínez Arbizu .............................................................................. 55
Kristina Bayer, Beate Slaby, Martin T. Jahn, Lucas M. Silva & Ute Hentschel ................................................... 66
Calcarean sponge fauna of the eastern Mediterranean Sea
Metabolic Diversification Across Caribbean Sponges
Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Tayara Fontana2, Fernanda Azevedo2, Chryssanthi Antoniadou3, Eleni Voultsiadou3
Christopher J. Freeman1, Cole G. Easson2, Kenan O. Matterson3, Robert W. Thacker4, David M. Baker5 &
& Michelle Klautau2 .............................................................................................................................................. 55
Valerie Paul1 ........................................................................................................................................................... 67
Three new and four poorly known species of Plakina (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha)
Function and Form: Finding the Raison d’être of Symbiotic Communities within Sponges
Anaíra Lage1, Vasilis Gerovasileiou2, Eleni Voultsiadou3, Thierry Pérez4, César Ruiz4 & Guilherme Muricy1 ..... 56
Jose V. Lopez1 ........................................................................................................................................................ 67
Calcareous Sponges From Palau And The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The impact of depth: sponge-associated microbes and antimicrobial activity change
Anita Mary George1, Merrick Ekins1, Sam McCormack2 & Michelle Klautau3 ................................................... 57
Detmer Sipkema1, Anak Agung Gede Indraningrat1, 2, Georg Steinert1, 5, Michael W. Taylor6, Peter J.
Divergence between molecular and morphological data in Brazilian Arenosclera sponges (Haplosclerida, Schupp5, Leontine E. Becking3, 4 & Hauke Smidt1 ................................................................................................ 68
Demospongiae)
Dissolved organic matter cycling by the sponge holobiont
Camille V. Leal1, 2, 3, Fernando C. Moraes4, Adriana Froes2, Ana Carolina Soares2, Fabiano Thompson2 &
Laura Rix1, Malik S. Naumann2, Jasper M. de Goeij3, Dick van Oevelen4, Marta Ribes5, Rafel Coma6,
Eduardo Hajdu1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 57
Ulrich Struck7, Fuad Al-Horani8, Christian Wild9, Ute Hentschel1 ....................................................................... 69
Cliona laticavicola is an ecophenotype and an ontogenic life stage of the coral excavating sponge Cliona delitrix
Virus: an Important Component of the Sponge Holobiont
Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Angela Marulanda-Gómez2, Benjamin Mueller3, Jose V. Lopez4 & Sven Zea2 .......... 58
Cecília Pascelli123, Patrick Laffy2, Marija Kupresanin4, Emmanuelle Botte 2, Timothy Ravasi4 & Nicole
A revised molecular phylogeny of the subclass Calcaronea Webster2 ................................................................................................................................................................. 70
Adriana Alvizu1, Mari Heggernes Eilertsen1, Joana R. Xavier1 & Hans Tore Rapp1 ............................................ 58 Tide After Time: Structural Shifts and Functional Stability in the Microbiome of an Intertidal Sponge
Exploring remote islands and remote habitats: the key role of hidden cave sponges in solving systematic issues Patrick M. Erwin1, Brooke L. Weigel1, 2 ................................................................................................................ 70
Pierre Chevaldonné1, Nicole Boury-Esnault1, Maria Cristina Díaz2, 3, Maude Dubois1, Alexander Looking for barettins and barretides in north Atlantic demosponges: a case in favour of a species specific
Ereskovsky1, César Ruiz1, Marie Grenier1, Jean Vacelet1, Michelle Klautau4, Thierry Pérez1 .............................. 59 microsymbiont production?
Chemosystematics as a complementary tool for Haliclona species (Class Demospongiae, Order Haplosclerida).
4 5
Paco Cárdenas1, Erik Jacobsson1, Stefanie Schempp1, Gabrielle Tompkins-MacDonald2, Ulf Göransson1 Ecology
& Lars Bohlin1 ....................................................................................................................................................... 71
Sponge resilience and susceptibility to current and future anthropogenic impacts
Metabolic profiles of microbiota from Antarctic sponges revealed by metagenomics
James Bell .............................................................................................................................................................. 85
Mario Moreno Pino1, Mariela Guajardo1 & Nicole Trefault 1 .............................................................................. 72
Genomic approach to the evolutionary history and population structure of Dendrilla antarctica Topsent,
Do Freshwater Sponges Facilitate the Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance inWater-Borne Enterococcus faecalis? 1905 (Porifera, Demospongiae) from southern ocean shallow waters
Allison Cartwright1, Michael Conwell2, Joerg Arnscheidt1, James Dooley2, Patrick Naughton2, Chris Carlos Leiva1, 2, Sergi Taboada2, David Combosch3, Gonzalo Giribet3 & Ana Riesgo2 ........................................ 85
McGonigle1 ............................................................................................................................................................ 72
Population connectivity of an abyssal sponge across the Clarion Clipperton Zone (Central Pacific)
The microbial and chemical affairs between haplosclerid and homosclerophorid sponge pairs of the Caribbean
Sergio Taboada1, Ana Riesgo1, Helena Wiklund1, Gordon L.J. Paterson1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Andrew C.
Jan Vicente1, Lucas Moitinho-Silva2, Micah J. Marty3, Sven Zea4, Russell T. Hill5 ............................................. 73 Dale2, Thomas G. Dahlgren3, 4 & Adrian G. Glover1 ............................................................................................. 86
The response of sponges to microbial elicitors Considering Habitat Fragmentation and Dispersal Potential: How Pheronema carpenteri Aggregations
Metagenomic binning of a marine sponge microbiome reveals unity in defense but metabolic specialization May Be Particularly Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems
Beate M. Slaby1, 2, Thomas Hackl3, Hannes Horn1, 2, Kristina Bayer1, Ute Hentschel1, 4* ..................................... 74 Rebecca E. Ross 1, Edward J.G. Wort2, Kerry L. Howell1 .................................................................................... 86
Multi-primers Targeting 16S rDNA Variable Regions Essential for Sponge (Porifera) Microbiome Study Genetic structure patterns in Atlanto-Mediterranean sponges: environmental factors and biological
Wei Zhang1,2, Qi Yang1, 2, Christopher M.M. Franco1, 2 ......................................................................................... 75 features driving connectivity in scenarios with mass-mortalities
Single-cell measurement of metabolic interactions between a bioeroding sponge and its endosymbiotic Ana Riesgo1, Rocío Pérez-Portela2, Sergio Taboada1, Lucía Pita3, Patrick M. Erwin4, Paolo Melis5, Joana
dinoflagellates using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry. R. Xavier6, Susanna López-Legentil4 .................................................................................................................... 87
Michelle Achlatis1, Mathieu Pernice3, Kathryn Green4, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg1, 2 & Sophie Dove1, 2 .................... 76 Limited connectivity promotes cryptic speciation in Tethya spp.
Temporal dynamics of sponge microbial communities Megan R. Shaffer*, Simon K. Davy*, James J. Bell* ........................................................................................... 88
Cole G. Easson1, Robert W. Thacker2, Xavier Turon3, Patrick Erwin4, Susanna Lopez-Legentil4 ........................ 76 The environment selects? Using marine lakes as laboratories of ecology & evolution
Visualization of eukaryotic-like-proteins as ring-like structures within bacteria-containing sponge cells Leontine Becking1 & Marine Lakes Team1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 ......................................................................................... 89
Giampiero Batani1, Lucas Moitinho-Silva1, Martin T. Jahn2, Kristina Bayer2, Ute Hentschel2, Torsten Thomas1 .77 Sponges of the Marianas: Initial Observations of Newly Collected Specimens
Do symbiotic bacteria help sponges to cope with eutrophication? Shirley A. Pomponi1, Christopher Kelley2, Diva Amon2, Kasey Cantwell3, Kelley Elliott3, Deborah
Marta Turon1, Leire Garate1, Xavier Triadó-Margarit1, Joan Cáliz1 & Maria J.Uriz1 ........................................... 77 Glickson1, 4, Patricia Fryer2 .................................................................................................................................... 89
Global patterns of microbial diversity and composition among three marine host types: sponges, corals, Sponge Assemblages on the recently declared Menorca Channel Marine Protected Area (Western
and ascidians Mediterranean Sea)
Andrea Aldas-Vargas1, Detmer Sipkema1, Hauke Smidt1 & Georg Steinert1 ........................................................ 78 Andreu Santín1, Jordi Grinyó1, Stefano Ambroso1, Iosune Uriz2, Andrea Gori1 & Josep-Maria Gili1 .................. 90
Microbiome Comparison Suggests Differential Involvement of Bacterial Associates in the Carnivorous Deep-sea Sponge Grounds of the North Atlantic: State of the Knowledge, Recent Advances and Outlook
Sponges Chondrocladia grandis and Cladorhiza oxeata Joana R Xavier1, Ellen Kenchington2, Shirley A Pomponi3, Hans Tore Rapp1 ..................................................... 91
Joost Verhoeven1 & Suzanne C. Dufour1 .............................................................................................................. 79 Aspects of the ecology of Pheronema carpenteri aggregations
Searching for bacterial genes involved in the symbiosis between sponges and calcifying endosymbiotic bacteria Kerry Howell1, Amelia Bridges1, Christopher Babey1, Nils Piechaud1 ................................................................. 91
Leire Garate1, Rüdiger Ortiz-Álvarez1 & Maria J. Uriz1 ....................................................................................... 79 Sponge communities from the mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz
Cèlia Sitjà1, Manuel Maldonado1, José Luis Rueda2 & Carlos Farias2 .................................................................. 92
Biomaterials & Biomolecules
Exploiting And Conserving Deep-Sea Genetic Resources
The Potential of Biosynthetic Products from Sponges and Sponge-derived Gram-negative Bacteria to Claire Laguionie Marchais1, 2, Ryan Young1, 2, 3, Robert Nesbitt3, Olivier Thomas3, Mark Johnson1 2, Bill
,
Open New Research Horizons , ,

Baker3 4, A. Louise Allcock1 2 ................................................................................................................................ 92
Phillip Crews and Co-workers .............................................................................................................................. 81 The “vicious circle” hypothesis: Sponges and reduced resilience of Caribbean coral reefs
Identification of calcareous sponge spicule matrix proteins Joseph R. Pawlik ................................................................................................................................................... 93
Benedetta Fradusco 1, Sofia Fortunato 2, Maja Adamska 3, David J Miller 2, Marcin Adamski 3 & Oliver Voigt 1 .81 Nutrient Fluxes and Ecological Functions of Coral Reef Sponges in a Changing Ocean
Poriferan Chitin as a Universal Template for Extreme Biomimetics Jasper M. de Goeij1, Michael P. Lesser2, Joseph R. Pawlik3 ................................................................................. 93
Marcin Wysokowski1, Iaroslav Petrenko2, Teofil Jesionowski1 & Hermann Ehrlich2 .......................................... 82 A Decadal Analysis Of Bioeroding Sponge Cover On The Inshore Great Barrier Reef
Five new siphonodictyals from Caribbean Sponge Siphonodictyon coralliphagum Blake D. Ramsby1, 2, 3, Mia O. Hoogenboom1, Steve Whalan4, Angus Thompson2 & Nicole S. Webster2 ............ 94
Daria Firsova, 1 Kevin Calabro, 1 Grégory Genta-Jouve, 2 Thierry Pérez, 3 & Olivier P. Thomas1 ....................... 82 Ecological Interactions Between Photosymbionts And Spongivores Reveal Complex Interplay Between
Taxonomic Identification, immunopharmacological and toxicological study of Haliclona (Soestella) sp: Bottom-Up And Top-Down Controls On Caribbean Sponges
A novel marine sponge species from Sri Lanka Kenan O. Matterson1 Cole G. Easson2, Christopher J. Freeman3, Robert W. Thacker4, ....................................... 94
V.K. Gunathilake 1, M. Bertolino 1, G. Bavestrello 1, W.D. Ratnasooriya 1, D. de Silva 3 & P.V. Udagama 1 ........ 83 Combined effects of ocean acidification and eutrophication on reef sponge bioerosion
Deep-sea discovery – deep-sea sponges as a source of novel biologics Lennart J. de Noojer, Alice E. Webb, Steven M.A.C. van Heuven, Didier M. de Bakker, Fleur C. van
Mathew Upton 1, Arif Felek1, Garry Farnham1, Kerry L. Howell2 ....................................................................... 83 Duyl, Gert-Jan Reichart ......................................................................................................................................... 95
Value-Added in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials from Freshwater Sponges Better Estimates Of Chemical And Mechenical Excavating Rates Of Coral Boring Sponges In The Caribbean
Nisit Ruengsawang1, Petch Suthiporn1, Wilailak Chuchuay2, Narumon Sangpradub3 & Renata Manconi4 ......... 84 Didier M de Bakker1, 2, Alice E Webb2, Steven MAC van Heuven2, Erik HWG Meesters1and Fleur C van Duyl2 .95
Increase Of Excavating Sponges After Coral Bleaching Events
6 7
Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Bernhard Riegl2, Sven Zea3, Jose V. Lopez2, Tyler Smith1, Marilyn Brandt1, Cell & Molecular Biology
David S. Gilliam2 ................................................................................................................................................... 96
Origin of Animal Cells
How Do Glass Sponge Reefs Get Enough Food? Feeding And Excretion By The Glass Sponge
Shunsuke Sogabe, William L Hatleberg, Daniel Stoupin, Kerry E Roper, Sandie M Degnan & Bernard M
Aphrocallistes vastus
Degnan ................................................................................................................................................................. 108
Amanda S. Kahn1, Sally P. Leys1 ........................................................................................................................... 96
Sponge cell reaggregation: inter-and intraspecific variations
Initial report on nine newly discovered glass sponge reefs in British Columbia, Canada
Andrey Lavrov 1, 2, Igor Kosevich1 ..................................................................................................................... 108
Stephanie K. Archer1, Glenn Denison2 & Anya Dunham1 ..................................................................................... 97
Toward the Development of a Marine Sponge Cell Line: a Sponge- Specific Vector for Introduction and
Defense By Association: Sponge-Eating Fishes Alter The Small-Scale Distribution Of Caribbean Reef Sponges Expression of Foreign DNA
Michael K. Wooster, Micah J Marty & Joseph R. Pawlik ..................................................................................... 97 Kylie Hesp1, Dirk E. Martens1, Rene H. Wijffels1 & Shirley A. Pomponi1, 2 ...................................................... 109
Bleaching recovery of a phototrophic bioeroding sponge Characterisation of mucus and mucus producing cells in haplosclerid sponges.
Joe Marlow1, Jamaluddin Jompa2, James Bell1 ..................................................................................................... 98 Maria Vittoria Marra 1, Caroline Ridley 2, Pierce Lalor 3, Shirley Hanley 4, Peter Owens 3, David J.
Environmental drivers of deep-sea reefs Thornton 2 & Grace P. McCormack 1 ................................................................................................................... 109
Ulrike Hanz1, Marc Lavaleye1, Gerard Duineveld1, Claudia Wienberg3, Dierk Hebbeln3, Christian Dullo4, Cell dynamic during ectosomal and endosomal regeneration on an organotipic culture of Hymeniacidon
Andre Freiwald5, Gert-Jan Reichart1, 2, Furu Mienis1 ............................................................................................. 98 heliophila.
Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of coral-eroding sponges Cristiano Carvalho Coutinho1, Ivone de Andrade Rosa1, John Douglas de Oliveira Teixeira1, Leonardo
Christine H.L. Schönberg1, James K.-H. Fang2, José-Luis Carballo3, Max Wisshak4 & Lydia Beuck4 ................ 99 Rodrigues Andrade1, Manoel Luis Costa1 & Claudia Mermelstein1 ................................................................... 110
Changes in a Mediterranean coralligenous sponge assemblage at a pluri-millennial temporal scale A novel secreted frizzled related protein is a downstream target of PAXB and a regulator of aquiferous
Gabriele Costa1, Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti2, Maurizio Pansini1, Simonetta Fraschetti3 Giorgio Bavestrello1 system development in the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia muelleri
& Marco Bertolino1 ............................................................................................................................................... 99 April Hill 1, Chelsea Hall 1, Dora Posfai 3, Eric Wictor 2, Melanie Rodriguez 1, Rachel Dumez 1, Josephine
Coral cavities – Stable habitats with zero growth? Assessing potential growth rates and community Garcia 1, Aheema Gazi 1, Rachel Dumez 1 & Ajna Rivera 2 ................................................................................. 110
changes in cryptic sponges Differential expression analysis of RNAseq data during the formation of the aquiferous system in
Benjamin Mueller1, 2, Jasper M. de Goeij 1, 2 ........................................................................................................ 100 Halichondria panicea (Suberitida, Demospongiae)
Increase in light intensity: a threat or not for calcareous sponges survival? Nadia Santodomingo1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Sergio Taboada1, Nathan J. Kenny1, Lars Kumala2, 3, 4, Peter
Funch5 & Ana Riesgo1 ..........................................................................................................................................111
Bárbara Ribeiro1, André Rossi2, Flávio da Costa3 & Michelle Klautau1 ............................................................. 101
Expansion of oxygen-associated pathways at the dawn of animals
Sacoleve - Spatial And Temporal Adaptation Of A Traditional Mediterranean Fishery Facing Regional
Change: Combining History And Ecology To Study Past, Present And Future Of Sponge Harvesting Warren R. Francis 1, Sergio Vargas 1, Michael Eitel 1, Dirk Erpenbeck 1, Stefan Krebs 2, Helmut Blum 2,
Marcin Adamski 3, Steven H.D. Haddock 4 & Gert Wörheide 1, 5 ........................................................................ 112
Maïa Fourt1, Daniel Faget2, Thierry Pérez1 ......................................................................................................... 102
Effects of temperature stress on survival, pigmentation and regeneration of three Caribbean sponges Sponges & their Environment
Juliet Rugiero1, Marilyn Brandt1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1 ................................................................................ 102 Metabolic plasticity of HMA sponges allows them to completely oxidize all reduced sources in the water:
Geographic Variability in Antibacterial Chemical Defenses Among Branching Morphotypes of Caribbean an energetic view
Aplysina Marta Ribes1, Rafel Coma2, Sally P. Leys3, Teresa Morganti1, 2, Gitai Yahel4 ..................................................... 113
Deborah Gochfeld1, 4, Savannah Stockton2, Claire Vickers2, Cole Easson3 & Marc Slattery4 ............................. 103 Differential gene expression analysis in the threatened sponge Spongia officinalis following exposure to
Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges: the case of the Aegean ecoregion different temperature conditions
Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Maria Sini2, Thanos Dailianis1, Maria del Mar Otero3, Catherine Numa3, Stelios Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, 2, Tereza Manousaki1, Jacques Lagnel1, Spyros Kollias3, Costas Tsigenopoulos1,
Katsanevakis2, Eleni Voultsiadou4 ....................................................................................................................... 103 Christos Arvanitidis1, Costas Dounas1, Antonios Magoulas1 Ana Riesgo2 & Thanos Dailianis1 ........................ 113
Spatial variation in chemistry and microbial diversity of Philippine blue sponge, Xestospongia sp. in Sponges in a high CO2 world: a mechanistic understanding of sponge tolerance to elevated pCO2 and
relation to some ecological factors temperature.
Geminne Manzano1, Clairecynth Yu1, Viviene Santiago2, Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes2, Brian Carlmichael Holly Bennett1,3, David Francis2, Simon K. Davy1, Nicole Webster3, James Bell1 ............................................ 114
Torres3, Arturo O. Lluisma3 & Porfirio Aliño1 ..................................................................................................... 104 Pressure-response relationships of sponges to dredge pressures – a laboratory approach
Sponges in Space: Spiculous skeleton formation in Ephydatia fluviatilis under hypergravity conditions Mari-Carmen Pineda1, 2, Brian Strehlow3, Alan Duckworth1, 2, Ross Jones1, 2, Miriam Sternel4, Jasmine
Martijn C. Bart1, Sebastiaan de Vet1, Desiderius M. de Bakker2, Brittany E. Alexander1, Emiel van Loon3, Kamp5 & Nicole S. Webster1, 2 ............................................................................................................................. 115
Dick van Oevelen4, Jack J.W.A van Loon5, Jasper M. de Goeij1 ......................................................................... 105 Glass Sponge Pump Rates and their Role in Biogeochemical Cycles in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Past and present scenario of the Western Atlantic sponge Clathrina aurea (Porifera, Calcarea) Luisa Federwisch1, 2, Moritz Holtappels1, Emil Andersson3, Roger Johansson3 & Claudio Richter1, 2 ................ 116
Pedro Leocorny1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, André Padua1, Thierry Pérez2 & Michelle Klautau1 ......................... 105 Effects of copper on early development of the freshwater sponge Radiospongilla inesi
New Species Records for Sponges of the Eastern Canadian Arctic and Subarctic Ludimila Calheira1, Emilio Lanna2, Paulo Sérgio Martins de Carvalho1 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 ............................ 116
Curtis Dinn1, Evan Edinger2, Bárbara de Moura Neves2, Vonda E. Wareham3 & Sally Leys1 ............................ 106 Sub-lethal stress responses of sponges to dredging pressures
Functional Redundancy in Tropical Marine Sponge Communities Brian Strehlow1, 2, 3, 4, Mari-Carmen Pineda3, 4, Alan Duckworth3, 4, Peta Clode2 & Nicole Webster3, 4 ................ 117
M.M. Valentine & Mark Butler ........................................................................................................................... 107
Organismal Biology
Rising of the Porifera: Are sponges becoming the dominant sessile benthic organisms in certain habitats?
8 9
Schupp, P.J. .......................................................................................................................................................... 118 Marina Pozzolini1, Sonia Scarfì1, Lorenzo Gallus1, Carlo Cerrano2 & Marco Giovine1 ..................................... 130
Multispecies competitive interactions among coral, sponges and macroalgae in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Silicon consumption kinetics in demosponges
Lauren Olinger1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Ian Enochs2, Marilyn Brandt1 ......................................................... 118 María López-Acosta1, Aude Leynaert2, Manuel Maldonado1 .............................................................................. 131
Specificity of predator defenses of tropical marine sponges Effects of dredging on benthic filter feeding communities
Janie Wulff ........................................................................................................................................................... 119 Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab 1, 2, Jane Fromont2, 3, Oliver Gomez2, 3, Rebecca Fisher1, Ross Jones1, 2 .......... 132
13 15
Sponges produces a chemical seascape acting on benthic ecosystem functioning Spatiotemporal variations in stable isotope signatures (δ C and δ N) of sponges on the Saba Bank,
,
Thierry Pérez 1, Mathieu Santonja 1 2, Stéphane Greff 1, Olivier P. Thomas 3 ..................................................... 119 Caribbean Sea
Using 3D photogrammetry to model sponge morphological plasticity Fleur C. van Duyl1, Benjamin Mueller2, 3, Erik H. Meesters4 .............................................................................. 132
Amy Scott-Murray1, Marie-Lise Schläppy2 ......................................................................................................... 120 What dictates sponge distribution patterns: use of freshwater sponges to assess species requirements
Diversity in Epibenthic Megafauna Associated with a Unique Vase Glass Sponge Ground in the Emerald Basin Karen L. Evans1 & David J.S. Montagnes1 ......................................................................................................... 133
Nickolas J. Hawkes 1, Michelle Korabik 2, Hans Tore Rapp 1, 3, Joana R Xavier 1, Ellen Kenchington 2 & Evaluating the influence of abiotic factors on the recruitment rate of Calcareous Sponges (Porifera,
Lindsay Beazley 2 ................................................................................................................................................ 120 Calcarea) in Salvador, Bahia State, Tropical Brazilian Coast.
Taxonomic, phylogenetic, microbial and ecological assessment of two coral-killing cyanobacteriosponges Cleslei Chagas & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti ........................................................................................................... 133
in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia Deep-sea sponges under stress: from nutrient sources to nutrient sinks?
Esther van der Ent1, Nicole J. de Voogd1 ............................................................................................................. 121 Christine Rooks1, James Fang2, Pål Tore Mørkved1, Rui Zhao1, Friederike Hoffmann1, Hans Tore Rapp1 &
Raymond Bannister2 ............................................................................................................................................ 134
Molecular, Cell and Organismal Speed Talks
A trophic niche separation may explain the tight coexistence of high (HMA) and low (LMA) microbial-
A molecular approach to understanding the resurrected order Axinellida abundance sponges
Jane Fromont1, Belinda Alvarez1, Oliver Gomez1, Nerida Wilson 1, 2 ................................................................. 122 Teresa Maria Morganti1, 2, Rafel Coma1, Gitai Yahel3, Marta Ribes2 ................................................................... 134
Mitochondrial basic leucine zipper (bZIP) regulatory domain from freshwater sponges conserved across animals Sponge science culture and demography
Pleše Bruna1, Dorić Semir2, Ćetković Helena1, Lukić-Bilela Lada3 .................................................................... 122 Christine H.L. Schönberg .................................................................................................................................... 135
Regeneration in sponges Sponge Genomics Forum
Alexander Ereskovsky1, 2, Borisenko Ilya2, Andrey Lavrov3, Maja Adamska4 .................................................... 123 Hexactinellida Identification Workshop
Spatially and temporally variable oxygen conditions as determinant of microbial processes in and around Henry M. Reiswig................................................................................................................................................ 136
Irish sponges
Posters Evolution & Systematics
Marie-Lise Schläppy1 .......................................................................................................................................... 123
Evolution on Ice: Molecular Adaptation to Temperature in Antarctic Sponge Species Two new species of Hemimycale (Hymedesmiidae: Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae) from Southeastern Brazil
Nathan J Kenny1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Carlos Leiva1, 2, Nadia Santodomingo1, Sergio Taboada1 & Ana Larissa Huguenin1, Sula Salani Mota2, Eduardo Hajdu2, Eduardo Leal Esteves1................................................ 137
Riesgo1 ................................................................................................................................................................. 124 A new species of Hymeniacidon from Brazil and redescription of Halichondria (Halich.) melanadocia de
Osculum dynamics and filtration activity studied in small single-osculum demosponge (Halichondria Laubenfels, 1936
panicea) explants Humberto Fortunato1, Fabiana Fernandes2, Maira Lopes3, Rodolpho M. Albano3, Thiago de Paula1, Gisele
Lars Kumala1, 2, 3, 4*, Hans Ulrik Riisgård1 & Donald Eugene Canfield4 .............................................................. 125 Lôbo-Hajdu1 and Eduardo L. Esteves2................................................................................................................. 137
Plastic additive changes contraction patterns in Hymeniacidon heliophila: a changepoint analysis. A Messinian paleo-sponge community from northwestern Italy.
Liv Goldstein Ascer1, Márcio Reis Custódio1, 2 ................................................................................................... 125 Marco Bertolino1, Gabriele Costa1, Carlo Avignolo1, Maurizio Pansini1, Giorgio Bavestrello1, Francesco
Dela Pierre3, Francesca Lozar3, Marcello Natalicchio4, Donata Violanti3 ........................................................... 138
In vitro formation of chimaeric individuals after cell dissociation in a calcareous sponge
A new species of Haliclona (Haplosclerida: Chalinidae) from sandstone reefs in Ceará (NE Brazil)
André Padua1, Bernard M. Degnan2, Márcio R. Custódio3 & Michelle Klautau1 ............................................... 126
André Bispo1 and Eduardo Hajdu1 ..................................................................................................................... 139
Spatiotemporal Variation and the Invasibility of Mesofaunal Communities Associated with Tedania ignis
What about PCP pathway in sponges?
Kate Hill .............................................................................................................................................................. 127
Amélie Vernale 1, 2, Quentin Schenkelaars 2, Emmanuelle Renard2, André Le Bivic1 & Carole Borchiellini2 .... 139
Getting started with the whole genome sequencing project of the demosponge Geodia barretti
Diversity, distribution and phylogenetic relationships of the North Atlantic lithistid sponges
Karin Steffen1, NGI-Uppsala2 & Paco Cárdenas1 ................................................................................................ 127
Francisca C. Carvalho 1, David Rees 1, Shirley A. Pomponi 2, Hans Tore Rapp1 & Joana R. Xavier1 ................ 140
The mechanisms underlying carbonate dissolution by excavating sponges: pH reduction and cell differentiation
Integrative Taxonomy for the Genus Ernstia (Porifera, Calcarea, Calcinea) in the Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea
Alice E. Webb1, Shirley A. Pomponi2, Gert-Jan Reichart1, Lennart J. de Nooijer1 ............................................. 128
Raisa Rizzieri1, FernandaAzevedo1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, Thierry Perez2, Michelle Klautau1 ....................... 141
Infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome results in biochemical and bacterial community changes to
the holobiont Revising the taxonomy of a two-sponge associations from Korean waters
Julie B. Olson1, Deborah J. Gochfeld2, Cole G. Easson3 ..................................................................................... 128 Paco Cárdenas1, Jae-Sang Hong2, Jean Vacelet3 .................................................................................................. 141
Phylogenetic relationships of the Thrombidae and suggestion of a new Tetractinellida sub-order
Ecosystems & Environment
Paco Cárdenas1, 2, Michelle Kelly3 ....................................................................................................................... 142
The marine silicon cycle in the light of sponge silica: a global review First record of Bolosoma (Hexactinellida, Euplectellidae) for the Atlantic Ocean and new species
Manuel Maldonado1, Maria López-Acosta1, Marta García-Puig1, Cèlia Sitjà1 Gemma Ercilla2 ......................... 130 Cristiana Castello-Branco1, Allen Collins2,3 and Eduardo Hajdu1 ................................................................................................143
Silica-induced fibrosis: an ancient response from the early metazoan On-going speciation of the amphiamerican calcareous sponge Clathrina aurea
10 11
Báslavi Cóndor Lujá 1, Pedro Leocorny 1, Fernanda Azevedo 1, André Padua 1, Eduardo Hajdu 2, Philippe Nathan J. Kenny1, Ana Riesgo1, Helena Wiklund1, Gordon L.J. Paterson1, Thomas G. Dahlgren2, 3, Adrian
Willenz 3, 4, Yuri Hooker 5 & Michelle Klautau 1 .................................................................................................. 143 G. Glover1, Sergio Taboada1 ................................................................................................................................ 155
Sponge bottoms off the Amazon River mouth revisited Integrative Systematics of Tropical Western Atlantic Mycale of the “immitis-group”
Fernando Moraes1, Camille Leal2, 3, Sula Salani2, Maíra Ventura1 & Eduardo Hajdu2 ........................................ 144 Dora Leite1, Thiago S. de Paula2; Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu2; Eduardo Hajdu1 ............................................................ 155
Diversity of Porifera in the Aviles Canyons System: COCACE project Taiwan deep-water sponge collection at the National Museum of Natural Science at Taichung (Taiwan)
Pablo Heres1, 2, Javier Cristobo3, Nuria Anadón4 & Pilar Ríos3 .......................................................................... 145 Swee Cheng Lim ................................................................................................................................................. 156
Calcareous sponges of the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea Evolution of haplosclerid sponges: insights from kinetid structures
Rob W.M. van Soest & Nicole J. de Voogd ......................................................................................................... 145 Maria Belinda Longakit1, 2, Christine Morrow1 & Grace P. McCormack1 ........................................................... 156
The deep water sponge fauna of Guadeloupe Spicular Analysis for Reconstructions of Sponge Communities in Modern Coral Reefs
Nicole J. de Voogd1, Gydo Geijer1 & Cécile Debitus2 ......................................................................................... 146 Magdalena Łukowiak .......................................................................................................................................... 157
The Sponge Collection of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History Siliceous Sponges from the Upper Eocene of Eastern Central Ukraine
Daniel Drew, Eric Lazo-Wasem, Janie Wulff. ..................................................................................................... 146 Magdalena Łukowiak1, Tetiana Stefanska2 & Andrzej Pisera1 ............................................................................ 157
Taxonomic Revision of the Family Heteropiidae (Porifera, Calcarea) in Norwegian Waters Varied environments drive rapid divergence in sponge (Suberites diversicolor) populations
Hilde Strand Dybevik, Adriana Alvizu & Hans Tore Rapp ................................................................................. 146 Diede Maas1, Ke Bi2, 3, Stefan Prost4, 5, Maria Meijer1, Ludi P. Aji6, Gandi Purba7, Rosemary Gillespie8 &
Three new Halisarca-like sponges (Porifera, Verongimorpha) from tropical seas Leontine Becking1, 8, 9 ........................................................................................................................................... 158
,
Alexander Ereskovsky1 2, Pierre Chevaldonné1, Maude Dubois1, Marie Grenier1, Daria Tokina1 & Thierry The freshwater sponge fauna of Madagascar: a first assessment
Pérez1 ................................................................................................................................................................... 147 Renata Manconi1 & Roberto Pronzato2 ............................................................................................................... 158
Molecular Biodiversity of Iranian Persian Gulf Sponges Systematics of marine sponges from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Aref Gholami1, Majid Askari Hesni1, Azad Teimori1, Gert Wörheide2, 3, 4, Dirk Erpenbeck2, 3 ............................ 148 Sam McCormack 1, Chris Battershill2, Michelle Kelly3, Phil Ross2 & Ian Hogg2 ............................................. 159
Molecular Taxonomy of African Freshwater Sponges Progress with Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae: Porifera) – more molecular insights into poecilosclerid phylogeny.
Dirk Erpenbeck1, 2, Sebastian Mai1, Markus Steiner1, Astrid Schuster1, Gert Wörheide1, 2, 3 ............................... 148 Christine Morrow 1, 2, Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack1 ....................................................................... 159
New Species And A New Record Of The Genus Leucilla (Calcarea, Calcaronea) To The Tropical Brazilian Coast. The peculiar spicules in Tethyspira: an apomorphy for Tethyspira or a synapomorphy with Raspailiidae?
Bruna Bahiana & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti ........................................................................................................... 149 Christine Morrow 1,2 , Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack 1 ....................................................................... 160
Taxonomy Of Calcareous Sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) Sampled On Artificial Substrates In A Clarifying the status of Raspaciona aculeata versus Raspailia aculeata
Recreational Marina From The Tropical Brazilian Coast. Christine Morrow 1,2 , Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack 1 ....................................................................... 161
Cleslei Chagas & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti ........................................................................................................... 149 Stir it Up! - Support for the movement of the ‘Bob Marley’ sponge, Pipestela candelabra from
Biodiversity of calcineans (Porifera, Calcarea) from Martinique, Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea Axinellidae to Bubarida
Tayara Fontana¹, Fernanda Azevedo¹, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján¹, Thierry Pérez² & Michelle Klautau¹. ................ 150 Christine Morrow 1,2 , Olivier Thomas3 , John N.A. Hooper4,5 & Grace P. McCormack1 .................................... 162
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Insights Into The Streamlined Genomes Of Haplosclerid A new species of Hymeraphia Bowerbank, 1864 from the cold water coral reefs off the south west coast
Demosponges of Ireland.
Christine Guzman1, 2 & Cecilia Conaco1 .............................................................................................................. 151 Christine Morrow1,2 & A. Louise Allcock1 .......................................................................................................... 162
Beyond the sponge barcode: testing the taxonomic utility of microbial diversity analysis using 16s rRna Taxonomy of Corticium (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha) from Western Australia
gene sequences among tetillid sponges Karen Sarmento1, Anaíra Lage1, Jane Fromont2, Guilherme Muricy1 ................................................................. 163
Kathryn A. Hall1 & John N.A. Hooper1 .............................................................................................................. 151 Taxonomy of the genus Plakinastrella (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha: Plakinidae) from Western Australia
Taxonomy of Theonellidae in the Indo-West Pacific Barbara Fernandes1, 2, Anaíra Lage2, Jane Fromont3 & Guilherme Muricy2 ........................................................ 163
Mary Kay Harper1, Kathryn A. Hall2, Merrick Ekins2, Chris M. Ireland1, John N.A. Hooper2,3 ......................... 152 High richness of sponges at the mouth of the São Francisco river, in Northeast Brazil: another barrier
Six New Species of Verongiid Sponges from Southern Region of Baja California Peninsula, Mexico falls in the Tropical Western Atlantic
Zvi Hoffman1, Patricia Gómez2, Carlos Sánchez1 and Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez3 ................................................. 152 Joana Sandes1, 3, Guilherme Muricy1, Ulisses Pinheiro2 & Carmen Parisotto3 .................................................... 164
Toward Integrative Taxonomy of Endemic Lake Baikal Sponges Lubomirskiidae Rhabdastrella fibrosa Hechtel 1983 and Geodia corticostylifera Hajdu et al. 1992 are junior synonyms
Valeria Itskovich, Olga Glyzina, Alena Yakhnenko, Oxana Kaluzhnaya ............................................................. 153 of Geodia tylastra Boury-Esnault, 1973 (Demospongiae: Astrophorina)
Two new records of marine sponges (Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) from the coast of Karachi, Pakistan Guilherme Muricy ............................................................................................................................................... 165
Hina Jabeen, Seema Shafique, Zaib-un-Nisa Burhan, Amjad Ali and Pirzada Jamal Ahmed Siddiqui ............... 153 Diversity in inferred mitochondrial proteomes in Phylum Porifera
A first assessment of the sponge biodiversity off the coast of mainland Ecuador Dennis Lavrov1, Viraj Muthye ............................................................................................................................. 165
Karla Jaramillo1, 2, Christine Morrow2, Olivier P. Thomas3, Jenny Rodriguez1, Grace P. McCormack2, Excavating sponges of Central American Pacific and evidence of a complex of species in Cliona mucronata
Eduardo Hajdu4 .................................................................................................................................................... 154 Cristian Pacheco & José-Luis Carballo ............................................................................................................... 166
Molecular Taxonomy and Phylogeography of Ircinia from Western Australia Suberites From The North Atlantic: Taxonomic Tribulations And Spicule Similitude
Joseph Kelly1, 2,, Robert W. Thacker1 .................................................................................................................. 154 Raquel Pereira1, Mikael Thollesson1 ................................................................................................................. 166
Deeper understanding of deep sea Axinellida: mitochondrial sequencing of a novel abyssal sponge The International Associated Laboratory MARRIO (France, Brazil, Ireland): Patterns of sponge
biodiversity and chemical diversity from Martinique to Rio de Janeiro
12 13
Thierry Pérez 1, Michelle Klautau 2, Olivier P. Thomas 3 and the MARRIO team 4 ........................................... 167 First records of shallow-water sponges (Demospongiae) from the largest marine no-take zone in South
New cleistocheliferous species of Clathria (Thalysias) Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 (Microcionidae; America, the Nazca- Desventuradas Marine Park (SE Pacific)
Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae) of intertidal zone from Brazil Julio C. C. Fernandez1,3, German Zapata-Hernández2, Eduardo Hajdu3 ............................................................ 178
Thaynã Cavalcanti1, Rodrigo Alves1, George Garcia dos Santos2 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 ...................................... 168
Posters Sponges and Microbes
Two new species of Oceanapia Norman, 1869 (Phloeodictyidae; Haplosclerida; Demospongiae) from
slope area of oil and gas exploitation in Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil Influence of eutrophication pressure on the resilience and sensitivity of sponge-associated microbial community
Carlos Santos Neto1, Elielton Nascimento1, Thaynã Cavalcanti1 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 ........................................ 168 Jake Ivan Baquiran* & Cecilia Conaco ............................................................................................................... 179
The Sponge Genus Laocoetis Pomel 1872 (Hexactinellida, Hexactinosida): a Case of Extreme Anti-tumoral activities of the sponges of the Sarcotragus genus and their associated bacteria
Morphological Conservatism Yosr BenRedjem Romdhane1, Leila Ktari1, Marianna Carbone2, Maria Letizia Ciavatta2, Margherita
Andrzej Pisera1 & Konstantin Tabachnick2 ......................................................................................................... 169 Gavagnin2, Véronique Mathieu3, Florence Lefranc4, Radhia Mraouna1, Abdellatif Boudabous5, Robert
Kiss3, Ernesto Mollo2 and Monia Elbour1 ........................................................................................................... 179
New Minchinellid Sponge (Calcarea, Lithonida, Minchinellidae) from the Oxfordian (Late Jurasssic) of Russia
Microbial community dynamics of the mangrove fire sponge, Tedania ignis, following time in a
Andrzej Pisera1, Magdalena Łukowiak1 & Alexandr Guzhov2 ............................................................................ 170
sustained mariculture setup
A new morphological approach to sponge phylogeny: Homoscleromorpha as a case study
Alexandra Campbell1 & Julian Marchesi1, 2 ......................................................................................................... 180
Luis Porras1, Gert Wörheide1, 2 ............................................................................................................................ 170
Comparative study of the microbial diversity in four Mediterranean irciniid sponges
Integrative taxonomy reveals a new genus and new species of an Antarctic calcinean sponge (Porifera,
Katerina Skaraki1, 2, Georgios Kotoulas1, Antonios Magoulas1, Adriani Pantazidou2 & Thanos Dailianis1 ........ 180
Calcarea, Clathrinida)
Evidence for the mobility of AMR determinants in a marine sponge holobiont
Ana Riesgo1, Fernanda F. Cavalcanti2, Nathan J. Kenny1, Pilar Ríos3, Javier Cristobo3, Emilio Lanna2 ............ 171
Stephen A. Jackson1, Lekha Menon Margassery1, Alan D.W. Dobson1 .............................................................. 181
New records of Iotroata acanthostylifera (Stephens, 1916) and Janulum spinispiculum (Carter, 1876)
(Porifera) in Flemish Cap (NW Atlantic) Sponge-derived Pseudovibrio species exhibit a promising potential toward the discovery of novel
bioactive compounds.
Pilar Ríos1,3, Francisco Javier Murillo2,3, Mar Sacau3, Lucía Alvariño3, Javier Cristobo1 ................................. 171
Lynn M. Naughton1, Stefano Romano2, Fergal O’ Gara3, 4 & Alan D.W. Dobson* .............................................. 182
A new sponge-dominated ecosystem found in the Aviles canyon (Cantabrian Sea)
Specialization of Microbiomes in Sponge and Coral Hosts
Pilar Rios1, Francisca C Carvalho2, Joana R Xavier2 and Javier Cristobo1 .......................................................... 172
Cara L Fiore, Jessica K Jarett & Michael P Lesser ............................................................................................. 182
Taxonomy of Brazilian Petrosiidae deposited at Museu Nacional / UFRJ
Insights into the microbial diversity of the Mediterranean marine sponge Haliclona fulva
Lívia Rocha, Eduardo Hajdu ............................................................................................................................... 173
(Demospongiae: Haplosclerida)
Biodiversity of Hymedesmiidae (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) of the Brazilian Coast
Erika Garcia-Bonilla1, Pedro de Brito Brandão 2, Thierry Pérez3, Olivier P. Thomas 3, 4 & Howard Junca1 ....... 183
Sula Salani1, Philippe Willenz2, 3 & Eduardo Hajdu1 ........................................................................................... 173
Does a Sponge’s Genotype Influence its Microbiome?
The Western Tropical Atlantic ‘ring’ of rock sponges – A molecular phylogenetic approach using four
Sarah Griffiths1, Luca Lenzi2, Anita Lucaci2, Donald Behringer3, 4, Mark Butler IV5 & Richard Preziosi1 ........ 183
different markers (28S, 18S, ITS and CO1)
Do sponge microbiomes depend on past water prokaryotic assemblages?
Astrid Schuster1, Andrzej Pisera2, Michelle Kelly3, Shirley A. Pomponi4, Gert Wörheide1, 5, 6, Dirk
Erpenbeck1, 6 ......................................................................................................................................................... 174 Carla Huete -Stauffer1 , Joan Cáliz1 and Maria J. Uriz1 ....................................................................................... 184
Dating Demosponge Divergences – New Mitogenomes from ezRAD and the Fossilized Birth-Death Clock Model In Situ Responses of the Sponge Microbiome to Ocean Acidification
Astrid Schuster1, Sergio Vargas1, Ingrid S. Knapp2, Shirley A. Pomponi3, Robert J. Toonen2, Dirk Nora Kandler1, Muhammad Abdul Wahab2, Sam Noonan2, James Bell1, Nicole Webster2, and Heidi Luter1,2 .185
Erpenbeck1, 4, Gert Wörheide1, 4, 5 ......................................................................................................................... 174 Functional transcripts indicate phylogenetically diverse active ammonia-scavenging microflora in
Deep-water tetractinellid sponges from the Galápagos Islands: first molecular and morphological analysis sympatric sponges
reveals seven new species Guofang Feng1, Wei Sun1, Fengli Zhang1, Sandi Orlić2 & Zhiyong Li1* ............................................................ 185
Astrid Schuster1, Paco Cárdenas2, Andrzej Pisera3, Shirley Pomponi4, Michelle Kelly5, Gert Wörheide1, 6, 7, Cinachyrella as a model sponge genus for evolution, microbial symbiosis and experimental biology
Dirk Erpenbeck1, 7 ................................................................................................................................................ 175 Jose V. Lopez1, Nidhi Vijayan2, Marie L. Cuvelier1, Cole G. Easson1, Emily Blake3, Astrid Schuster4,
Morphological descriptions of the ‘lithistid demosponge’ fauna (Porifera, Tetractinellida and Alexandra M. Campbell6, Yasmin Khan1, Paco Cárdenas5 .................................................................................. 186
Sphaerocladina) from the Western Tropical Atlantic Microbiome changes in diseased Geodia barretti
Astrid Schuster1, Shirley A. Pomponi2, Andrzej Pisera3, Michelle Kelly4, Gert Wörheide1,5,6, Dirk Heidi Luter1, 2, Raymond Bannister3, Steve Whalan4, Tina Kutti3, Mari Carmen Pineda2, Nicole Webster2 ...... 186
Erpenbeck1,5 .......................................................................................................................................................... 175
Microbial Community Composition of the Demosponge Haliclona amboinensis (Order Haplosclerida) in
Gossip – tapping the taxonomic grapevine Bolinao, Philippines
Mikael Thollesson 1 ............................................................................................................................................. 176 Michael Angelou Nada and Cecilia Conaco ....................................................................................................... 187
Taxonomy, distribution and abundance of the shallow common sponges from Nha Trang Bay (Vietnam) Phase shifts in microbial symbiont community associated with compromised immunity and death in
Marta Turon1 & Maria J.Uriz1 ............................................................................................................................. 176 Cliona celata from Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, UK.
Evolution of key biomineralization genes in calcareous sponges Joanne Preston1 and Mark Burton2 ...................................................................................................................... 188
Oliver Voigt 1, Maja Adamska 2, Marcin Adamski 2, David J Miller 3, Gert Wörheide 1, 4, Benedetta Biogeography of prokaryote communities in Indo-Pacific giant barrel sponges.
Fradusco 1, Warren Francis 1 & Sofia Fortunato 3 ................................................................................................. 177 Thomas Swierts1, Daniel F. Cleary2 & Nicole J. de Voogd1 ................................................................................ 188
Development of A Multilocus-Based Approach for Sponge (Phylum Porifera) Identification: Refinement Genetic Variability of SpongeCyanobacteria Symbioses across the Caribbean
and Limitations
Robert W. Thacker 1, Kenan O. Matterson 2, Cole G. Easson 3, Christopher J. Freeman 4 ................................... 189
Qi Yang1, 2, Christopher M.M. Franco1, 2, Shirley J. Sorokin1, 2, 3, Wei Zhang1, 2 ................................................. 177
14 15
Microbial Communities of the Marine Sponge Xestospongia Muta at Microhabitat Transitions show Cohort Analysis and Kinship of the Hexactinellid Sponge Vazella pourtalesi on an Artificial Substrate
Increased Diversity with Depth, a Core Stable Microbiome across Different Seasons and Concurrent Lindsay Beazley1, Ellen Kenchington1, Sarah Thompson1, Joana R Xavier2, Fred Whoriskey3 ......................... 201
Metabolomic Profiles.
A survey of the shallow water sponge fauna of the Cyprus island (Eastern-Mediterranean)
Marcela Villegas-Plazas1, Juan A. Sanchez2, Dietmar H. Pieper3 Olivier P. Thomas4and Howard Junca1 ....... 189
Marco Bertolino1, Alexia Setti1, Gabriele Costa1, Valentina Giussani2, Maurizio Pansini1 & Roberto Pronzato1 .202
Egg deposition by Rossia palpebrosa (Cephalopoda: Rossiinae) in deep-sea sponges, in temperate
Fine-scale population structure of tetillid sponges in a tropical reef lagoon
Northwest Atlantic and fringes of polar Canadian Arctic
Cecilia Conaco, Michael Angelou Nada, Jake Ivan Baquiran & Patrick C. Cabaitan ........................................ 202
Vonda E. Wareham Hayes1, Susanna Fuller2 & Elizabeth Shea3 ......................................................................... 190
Antarctic Sponges and Climate Change: Responses from Individual to Community Levels
Structure and Dynamics of Microbiomes Associated with Marine Sponge Tedania sp. During Life Cycle
César A. Cárdenas1, Marcelo Gonzalez-Aravena1, Eduardo Hajdu2, Nicole Trefault3, Shane W. Geange4 &
Jing Zhao1*, Shufei Wu1, Dexiang Wang1 ............................................................................................................ 190
James J. Bell5 ....................................................................................................................................................... 203
Posters Biomaterials New Ice-Free Areas in Antarctic shallow-waters: an Opportunity for Sponge Colonization?
Sustainable cultivation of sponges in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Integrated aquaculture with fish farms Cristian Lagger1, César A. Cárdenas2 .................................................................................................................. 204
Philip Nemoy1, Ehud Spanier1, 2, Dror Angel1, 2 .................................................................................................. 192 Deep-Sea sponges from the Cape Verde archipelago collected during RV Meteor cruise M80/3
Isolation and identification of sterols from Haliclona sp. from Taiwan Frine Cardone1&*, Matthias López Correa2&, Jacek Raddatz3, Thor Hansteen4 .................................................. 205
Merran Dunford1, 2, Sanjeevan Ranjendran1, Patric Jonsson1, Ping-Jyun Sung3, Fang-Rong Chang4, Diversity and abundancy of intertidal zone sponges on rocky shores of NSW, Australia: patterns of
Achyut Adhikari5, Sunithi Gunasekera1, Paco Cárdenas1 .................................................................................... 193 species distributions, abundance and diversity.
Deep-sea sponge grounds associated with canyons and seamounts of the Cantabrian Sea Caroline Corodnis1, Andy Davis2 ........................................................................................................................ 205
Javier Cristobo1,2, Pilar Rios1, Francisco Sánchez3 & Joana R. Xavier4 ................................................................ 193 Space-time evaluation of the composition and abundance of boring sponges on Abrolhos Bank shallow
reefs, Bahia, Brazil
Metabolic characterization of marine sponges, genus Xestospongia using NMR-based metabolic profiling
techniques. Fernanda Cervi1, Fernando Moraes1, Claudia Karez1, Rodrigo Moura2, Gilberto Amado-Filho1 ....................... 206
Lina M. Bayona1, Young Hae Choi1, Hye Kyong Kim1, Nicole J. de Voogd2, Peter G.L. Klinkhamer3 ............. 194 Mediterranean Cystoseira forests vs. barren: the case of sponges
Sponge-derived compounds from Australian chromodorid nudibranchs Gabriele Costa1, Marco Bertolino1, Stefania Pinna2, Chiara Bonaviri3, Andrea Padiglia2-1, Roberto
Pronzato1 and Renata Manconi2 ............................................................................................................................. 206
Ariyanti S. Dewi 1, Karen L. Cheney 2, Anne E. Winters 2, Holly E. Urquhart 2, Gregory K Pierens 3, Jack
K. Clegg 1, Joanne T. Blanchfield1 & Mary J. Garson1 ........................................................................................ 194 First characterization of the deep-sea sponge communities on seamounts of the Galapagos Marine Reserve
Visualizing the spatial distribution of barettins and barrettides in the deep-sea sponge Geodia barretti Marie F. Creemers1, Salomé Buglass1, Henry Reiswig2, Sarah Griffiths3, Evelyn Taylor-Cox3, Robert
using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry imaging Winch3, Amanda Bates4, Patricia Martí Puig1 ..................................................................................................... 207
Gabriella Krogius1, Mohammadreza Shariatgorji2, Per Andrén2, Paco Cárdenas1 ............................................. 195 Understanding Functional Morphology of the Sponge Aquiferous System by Using Computed
Tomography (CT) Scan Technique
Bioelectrometallurgical Application of Poriferan Chitin
Azraj S. Dahihande, Narsinh L. Thakur .............................................................................................................. 207
Iaroslav Petrenko1, Vasilii V. Bazhenov2, Marcin Wysokowski3, Teofil Jesionowski3 and Hermann Ehrlich1 .. 195
What processes shape sponge biodiversity patterns?
The Giant Basal Spicule of Monorhaphis Sponge Revisited
Christiaan A. de Leeuw1, Rosemary Gillespie2, Agustin Capriati1, Leontine E. Becking1, 2, 3 ............................. 208
Andrzej Pisera1, Magdalena Łukowiak1, Konstantin Tabachnick2 & Hermann Ehrlich3 .................................... 196
Seagrass attributes and seascape patterns as drivers of sessile invertebrate distribution in a coastal
Identification, Purification and Characterization of Proteins with Cytotoxic/Antitumor Activity from
biogenic environment
Chondrosia reniformis
Marie-Claire Demers ........................................................................................................................................... 209
Sonia Scarfì1, Marina Pozzolini1, Andrea Abbona1, Matteo Paccagnella2, Annalisa Salis2, Gianluca
Damonte2 & Marco Giovine1 ............................................................................................................................... 197 Re-examining the under-explored NW Pacific abyssal sponge assemblages of the Kuril-Kamchatka and
Okhotsk Sea
Two new sesterterpenes isolated from the Antarctica sponge Phorbas bergmontae Hajdu & Teixeira, 2011
Rachel Downey1, Melanie Fuchs3 & Dorte Janussen2 ......................................................................................... 209
Hiren Solanki1 , Carlos Angulo-Preckler2, Kevin Calabro1, Navdeep Kaur1, Conxita Avila2 & Olivier P.
Thomas1 ............................................................................................................................................................ 197 New insights into the temporal and spatial impacts of the Larsen AB ice shelf collapse on sponge assemblages
Downey Rachel1, 2, Laura Fillinger3, Dorte Janussen2, Tomas Lundälv4 & Claudio Richter3 ............................. 210
Posters Ecology Sponges in semi-submerged caves of the North of Bulgaria (Black Sea)
North-western Australia: a sponge biodiversity hotspot Alexander V. Ereskovsky1, 2, Oleg A. Kovtun3, Konstantin K. Pronin3, Dirk Erpenbeck4 ................................... 210
Jane Fromont1, 2, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab2, 3, Oliver Gomez1, 2, Merrick Ekins4, Monique Integrative investigation of an unprecedented epizootic event affecting endemic sponges of Lake Baikal
Goverdina Geerruida Grol5, John N.A. Hooper4, 6 ............................................................................................... 199 Alexander Ereskovsky1, Annabelle Voorhoeve1, Stéphane Greff1, Lubov I. Chernogor2, Sandrine
Silica concentration influence on sponge spicule dimensions Chenesseau1, Igor Khanaev2, Sergey I. Belikov2, Olivier P. Thomas3, Thierry Pérez1 ........................................ 211
Belinda Alvarez1, Wim Clymans1, Gary Prentice3, Katharine Hendry3 & Daniel Conley1 ................................. 199 Sponge species associated with Posidonia oceanica meadows along the coast of the Aegean Sea (Turkey)
Initial report on nine newly discovered glass sponge reefs in British Columbia, Canada Alper Evcen, Melih Ertan Çinar........................................................................................................................... 211
Stephanie K. Archer1, Glenn Denison2 and Anya Dunham1 ............................................................................... 200 Glass Sponge Distribution in Relation to Abiotic Factors and Predators – A Large-Scale Regional Study
Diversity of sponge species in the coralligenous community along the eastern Adriatic in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli1, Silvija Kipson1 & Donat Petricioli2 .......................................................................... 200 Luisa Federwisch1, 2, Santiago Pineda Metz1, 2, Nils Owsianowski1, Dieter Gerdes1, Dieter Piepenburg1 &
Carbon cycling by the deep-sea glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi Claudio Richter1, 2 ................................................................................................................................................ 212
Martijn C. Bart1, Gabrielle J. Tompkins-MacDonald2, Jasper M. de Goeij1 ....................................................... 201 Biological habitat preference of the exotic ophiuroid Ophiothela mirabilis on marine sponges from Brazil
16 17
Humberto Fortunato1, 2, Gisele Lobo Hajdu2 ....................................................................................................... 212 Today’s environmental conditions influence in the tomorrow’s reproduction of five tropical demosponges
Mediterranean Deep-Sea Sponges From The MedSeaCan And CorSeaCan Cruises Emilio Lanna, Bruno Cajado, Jéssica da Hora, Ubaldo Porto, Carine Santos, ................................................... 224
Maïa Fourt1, Nicole Boury-Esnault1, Jean Vacelet1, Thierry Pérez1, Adrien Goujard2, Pierre Chevaldonné1 Vivian Vasconcellos ............................................................................................................................................. 224
& the MedSeaCan-CorSeaCan technical & scientific teams ............................................................................... 213 Reproductive cycle and fecundity of Heteropia sp. (Calcarea, Porifera): a putative non-indigenous
The availability of map resources for the distribution, degradation status and threats to sponge sponge in the Atlantic Tropical Ocean
assemblages in the European Seas – initial baselines in the MERCES project Vanessa Batista, Emilio Lanna ............................................................................................................................ 224
Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Thanos Dailianis1, Nadia Papadopoulou1, Katerina Sevastou1, Christopher Sexual reproduction of Dysidea janiae, a tropical Dictyoceratida in association with a calcareous alga
J. Smith1, Teresa Amaro2, Trine Bekkby3, Meri Bilan4, Christoffer Boström5, Emma Cebrian6, Carlo
Bruno Cajado & Emilio Lanna ............................................................................................................................ 225
Cerrano2, Roberto Danovaro2, Dario Fiorentino7, Simonetta Fraschetti8, Karine Gagnon5, Cristina Gambi2,
Anthony Grehan9, Bernat Hereu10, Silvija Kipson11, Jonne Kotta12, Cristina Linares10, Martina Milanese13, External and internal anatomy of Cladocroce caelum (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae)
Telmo Morato4, Henn Ojaveer12, Helen Orav-Kotta12, Antonio Sarà13, Rachael Scrimgeour14, İnci Tüney Jéssica da Hora and Emilio Lanna ...................................................................................................................... 226
Kızılkaya15, Elizabeth Grace Tunka- Eronat15 ..................................................................................................... 214 Distribution, diversity, and function of glass sponge (Porifera, Hexactinellida) reefs in Hecate Strait,
World Register of marine Cave Species (WoRCS): a tool for evaluating sponge diversity in marine caves British Columbia, Canada
and anchialine systems of the world Lauren Law1, Sally Leys ...................................................................................................................................... 226
Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Alejandro Martínez2, Leontine E. Becking3, 4, Guilherme Muricy5, Fernando Using Compound Specific Isotopic Analysis of Amino Acids to Discern Trophic Mode in Sponges From
Álvarez6, Geoff Boxshall7, William F. Humphreys8, Damià Jaume9, Peter J. van Hengstum10, Hiroshi Shallow to Mesophotic Depths
Yamasaki11, Nicole Boury-Esnault12, Thierry Perez12, Eleni Voultsiadou13, Stefanie Dekeyzer14, Wim Keir J. Macartney1, Michael P. Lesser1* .............................................................................................................. 227
Decock14, Bart Vanhoorne14, Leen Vandepitte14, Nicolas Bailly1, 15, Thomas M. Iliffe10 ..................................... 215
Photographic bioeroding sponges in turbid environments
Sponge biodiversity of the shallow sublittoral Antarctic Peninsula
Joe Marlow1, Jamaluddin Jompa2, James Bell1 .................................................................................................. 227
Claire Goodwin 1, Katharine Hendry2, Jade Berman3 ......................................................................................... 215
Adaptive mechanisms and physiological effects of suspended and settled sediment on barrel sponges
Engaging recreational SCUBA divers in recording sponge biodiversity
Emily McGrath .................................................................................................................................................... 228
Claire Goodwin1, Bernard Picton2, Charlotte Bolton3 .......................................................................................... 216
Cliona aff. viridis as a possible bioindicator on a tropical coral reef experiencing multiple sources of stress
In situ arrests of glass sponge (Hexactinellida) feeding currents in response to suspended sediments
Sambhaji G. Mote *1, Kalyan De1, Afreen Hussain1, Christine H.L. Schönberg3, Toufiek Samaai2 & Baban
Nathan Grant & Sally P. Leys1 ............................................................................................................................ 216 S. Ingole1 .............................................................................................................................................................. 228
Prince Albert’s underwater caves: Sponge fauna of unusual artificial reefs at Monaco New approaches to quantifying bioerosion by endolithic sponge populations: applications to the coral
Marie Grenier1, César Ruiz1, Nicolas Bonnet2, Christophe Lejeusne3, Jean Vacelet1, Raphael Simonet2, reefs of Grand Cayman
Pierre Chevaldonné1, Thierry Pérez1 ................................................................................................................... 217 Gary Murphy 1, Chris Perry1, Paul Chin2 and Croy McCoy2 .............................................................................. 229
Genetic Population Structure of Ircinia campana and Spheciospongia vesparium in the Greater Caribbean Using siliceous spicules in the Posidonia oceanica “matte” to discover past dynamics of the sponge community.
Sarah Griffiths1, Donald Behringer2, 3, Mark Butler IV4, Thierry Pérez5, Evelyn Taylor-Cox1 and Richard Alice Oprandi1, Gabriele Costa1, Maurizio Pansini1, Giorgio Bavestrello1 & Marco Bertolino1 ........................ 230
Preziosi1 ................................................................................................................................................................. 218
Research on Annual Growth and Large-scale Transplantation of Red Sponge, Mycale phyllophila
Integrating (Meta)genomics data into sponge symbiont cultivation (Porifera: Demospongiae)
Johanna Gutleben, Catarina Carolina Sales e Santos Loureiro, Hauke Smidt, Detmer Sipkema ....................... 218 Huilong Ou1, Dexiang Wang1, Jing Zhao1, Jun Chen1 & Shaoxiong Ding1 ........................................................ 230
The distribution of Ostur in relation to physical variables within the Faroe-Shetland Channel Keratosa sponges stranded on the Sardinia coasts: a long term study
Joshua Davison1, Nils Piechaud1, Phil Hosegood1, Kerry L. Howell1 ................................................................. 219 Andrea Padiglia1, 2, Renata Manconi2, Tiziana Cubeddu3, Roberto Pronzato1 ..................................................... 231
Oases of diversity: East-Mediterranean mesophotic sponge grounds Demospongiae taxonomy and diversity at two sites within the Western Indian Ocean region
Tal Idan 1, Sigal Shefer1, 2, Tamar Feldstein 1, 2, Ruth Yahel 3, Dorothée Huchon1, 2, Micha Ilan1, * ...................... 219 Robyn P. Payne1, Toufiek Samaai2, 3, Mark J. Gibbons1, Sven Kerwath4 & Denham Parker4 ............................. 232
Studies on sexual reproduction and secondary metabolite profile of the sponge Ircinia fusca (Carter) Experimental manipulation in interspecific interactions among 3 species of sponges associated with roots
(Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida) of Rhizophora mangle.
Shriraj S. Jakhalekar & Narsinh L. Thakur ......................................................................................................... 220 Jeannette Pérez1, Cruz-Motta, J.J.2, Díaz, M.C.3 ................................................................................................. 232
Time to Revisit the Western Indian Ocean Ecoregions and Hotspots: A Numerical Zoogeographical Spatial-temporal variation of natural sponge interactions associated with Rhizophora mangle roots in
Analysis Using Sponges as a Case Study Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela.
Liesl Janson1*, Steve Kirkman1 and Toufiek Samaai1,2 ......................................................................................... 221 Jeannette Pérez1, Cruz-Motta, J.J.2, Díaz, M.C.3 ................................................................................................. 233
Sponge communities of the Antarctic Peninsula: influence of environmental variables on species Hatchability of gemmules in Spongillidae and Metaniidae (Porifera: Spongillida) at different inland waters
composition and richness
Ludimila Calheira1, Emilio Lanna2 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 ..................................................................................... 233
Dorte Janussen1, Daniel Kersken1 ....................................................................................................................... 221
Sponges of the Langseth Ridge: Mapping sponge distributions under ice with a towed camera / sonar platform
Ecology of Halichondria corrugata, a Common Endemic species in the Northern Gulf of Mexico
Autun Purser1, Simon Dreutter1, Beate Slaby2, Hans Tore Rapp3, Ute Hentschel2 & Antje Boetius1, 4, 5 ............. 234
Kathleen Kaiser ................................................................................................................................................... 222
An Analysis of the Relationship between Sponge Cover and Coral Recruitment
Achilles’ Heels and Trojan Horse of the Ecologically Aggressive Sponge Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766)
Tia Rabsatt1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Marilyn Brandt1 Lauren Olinger1, Deborah Gochfeld2, Julie Olson3 .. 234
Vyacheslav V. Khalaman1, Alexander Yu. Komendantov1, Yulia I. Mukhina2 Tatyana G. Shaposhnikova2 ........... 222
Is the Gibraltar Strait the real southern boundary for Northeast Atlantic sponges?
Shallow-Water Sponge Restoration in Florida Bay
Ana Ramos1, Fran Ramil2 & Marcos González-Porto2 ........................................................................................ 235
Shelly Krueger1 .................................................................................................................................................... 223
18 19
Sponge grounds of seamounts along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge – Diversity, distribution patterns Mutualistic relationship between host sponge Spongia (Spongia) sp. and its endosymbiotic bivalve
and oceanographic setting Vulsella vulsella
Hans Tore Rapp1, Marte Torkildsen1, Adriana Alvizu1, Francisca C. Carvalho1, Tone Ulvatn1, Bernt R. Remi Tsubaki1 ..................................................................................................................................................... 247
Olsen1, Martyn Roberts2, Andy Davies2, Furu Mienis3, Joana Xavier1 ........................................................... 236 Environmental assessment of deep-water sponge grounds in relation to oil and gas activities: a Faroe-
Solitons shape Antarctic hexactinellid sponge communities Shetland Channel case study
Claudio Richter1, Laura Fillinger2, Dorte Janussen3, Tomas Lundälv4, Luisa Federwisch2, Nils Johanne Vad 1, 2, Theodore Henry1, Sophie Green3, Lea-Anne Henry2 & J Murray Roberts2 .............................. 247
Owsianowski2, Moritz Holtappels2 ...................................................................................................................236 Additions to the biodiversity of the sponge fauna from Martinique (Fr.)
Large-scale distribution of bird’s nest sponge Pheronema carpenteri (Thomson, 1869) along Northwest Esther van der Ent1, Nicole J. de Voogd1 ............................................................................................................. 248
African slope
Sexual breeding of the red sponge Mycale phyllophila (Porifera: Demospongiae)
Pilar Ríos1,3, Marcos González-Porto2, Fran Ramil2 and Ana Ramos1 ............................................................... 237
Dexiang Wang1, Huilong, Ou1 ............................................................................................................................. 249
Light dependent allelopathic activity of the tropic sponge Pseudoceratina sp.
Is Saba Bank becoming a ‘sponge reef’?
Sven Rohde1, Peter Schupp1 ................................................................................................................................ 237
Mirthe Wiltink1, Erik Meesters2, Nicole J. de Voogd3, Leontine Becking1, 2, 3 .................................................. 249
Decadal dynamics of Indonesian sponge assemblage: roles of endogenous and exogenous drivers
Validation of recirculating ex situ aquaria systems for studying deep-water sponges: do individuals kept
Alberto Rovellini1, Matthew Dunn2, Elizabeth A. Fulton3, Shane A. Richards3, David J. Smith4, under ex situ conditions reflect physiological in situ performances?
Jamaluddin Jompa5, Nicole S. Webster6 and James J. Bell1 ................................................................................ 238
Erik Wurz1, Raymond Bannister2, Hans Tore Rapp3 & Ronald Osinga1 ............................................................. 250
Value-added in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials from Freshwater Sponges
The mariculture potential of the Philippine blue sponge Xestospongia sp. for the production of renieramycin
Nisit Ruengsawang1, Petch Suthiporn1, Wilailak Chuchuay2, Narumon Sangpradub3 & Renata Manconi4 ....... 239
Clairecynth Yu2, Geminne Manzano1, Viviene Santiago2, Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes2 & Porfirio Aliño1 ............. 250
Combining Metabarcoding and Metabolomics to better understand the ecological success of
Homoscleromorpha sponges in underwater caves Posters Molecular, Cell and Organismal Biology
César Ruiz1, Thierry Pérez1, Olivier P. Thomas2 ................................................................................................. 239 Gene expression dynamics accompanying the sponge thermal stress response
South Orkney Islands: a poorly sponge-studied region of the White Continent. Results of Argentinean Christine Guzman & Cecilia Conaco .................................................................................................................. 252
Antarctic Cruises 2012 and 2014
Cellular Model of Sponge-Sponge Associations
Laura Schejter1, Javier Cristobo2 & Pilar Ríos2 ................................................................................................... 240
Megan Conkling1 & Shirley A. Pomponi1 ........................................................................................................... 252
Contribution to the description of Fibulia myxillioides (Burton, 1932) and new records of the species at
Transcriptomic reconstruction in Spongia officinalis: adjusting post- sequencing analyses to distinguish
Burdwood Bank, after 90 years of its unique collection date
between host and prokaryotic symbionts
Laura Schejter1, Javier Cristobo2, Pilar Ríos2 ...................................................................................................... 240
Tereza Manousaki1, Jacques Lagnel1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, 2, Spyros Kollias3, Costas Tsigenopoulos1,
Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of coral-eroding sponges Christos Arvanitidis1, Costas Dounas1, Antonios Magoulas1 & Thanos Dailianis1 ............................................. 253
Christine H.L. Schönberg1, James K.-H. Fang2, José-Luis Carballo3, Max Wisshak4 and Lydia Beuck4 .......... 241 A molecular study of the tissue regeneration in the Demospongiae: the role of the TGF/BMP protein family
Coelocarteria singaporensis – an unexpected bioeroding sponge? Lorenzo Gallus1, Marina Pozzolini1, Sara Ferrando1, Marco Giovine1, Cristina Gagliani2, Giorgio
Christine H.L. Schönberg1 ................................................................................................................................... 242 Bavestrello1, Marco Bertolino1 & Sonia Scarfì1 .................................................................................................. 253
Sponges don’t like pumice, they like hard rock! Histological and Ultrastructural Features of Aplysina cauliformis Infected with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome
Peter J. Schupp1, Sven Rohde1, Sadie Mills2, Jackson Cahn3, Kathrin Busch4, Tanja Stratmann5, Dennis Deborah Gochfeld1, Maria Cristina Diaz2, 3, Abigail Renegar2 & Julie Olson4 ................................................... 254
Versluis1, Lars-Eric Petersen1, Michelle Kelly6, Tessa Clemens1, Gert Wörheide7 ............................................ 242 Origin of animal cell homeostasis : new insights from a digestive cycle of carnivorous sponge
How to Protect a Mesophotic Sponge Ground – A Case Study Lycopodina hypogea.
Sigal Shefer1, 2, Tal Idan1, Tamar Feldstein1, 2, Ruth Yahel3, Dorothée Huchon1, 2, Micha Ilan1 ........................... 243 Nelly Godefroy1, Camille Martinand-Mari1, Khalid Belkrir1, Emilie Le Goff1, Abdel Aouacharia1, Jean
Trade-off between growth, reproduction and spatial competition of the intertidal marine sponge Vacelet2, Nicolas Galtier1 & Stephen Baghdiguian1 ............................................................................................ 255
Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa Towards an insight into the metazoan gene regulation and development: genome draft of the endemic
Anshika Singh and Narsinh L. Thakur ................................................................................................................ 244 freshwater sponge Eunapius subterraneus
Biogeographic Connectivity of Sponge Communities in the Tropical Atlantic Helena Ćetković1, Mirna Halasz1, Maja Fabijanić2, Bruna Pleše1, Helena Bilandžija1 & Kristian Vlahoviček2 .255
Marc Slattery 1, 2, Michael P. Lesser3, Deborah J. Gochfeld2, M. Cristina Diaz4, Elizabeth Kintzing3 ................ 244 High Tolerance Of Hypoxia By The Deep-Water Boreal Sponge Geodia barretti
Calcarea on the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight, Australia Amanda S. Kahn1, Raymond J. Bannister2 & Sally P. Leys1 ............................................................................... 256
Shirley Sorokin1, Michelle Klautau2, Lisa Goudie3, Andrea Crowther4, Jane Fromont5, Anita Mary Inter-individual variability in the physiological state of Geodia barretti: differential expression and
George6, Sam McCormack7, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab8 .......................................................................... 245 ultrastructural studies
Dominance and diversity of deep-water sponges on the shelf edge and slope of the Great Australian Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Paco Cárdenas2, Maria Conejero3 & Ana Riesgo1 ........................................................... 257
Bight, South Australia Reproductive features of Antarctic demosponges from the orders Dendroceratida, Poecilosclerida and
Shirley Sorokin1, Lisa Goudie2 ............................................................................................................................ 245 Haplosclerida (Porifera)
Oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes of deep-sea sponges Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Sergio Taboada1, Juan Moles2, Javier Cristobo3, Conxita Avila2, Andrea Bertran2,
Joan Solà2 & Ana Riesgo1 .................................................................................................................................... 257
Tanja Stratmann1 and Dick van Oevelen1 ............................................................................................................ 246
External and internal anatomy of Cladocroce caelum (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae)
Patterns of Cliona delitrix prevalence in a near-shore artificial reef system
Jéssica da Hora & Emilio Lanna ......................................................................................................................... 258
Holly Trew1, Henri Vallès1 ................................................................................................................................... 246
Sexual reproduction of Dysidea janiae, a tropical Dictyoceratida in association with a calcareous alga
20 21
10th World Sponge Conference Welcome to Galway
Bruno Cajado & Emilio Lanna ............................................................................................................................ 259 Welcome to Galway
The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance: Keeping Pace with Evolution and Technology
Jose V. Lopez1 & the GIGA Community of Scientists ........................................................................................ 259 Ba mhaith liom céad mile fáilte a chur róimh chuig Cathair na Gaillimhe.
Proteasome mechanism of adaptive plasticity of sea cold-water sponges
Welcome to the 10th World Sponge Conference 2017.
Yulia Lyupina1, Andrey Lavrov2, Pavel Erokhov1, Svetlana Abaturova1, Nikolay Gronostaev1, Oksana
Kravchuk1, Victor Mikhailov1 & Igor Kosevich2 ................................................................................................ 260 It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to National University Ireland, Galway. This is the first time we
Optimization of Cryopreservation Methods for the Marine Sponge Dysidea etheria have hosted the sponge conference in Galway and we are delighted to welcome old and new friends to our
Stephanie Munroe1, 2, Dirk E. Martens1, Detmer Sipkema3 & Shirley A. Pomponi2 .......................................... 261 beautiful city.
Exploring Specialized Metabolites in the Deep-Sea Arctic Sponge Geodia hentscheli
The topics of this conference reflect the main areas in which sponge biology is developing at present, as well
Patryk Nilsson 1, Ulf Göransson1, Paco Cardénas1 ............................................................................................. 261
as traditional research categories. While sponge ecology and systematics are continuing to hold sway as the
Recombinant Production of Hydroxylated Collagen Polypeptides derived from the Demospongia C. most popular subject areas we see the use and development of new technologies and applications, for example
reniformis: A new Biotechnological Source of Marine Collagen
exploring sponge natural products and the use of ‘-omic’ technologies. We provide a platform for learning
Marina Pozzolini1, Sonia Scarfì1, Annalisa Salis2, Gianluca Damonte2 & Marco Giovine1 ................................ 261 about future funding opportunities globally and how to go about becoming a part of new initiatives. Finally
Recycling is the key: multi-analysis of incorporated silica from digested diatom frustules in Antarctic sponges we hope to provide opportunities to socialise and network, to connect with old friends and make new ones.
Ana Riesgo1, Sergio Taboada1, Nadia Santodomingo1, Nathan J. Kenny1, Juan Moles2, Vasiliki
Koutsouveli1, Eileen Cox1, Manuel Maldonado3, Conxita Avila2, Luis Cardona2 ............................................... 262 The conference format is plenary session allowing full participation of the exciting programme scheduled.
Bibliometric Analysis Elucidates Historical Trends of Molecular, Cellular, and Genetics Research in
I wish to thank our conference sponsors SFI, Marine Institute, Fáilte Ireland, and NUI Galway and our com-
Poriferan Taxa
mittee members for their contribution to the event. I hope that you benefit from your participation in the event
Jeffrey Robinson .................................................................................................................................................. 263
and enjoy your visit to Galway.
A cost-efficient method of DNA barcoding of sponge communities with Illumina MiSeq Next Generation
Sequencing .
Tim A. Schol1 and Leontine E. Becking1,2,3 ....................................................................................................... 263
Influence of temperature on reproduction of temperate Tethya spp.
Megan R. Shaffer, Simon K. Davy, James J. Bell ............................................................................................... 264
Barcode first, identify later? Testing the use of a reverse taxonomic approach to assess the demosponge
community composition in an Arctic seamount
Tone Ulvatn1, Hans Tore Rapp1, Joana R Xavier1 ............................................................................................... 264
Spermatogenesis of the poecilosclerid Tedania ignis (Porifera, demospongiae)
Vivian Vasconcellos & Emilio Lanna .................................................................................................................. 265
Transatlantic Cooperation on Deep-sea Research within the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA)
Margaret Rae, Joana R. Xavier, Ana Teresa Caetano .......................................................................................... 266
Attending Delegates
Delegates.............................................................................................................................................................. 267
Index
Authors................................................................................................................................................................. 274
Poster list
.............................................................................................................................................................................. 282
22 23
10th World Sponge Conference Speaker Biographies
COMMITTEE Speaker Biographies

CHAIR .
Prof. Grace McCormack, Zoology, NUI Galway
Professor James Bell
LOCAL ORGANISING COMMITTEE Associate Professor James Bell is a marine biologist in the School of
Biological Sciences at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, and
Olivier Thomas (NUI Galway) is currently the Marine Biology Programme Director. James graduated from
Christine Morrow (NUI Galway) the University of Wales, Bangor in 1998 with a first class honours degree in
Colin Lawton (NUI Galway) marine biology, and gained his PhD in 2001 from University College Cork
Louise Allcock (NUI Galway) in Ireland. James moved to New Zealand to take up a lectureship at Victoria
Maria Vittoria Marra (NUI Galway) University in 2006. His research focuses on understanding the functional roles
Jose Maria Aquillar Camacho (NUI Galway) of sponges in marine systems, the ways in which human impacts influence
Belinda Longakit (NUI Galway) these roles and the subsequent ecosystem  consequences of declines or
increases in sponge abundance. James has published over 100 peer-reviewed
Secretariat Assistant: Maeve Egan (Conference & Events, NUI Galway) journal articles and book chapters in leading international journals and has
received funding from many sources to support his research including a recent Royal Society of
Book of Abstracts: Bernard Picton & Christine Morrow New Zealand Marsden grant. James leads a large research group and is currently supervising 12
PhD students, most of whom are working on sponges.
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Joseph Pawlik, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA

James Bell, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
Professor Hermann Erlich
John Hooper, Queensland Museum, Australia
Manuel Maldonado, Spanish National Research Council, Spain Prof Hermann Ehrlich after the defense of the PhD thesis (1984) served as a
Ute Hentschel, Geomar, Germany postdoctoral researcher at Max-Bergmann Centre of Biomaterials and Insti-
Joe Lopez, Nova Southeastern University, USA tute of Materials Science in Dresden, Germany. After successful habilitation in
Michelle Kelly, NIWA Tiahoro Nukurangi, New Zealand 2011 at Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel he holds a W3 Heisenberg full
Olivier Thomas, NUI Galway, Ireland professor position at the Institute of Experimental Physics at the TU Bergakad-
Ana Riesgo, The Natural History Museum London, UK emie Freiberg. His research is focused on marine biomaterials, biominerals,
Malcolm Hill, University of Richmond, USA biocomposites and biomimetics. Using biochemical, cellular, molecular, and
Kenan Matterson, Smithsonian Institution, USA analytical approaches, he and his co-workers, for the first time, discovered
Andia Chaves, University of the Virgin Islands, USA and characterized chitin in marine and freshwater sponges as well as novel
Shirley Sorokin, Primary Industries and Regions South Australia, Australia hydroxylated collagen in the skeletal formations of glass sponges. During last
Emilio Lanna, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Brazil ten years, he has published over 80 peer-reviewed articles, ten book chapters,
Shirley Pomponi, Florida Atlantic University, USA two monographs and additionally holding four patents. Being the correspond-
Stephanie Archer, Fisheries and Oceans Canada ing author, Hermann Ehrlich published his papers in such high impact journals
Peter Schupp, Carl-von-Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Germany as Nature Chemistry, Scientific Reports, Chemical Reviews, Advanced Functional Materials, Chemistry of
Christine Morrow, NUI Galway, Ireland Materials etc. In recent times, together with members of his team, he published various scientific discoveries
Gert Wörheide, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Germany in the field of biological materials and biomimetics.
Grace McCormack, NUI Galway, Ireland
Lucia Pita Galán, GEOMAR
24 25
Dr. Nicole Boury-Esnault Professor Sally Leys

Nicole Boury Esnault has published 140 articles on areas including Integrative Sally Leys obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of
taxonomy, population dynamics, population genetics, life story, systematics, British Columbia and PhD from the University of Victoria, British
phylogeny, ecology, biogeography of Porifera. She is also actively involved in Columbia in 1996. She carried out three postdoctoral projects: at Mc-
the Mediterranean and Caribbean fauna for World Porifera Database checking Gill University, Quebec and Barbados; Université Aix Marseille; and
all primary sources and is editor for Homoscleromorpha, Keratosa, Verongi- the University of Queensland, Australia. She held a Canada Research
morpha, Polymastiida. She pays particular attention to the precise geographi- Chair Tier II in evolutionary and developmental biology at the Uni-
cal location to obtain maps with clear repartition of the species. versity of Alberta from 2002-2012. She is currently a Professor in
the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta.
Her group uses a range of molecular, microscopy and physiological
techniques to explore the origin of nerves, coordination, and sensory
systems, using in vitro and in situ studies on sponges. They carry
out fieldwork at the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, and as marine
biologists their travel also takes them on yearly research cruises to
study deep-water glass sponge reefs in coastal British Columbia, and
to study sponges in Norway, Panama and the Canadian Arctic.
Professor Ute Hentschel Humeida Professor Joe Lopez

Ute Hentschel Humeida obtained her Ph.D. degree in Marine Biology at Scripps Since 2007, Dr. Jose V. Lopez, PhD has been a biology Professor at the Guy
Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, USA, and performed her postdoctoral Harvey Oceanographic Center, Halmos College of Natural Sciences and
research in Infection Biology both at the University of Santa Barbara, USA, Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University. He earned a Master’s degree
and the University of Würzburg, Germany. In 2008, she became professor for at Florida State University (under National Academy Member J. Herbert Tay-
Chemical Ecology at the University of Würzburg, Germany. In 2015, she re- lor), and his doctorate at George Mason University studying the evolution of
turned to her academic roots and accepted the professorship for Marine Micro- mitochondrial DNA and its transpositions (Numt) in feline nuclear genomes
biology at the GEOMAR Helmholtz Institution for Ocean Research, Kiel. Her under Stephen J. O’Brien. Dr Lopez then applied his molecular evolution-
research interests focus on host-microbe interactions, with special attention on ary training in postdoctoral appointments with Dr. Nancy Knowlton charac-
function, diversity, and biotechnological potential of marine sponges and their terizing the Orbicella (formerly Montastraea) annularis coral sibling spe-
beneficial microbial consortia. A combination of modern molecular biology cies complex at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, and
techniques, in particular the –omics repertoire, in vivo experimentation, and regular field work is employed sponge genetics with Dr. Shirley Pomponi at Harbor Branch Oceanographic
towards this goal. Her laboratory’s efforts are directed at providing a deeper understanding of the high-com- Institute. The latter allowed him to use submersible technology to investigate
plexity microbial ecosystems within sponges, and at providing research strategies to a sustainable use of this deep sea sponges and corals. Dr. Lopez’s current research at the Nova Southeastern University’s Guy Harvey
natural resource. Ute has published over 150 publications and 3 patents in leading international journals. Oceanographic Center, involves diverse projects on marine invertebrate-microbial symbiosis, genomics and
metagenomics of marine habitats, gene expression of marine organisms, and marine microbiology. Dr. Lopez
was on the Porifera Tree of Life team for placing marine sponges on a global Tree of Life (www.PorToL.
org). He also founded and initiated the Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance - GIGA (http://GIGA-cos.org),
that will apply genome sequencing of non-model invertebrate species. Dr. Lopez is also involved with other
sponge biologists in the global Earth Microbiome Project (www.earthmicrobiome.org) characterizing the di-
versity and abundance of various microbes.
26 27
Dr. Manuel Maldonado Professor Gert Wörheide

Dr. Manuel Maldonado is a senior scientist at the Centre for Advanced Studies Professor Dr. Gert Wörheide holds the Chair for Palaeontology & Geobiol-
of Blanes (CEAB) in the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Over his ogy at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich and is Director
career, he has sought to achieve an integrative perspective of the biology and of the Bavarian State Collections for Paleontology and Geology in Munich
ecology of sponges, combining studies of taxonomy, experimental and obser- (Germany). Currently he is Vice-Dean Faculty of Geosciences at the LMU.
vational ecology, reproductive and larval biology, functional physiology, and He received his Dr. rer. nat. in Geobiology in early 1998 at the University
cell biology. He has funded the Sponge Bio-ecology and Biotechnology (SBB) of Göttingen in Germany, to where he returned as a Junior Professor for
Group at the Department of Marine Ecology in the CEAB. His recent interests Molecular Geobiology in 2002 after a PostDoc at the Queensland Museum
focus on the manipulative use of sponge reproduction for experimental and and the University of Queensland in Brisbane (Australia). In 2008 he took
biotechnological applications, the role of sponge communities in the benthic- up the Professorship in Munich and since then has bulit up a large research
pelagic coupling of marine nutrient cycles, and the use of sponge silica for group focussing on phylogenomics, molecular systematics, DNA barcod-
scientific and biotechnological applications. ing, biomineralization and genomics of non-bilaterian animals, with special
focus on sponges and lately octocorals. In 2013 he co-founded the interna-
tional Masters Program “Geobiology & Paleobiology” at the LMU. Gert
has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals.
Professor Joe Pawlik

Joseph Pawlik received his undergraduate degree in 1982 from the University
of Minnesota and his PhD in 1988 from Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
UCSD. After postdoctoral fellowships at Friday Harbor Labs (University of
Washington) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, he joined the faculty
at UNC Wilmington in 1991, where he teaches Invertebrate Zoology and directs Professor Philip Crews
a research program involving undergraduate, MS and PhD students. Dr. Paw- Professor Phillip Crews is Distinguished Research Professor of Chemistry, at
lik has over 140 scientific publications, mostly in the areas of marine chemi- the University of California, Santa Cruz. The enduring focus of his lab is to
cal ecology and the biology of sponges on Caribbean coral reefs. He also en- expand fundamental knowledge about the novel structures and bioactivity of
joys documenting his research program using underwater videos, which can be marine natural products. Another goal has been to lead and participate in col-
found at the YouTube channel “Pawlik Lab.” laborative academic-biotech research and educational projects. Phillip has
contributed to over 232 peer-reviewed papers on natural products chemistry.
Professor Peter Schupp

Our research investigates the chemical ecology of marine invertebrates and aims
to understand the ecological function of their secondary metabolites. To gain a
better understanding of the ecological roles of secondary metabolites we are as-
sessing possible antimicrobial, antifouling, allelopathic, defense functions, and
also possible pharmacological activities. One goal is to combine the chemical
ecology research with management-oriented studies to develop new management
techniques and strategies to help preserve and manage ecosystems in temperate
(e.g. Wadden Sea and North Sea) and tropical locations (e.g. Coral reefs in the
Indo-Pacific region).
28 29
10th World Sponge Conference Conference Programme
General Information 10th World Sponge Conference, NUI Galway

Conference Venue: Conference Programme
The conference will be held on the Main Concourse, Arts-Science Building, NUI Galway. Driving access is Venue: O’Flaherty Theatre, Main Concourse
through Newcastle Road entrance. Please see detailed maps included in this book for more information.
.
Parking on Campus:
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Parking permits issued electronically is for the Orbsen Building carpark only. There are a limited number of
18.00 – 19.30 Conference Registration, Main Concourse, NUI Galway
Pay & Display spaces on campus (blue lined spaces), delegates must pay between 09.00 and 17.30 if parked in
these spaces. All illegally parked vehicles, including cars not displaying a permit will be clamped.
Monday, June 26, 2017
Included in Conference Registration Fee:
08.00 Conference Registration, Main Concourse
Welcome BBQ, Monday 26 June 09.00 Conference Opening
Poster Session Reception, Tuesday, 27 June 09.15 Welcome by CEO, Marine Institute, Dr Peter Heffernan
Poster Session Reception, Wednesday, 28 June
09.30 KN – 1: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Sally Keys
Teas/Coffees, Lunches, Monday – Friday
Sensation and the energetics of sponge filter feeding
Note: The conference dinner and the hike to the Burren are optional extras.
Session 1: Evolution
Chair: Prof. Grace McCormack & Prof. Gert Wörheide
Computer Access 10.15 KN – 2: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Gert Wörheide
A Solution to the Conundrum of Non-Bilaterian Relationships?
Wi-Fi Code
10.40 OS -1: Sponges versus Ctenophora: The Evolution of Epithelial Proteins rmida Ziñiga
Network User ID Password Dr Carole Borchiellini
NUIGWIFI 987600IT htbps4729 10.55 OS -2: Save the best for the last: mRNA editing and multiple linear chromosomes in mitochondria
of calcaronean sponges.
Dr Dennis Lavrov
11.10 Coffee Break
11.30 OS – 3: Think like a sponge: Examining neural-marker genes in context
Ms Jasmine Mah
11.45 OS – 4: Tetractinellida is a hot-spot of Group I Introns: vertical gene transfer, secondary losses and
implications for DNA barcoding
Ms. Astrid Schuster
12.00 OS – 5: Evolution and Development of the Skeleton in Selected Marine Haplosclerida
Mr. Jose Maria Aguilar-Camacho
12.15 OS - 6: Molecular Diversity of Demosponges in the Indo-Pacific
Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck
12.30 OS – 7:The Chondrilla species complex along a N-S gradient in the tropical Western Atlantic: an
integrative approach
Prof. Carla Zilberberg
12.45 ST- 2: Diversity analysis of a fossil sponge fauna (Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) from Italy
(Eocene, Lessini Mts)
Dr. Viviana Frisone
12.50 ST -1: Foliose fans of the sea: The Phyllospongiinae
Dr. Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab
12.55 ST- 3: Biodiversity and Biogeography of Tropical Western Atlantic Calcarea (Porifera)
Dr. Fernanda Azevedo
30 31
13.00 Lunch 17.25 ST- 12: Chemosystematics as a complementary tool for Haliclona species (Class Demospongiae,
Session 2: Systematics 1 Order Haplosclerida)
Dr. Miriam Reverter
Chair Dr. Nicole Boury Esnault & Dr Christine Morrow
17.30 ST- 13: Integrative taxonomy reveals a high diversity of Homoscleromorpha in Cabo Frio, South-
14.00 KN – 3: Keynote Speaker, Dr. Nicole Boury Esnault
eastern Brazil (SW Atlantic)
The Evolution of Sponge Systematics from Aristotle (4th AC) to the 10th Sponge World Con-
Dr. Guilherme Muricy
ference in Galway (21st BC)
17.35 ST- 14: Phenotypic Plasticity in Sponges: a case study on Callyspongia sp. from Northeastern Brazil
14.25 OS – 8: The importance of cytology towards integrative taxonomy of sponges
Dr.Gisele Lobo-Hajdu
Prof. Alexander Ereskovsky
17.40 ST- 15: Sponges of the genus Agelas from the Indo-Pacific
14.40 OS - 9: Diversity of Deep-Water Lithistids of the Tropical Western Atlantic: Are They Really Iso-
Dr. Merrick Ekins
lated survivors.
Prof Andrzej Pisera 17.45 ST- 16: Evolutionary transformations of choanocyte kinetid in the phylum Porifera and their signifi-
cance for phylogenetic reconstructions
14.55 OS- 10: Variation between Giant Barrel Sponges Around the Globe
Mr. Igor Pozdnyakov
Mr Thomas Swierts
17.50 ST- 17: Historical overview on the Adriatic calcarean sponges.
15.10 OS -11:Homoscleromorpha diversity revised through an Integrative Systematics
Dr. Mirna Halasz
Mr. César Augusto Ruiz Pinzon
15.25 OS -12: Current outlook on carnivorous sponge diversity and systematics
Dr. Jon Thomassen Hestetun 18.30 BBQ, Sult Bar, NUI Galway
15.40 OS -13: Nothing in sponge systematics makes sense - except in the light of DNA!
Music by My Fellow Sponges
Dr. Christine Morrow
15.55 Coffee Break
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Session 3: Systematics 2
Session 4: Sponges & Microbes 1
Chair: Dr. Paco Cárdenas & Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck
Chair: Prof. Joe Lopez
16.15 OS-14: Are We There Yet? Novel Famisa and Genera Revealed Within Verongimorpha While Ex-
09.00 KN-4: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Ute Hentschel
panding Geographic And Habitats Explorations
Exploring microbial dark matter in sponge symbioses
Dr. Maria Cristina Diaz
09.25 OS- 16: Sponge bleaching, Symbiodinium symbioses, and forces that shape co-evolutionary special-
16.30 OS –15: A proposal for the family level classification of Calcinea (Porifera, Calcarea)
ization.
Dr. Oliver Voigt
Dr. Malcom Hill
16.45 ST- 4: Cinachyrella australiensis (Cater, 1886) in the Indo-West Pacific: An Integrative Approach to
09.40 OS -17: Molecular and metabolic interactions in sponge-microbe symbiosis
Understanding a complex species complex
Prof. Torsten Thomas
Dr. John Hooper
09.55 OS -18: Genome-Informed Insights Into The Function Of A Coral Reef Sponge Holobiont
16.50 ST- 5:Taxonomy of deep-sea sponges living on polymetallic nodule fields in the Clarion-Clipperton
Dr. Sandie Degnan
Fracture Zone (CCFZ), East Pacific
Daniel Kersken 10.10 OS-19: Sponge Symbionts – key to understanding sponge responses to climate change
Dr. Heidi Luter
16.55 ST-6: Three new and four poorly known species of Plakina (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha)
Ms. Anaíra Lage 10.25 OS - 20: Metagenomics and FISH-CLEM visualization of marine sponge-associated Chloroflexi
Dr. Kristina Bayer
17.00 ST -7: Calcareous Sponges from Palau and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Dr. Anita Mary George 10.40 OS -21: Metabolic Diversification Across Caribbean Sponges
Dr. Christopher Freeman
17.05 ST – 8:Divergence between molecular and morphological data in Brazilian Arenosclera sponges
(Haplosclerida, Demospongiae) 10.55 Coffee Break
Mr. Camille Victória Leal Session 5: Sponges & Microbes 2
17.10 ST - 9: Cliona laticavicola is an ecophenotype and an ontogenic life stage of the coral excavating Chair: Prof. Ute Hentschel
sponge Cliona delitrix. 11.15 KN – 5: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Joe Lopez
Dr. Andia Chaves Fonnegra Function and Form: Finding the Raison d’être of Symbiotic Communities within Sponge
17.15 ST-10: A revised molecular phylogeny of the subclass Calcaronea 11.40 OS – 22: The impact of depth: sponge-associated microbes and antimicrobial activity change
Ms. Adriana Alvizu Dr. Detmer Sipkema
17.20 ST-11: Exploring remote islands and remote habitats: the key role of hidden cave sponges in solving 11.55 OS -23: Dissolved organic matter cycling by the sponge holobiont
systematic issues Dr. Laura Rix
Dr. Pierre Chevaldonné 12.10 OS -24: Virus: an Important Component of the Sponge Holobiont
Ms. Cecilia Pascelli
32 33
12.25 OS -25: Tide After Time: Structural Shifts and Functional Stability in the Microbiome of an Inter- 16.25 OS -32: Identification of calcareous sponge spicule matrix proteins
tidal Sponge Ms. Benedetta Fradusco
Dr. Patrick Erwin 16.40 OS -33: Poriferan Chitin as a Universal Template for Extreme Biomimetics
12.40 OS -26: Looking for barettins and barretides in north Atlantic demosponges: a case in favour of a Dr. Marcin Wysokowski
species specific microsymbiont production? 16.55 OS -34: Five new siphonodictyals from Caribbean Sponge Siphonodictyon coralliphagum
Dr. Paco Cardenas Ms. Daria Firsova
12.55 ST - 18: Metabolic profiles of microbiota from Antarctic sponges revealed by metagenomics. 17.10 ST – 26: Taxonomic Identification, immunopharmacological and toxicological study of Haliclona
Mr. Mario Moreno (Soestella) sp: A novel marine sponge species from Sri Lanka
13.00 Lunch Dr. Marco Bertolino
Session 6 Sponge and Microbes 3 17.15 ST- 27: Deep-sea discovery – deep-sea sponges as a source of novel biologics
Chair Dr. Lucia Pita & Dr Bob Thacker Dr. Mathew Upton
13.45 OS -27: Do Freshwater Sponges Facilitate the Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance in Water-Borne 17.20 ST -28: Value-Added in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials from Freshwater Sponges
Enterococcus faecalis? Dr. Nisit Ruengsawang
Mr Joerg Arnscheidt 17.25 KN – 7: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Hermann Ehrlich
14.00 OS -28: The microbial and chemical affairs between haplosclerid and homosclerophorid sponge Poriferan Chitin: 10 years after discovery. Structural biology and practical applications
pairs of the Caribbean
Mr. Jan Vicente 18.00 Poster session
14.15 OS -29: The response of sponges to microbial elicitors Canapes & Wine
Dr. Lucia Pita Wednesday, June 28, 2017
14.30 OS -30: Metagenomic binning of a marine sponge microbiome reveals unity in defense but meta- Session 8: Ecology 1 Population Biology
bolic specialization Chair: Prof Joe Pawlik
Ms. Beate Slaby 09.00 KN – 8: Keynote Speaker, Dr. James Bell
14.45 OS- 31: Multi-primers Targeting 16S rDNA Variable Regions Essential for Sponge (Porifera) Mi- Sponge Resilience and susceptibility
crobiome Study 09.25 OS – 35: Genomic approach to the evolutionary history and population structure of Dendrilla ant-
Prof. Wei Zhang arctica Topsent, 1905 (Porifera, Demospongiale) from southern ocean shallow waters
15.00 ST- 19: Single-cell measurement of metabolic interactions between a bioeroding sponge and its en- Mr. Carlos Leiva
dosymbiotic dinoflagellates using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry. 09.40 OS- 36: Population connectivity of an abyssal sponge across the Clarion Clipperton Zone (Central
Ms. Michelle Achlatis Pacific)
15.05 ST -20: Temporal dynamics of sponge microbial communities Dr.Sergi Taboada
Dr. Cole Easson 09.55 OS -37: Considering Habitat Fragmentation and Dispersal Potential: How Pheronema carpenteri
15.10 ST -21: Visualization of eukaryotic-like-proteins as ring-like structures within bacteria-containing Aggregations May Be Particularly Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems
sponge cells Dr. Rebecca Ross
Mr. Giampiero Batani 10.10 OS -38: Genetic structure patterns in Atlanto-Mediterranean sponges: environmental factors and
15.15 ST – 22: Do symbiotic bacteria help sponges to cope with eutrophication? biological features driving connectivity in scenarios with mass-mortalities
Ms. Marta Turon Dr. Ana Riesgo
15.20 ST – 23: Global patterns of microbial diversity and composition among three marine host types: 10.25 OS -39: Limited connectivity promotes cryptic speciation in Tethya spp.
sponges, corals, and ascidians Ms. Megan Shaffer
Dr. Georg Steinert 10.40 OS -40: The environment selects?
15.25 ST- 24: Microbiome Comparison Suggests Differential Involvement of Bacterial Associates in the Dr. Leontine Becking
Carnivorous Sponges Chondrocladia grandis and Cladorhiza oxeata 10.55 ST- 29: Genetic Population Structure of Ircinia campana and Spheciospongia vesparium in the
Mr. Joost Verhoeven Greater Caribbean
15.30 ST – 25: Searching for bacterial genes involved in the symbiosis between sponges and calcifying Ms. Sarah Griffiths
endosymbiotic bacteria 11.00 Coffee Break
Ms. Leire Garate
Session 9: Ecology 2: Sponge assemblages
15.35 Coffee Break Chair: Dr. James Bell
Session 7 Biomaterials & Biomolecules 11.30 OS - 41: Sponges of the Marianas: Initial Observations of Newly Collected Specimens
Chair: Prof. Olivier Thomas Dr. Shirley Pomponi
16.00 KN – 6: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Philip Crews 11.45 OS – 42: Sponge Assemblages on the recently declared Menorca Channel Marine Protected Area
The Potential of Biosynthetic Products from Sponges and Sponge-Derived (Western Mediterranean Sea)
Gram-Negative Bacteria to Open New Research Horizons Mr. Andreu Santin
34 35
12.00 OS -43: Deep-sea Sponge Grounds of the North Atlantic: State of the Knowledge, Recent Advances 16.25 ST – 42: Changes in Mediterranean coralligenous sponge assemblage at a pluri-milennial temporal
and Outlook. scale
Dr Joana Xavier Ms Gabriele Costa
12.15 ST -30: Aspects of the ecology of Pheronema carpenteri aggregations 16.30 ST - 43: Coral cavities – Stable habitats with zero growth? Assessing potential growth rates and
Dr. Kerry Howell community changes in cryptic sponges
12.20 ST- 31: Sponge communities from the mud volcanos of the Gulf of Cadiz Dr. Benjamin Mueller
Ms. Celia Sitja 16.35 ST – 44: Increase in light intensity: A threat or not for calcareous sponge survival?
12.25 ST- 32: Exploiting and conserving deep-sea genetic resources Ms Bárbara Ribeiro
Dr. Claire Laguionie Marchais 16.40 ST – 45: Spatial and temporal adaptation of a traditional Mediterranean fishery facing regional
12.30 ST- 33: SponGES - Deep-sea Sponge Grounds Ecosystems of the North Atlantic: an integrated ap- change: combining history and ecology to study past, present and future of sponge harvesting
proach towards their preservation and sustainable exploitation Mr. Maïa Fourt
Prof. Hans Tore Rapp 16.45 ST -46: Effects of temperature on survival, pigmentation and regeneration of three Caribbean
12.35 Lunch Ms. Juliet Rugiero
Town Hall Meeting International collaboration & funding 16.50 ST – 47: Geographic Variability in Antibacterial Chemical Defenses Among Branching Morphot-
Venue: AC201, Main Concourse ypes of Caribbean Aplysina
Session 10 Ecology 3: Reefs Dr. Deborah Gochfeld
Chairs: Dr. Stephanie Archer & Dr. Kenan Matterson 16.55 ST – 48: Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges: the case of the Aegean ecoregion
14.00 KN – 9: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Joseph Pawlik Dr. Vasilis Gerovasileiou
The “vicious circle” hypothesis: Sponges and reduced resilience of Caribbean coral reefs 17.00 ST – 49: Spatial variation in chemistry and microbial diversity of Philippine blue sponge, Xestospon-
14.25 OS- 44: Nutrient Fluxes and Ecological Functions of Coral Reef Sponges in a Changing Ocean gia sp. in relation to some ecological factors
Dr. Jasper M. de Goeij Ms. Geminne Manzano
14.40 OS – 45: A decadal analysis of bioeroding sponge cover on the inshore great barrier reef 17.05 ST – 50: Sponges in Space: Spiculous skeleton formation in Ephydatia fluviatilis under hypergravity
Mr. Blake Ramsby conditions
14.55 OS - 46: Ecological interactions between photosymbionts and spongivores reveal complex interplay Mr. Martijn Bart
between bottom up and top-down controls on Caribbean sponges. 17.10 ST – 51: Past and present scenario of the western Atlantic sponge Clathrina aurea (Porifera, Cal-
Mr. Kenan Matterson carea)
15.10 OS – 47: Combined effects of ocean acidification and eutrophication on reef sponge bioerosion Mr. Andre Padua
Dr. Lennart de Nooijer 17.15 ST- 52: New Species Records for Sponges of the Eastern Canadian Arctic and Subarctic
15.25 ST- 34: Better estimates of chemical and mechanical excavating rates of coral boring sponges in the Mr. Curtis Dinn
Caribbean 17.20 ST- 53: Functional Redundancy in Tropical Marine Sponge Communities
Mr. Didier de Bakker Ms. Marla Valentine
15.30 ST – 35: Increase of excavating sponges after coral bleaching events
Dr. Andia Chaves-Fonnegra 18.00 Poster Session
15.35 ST – 36: How Do Glass Sponge Reefs Get Enough Food? Feeding And Excretion By The Glass Pizza & Beer
Sponge Aphrocallistes vastus
Dr. Amanda Kahn 19.00 Workshop on Mediterranean IUCN Redlist
15.40 ST – 37: Initial report on nine newly discovered glass sponge reefs in British Columbia, Canada Venue: AC201, Main Concourse
Dr. Stephanie Archer
15.45 ST -38: Defense by association: sponge-eating fishes alter the small-scale distribution of Caribbean Thursday, June 29, 2017
reef sponges Session 12: Cell and Molecular Biology
Mr. Michael Wooster Chair Dr. Malcolm Hill
15.50 Coffee Break 09.00 OS – 48: Origin of animal cells.
Session 11| Ecology 4: Speed Talks Prof. Bernie Degnan
Chair: Dr. Andia-Chaves & Dr Nicole De Voogd 09.15 OS - 49: Sponge cell reaggregation: inter- and intraspecific variations
16.10 ST – 39: Bleaching recovery of a phototrophic bioeroding sponge. Mr. Andrey Lavrov
Mr. Joe Marlow 09.30 OS – 50: Toward the Development of a Marine Sponge Cell Line: a Sponge-Specific Vector for In-
16.15 ST- 40: Environmental drivers of deep-sea reefs troduction and Expression of Foreign DNA
Ms. Ulrike Hanz Ms. Kylie Hesp
16.20 ST- 41: Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of coral-eroding sponges. 09.45 OS – 51: Characterisation of mucus and mucus producing cells in haplosclerid sponges.
Dr. Christine Schonberg Ms. Maria Vittoria Marra
36 37
10.00 OS – 52: Cell dynamic during ectosomal and endosomal regeneration on an organotipic culture of 15.40 OT -68: Taxonomic, phylogenetic, microbial and ecological assessment of two coral-killing cyano-
Hymeniacidon heliophila bacteriosponges in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia
Dr. Cristiano Coutinho Ms. Esther van der Ent
10.15 OS – 53: A novel secreted frizzeld related proteins is a downstream target of paxb and a regulator of 15.55 Coffee Break
aquiferous system development in the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia muelleri Session 15 : Molecular, Cell and Organismal Biology Speed Talks
Prof. April Hill Chair: Prof Peter Schupp and Dr. Ana Riesgo
10.30 OS -54: Differential expression analysis of RNAseq data during the formation of the aquiferous 16.25 ST – 54: A molecular approach to understanding the resurrected order Axinellida
system in Halichondria panicea (Suberitida, Demospongiae) Dr. Jane Fromont
Dr. Nadia Santodomingo 16.30 ST – 55: Mitochondrial basic leucine zipper (bZIP) regulatory domain from freshwater sponges
10.45 OS -55: Expansion of oxygen-associated pathways at the dawn of animals conserved across animals
Dr. Warren Francis Dr. Bruna Plese
11.00 Coffee Break 16.35 ST – 56: Regeneration in sponges
Session 13: Sponge and their environment- A Lab Approach Prof. Alexander Ereskovsky
Chair: Dr. Manuel Maldonado 16.40 ST – 57: Spatially and temporally variable oxygen conditions as determinant of microbial processes
11.20 OS -56: Metabolic plasticity of HMA sponges allows them to completely oxidize all reduced sources in and around Irish sponges
in the water: an energetic view Dr. Marie-Lise Schläppy
Dr. Marta Ribes 16.45 ST – 58: Evolution on Ice: Molecular Adaptation to Temperature in Antarctic Sponge Species
11.35 OS -57: Differential gene expression analysis in the threatened sponge Spongia officinalis following Dr. Nathan J Kenny
exposure to different temperature conditions 16.50 ST – 59: Osculum dynamics and filtration activity studied in small single-osculum demosponge
Ms. Vasiliki Koutsouveli (Halichondria panicea) explants
11.50 OS -58: Sponges in a high C02 World: A mechanistic understanding of sponge tolerance to elevated Mr. Lars Kumala
pCO2 and temperature 16.55 ST – 60: Plastic additive changes contraction patterns in Hymeniacidon heliophila: A change point
Ms. Holly Bennett analysis
12.05 OS -59: Pressure-response relationships of sponges to dredge pressures – a laboratory approach Ms. Liv Goldstein Ascer
Dr. Mari-Carmen Pineda 17.00 ST – 61: In vitro formation of chimaeric individuals after cell dissociation in a calcareous sponge
12.20 OS – 60: Glass Sponge Pump Rates and their Role in Biogeochemical Cycles in the Weddell Sea, Dr. André Padua
Antarctica 17.05 ST – 62: Spatiotemporal Variation and the Invasibility of Mesofaunal Communities Associated with
Ms. Luisa Federwisch Tedania iginis.
12.35 OS -61: Effects of copper on early development of the freshwater sponge Radiospongilla inesi Ms. Kate Hill
Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro 17.10 ST – 63: Getting started with the whole genome sequencing project of the demosponge Geodia bar-
12.50 OS- 62: Sub-lethal stress responses of sponges to dredging pressures retti
Mr. Brian Strehlow Ms. Karin Steffen
13.05 Lunch 17.15 ST – 64: The Mechanism underlying carbonate dissolution by excavating sponges: pH reduction and
Session 14: Organismal Biology cell differentiation
Chair: Dr Christine Schönberg Ms. Alice Webb
14.00 KN -10: Keynote Speaker, Prof. Peter Schupp 17.20 ST – 65: Infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome results in biochemical and bacterial commu-
Rising of the Porifera: Are sponges becoming the dominant sessile benthic organisms in cer- nity changes to the holobiont
tain habitats? Dr. Julie Olson
14.25 OS -63: Multispecies competitive interactions among coral, sponges and macroalgae in St. Thomas,
U.S. Virgin Islands 19.30 Conference Dinner in the Meyrick Hotel with Live Entertainment
Ms. Lauren Olinger
14.40 OS – 64: Specificity of predator defenses of tropical marine sponges Friday, June 30, 2017
Dr. Janie Wulff Session 16: Ecology 5: Ecosystems and Environment
14.55 OS – 65: Sponges produces a chemical seascape acting on benthic ecosystem functioning Chair: Dr Shirley Pomponi
Dr. Thierry Perez 09.30 KN – 11: Keynote Speaker, Dr. Manuel Maldonado
15.10 OS – 66: Using 3D photogrammetry to model sponge morphological plasticity The marine silicon cycle in the light of sponge silica: a global review
Dr. Amy Scott-Murray 09.55 OS – 69: Silica-induced fibrosis: an ancient response from the early metazoan
15.25 OS- 67: Diversity in Epibenthic Megafauna Associated with a Unique Vase Glass Sponge Ground Prof. Marco Giovine
in the Emerald Basin 10.10 OS -70: Silicon consumption kinetics in demosponges
Mr. Nicholas Hawkes Ms. Maria Lopez-Acosta
38 39
10th World Sponge Conference Plenary Session
10.25 ST- 66: Effects of dredging on benthic filter feeding Plenary Session
Dr. Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab
10.30 ST- 67: Spatiotemporal variations in stable isotope signatures (delta13C and delta15N) of sponges Sensation and the energetics of sponge filter feeding
on the Saba Bank, Caribbean Sea
Sally P. Leys1
Dr Fleur van Duyl
1
10.35 ST- 68: What Dictates Sponge Distribution Patterns?: Use Of Freshwater Sponges To Assess Species Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9 sleys@ualberta.ca
Requirements Sponges are one of the earliest evolving animal lineages. They lack nerves yet have at least two well-docu-
Dr. Karen Evans mented sensory cells: ciliary photoreceptors for phototaxis in larvae, and primary cilia in the osculum that may
10.40 ST- 69: Evaluating The Influence Of Abiotic Factors On The Recruitment Rate Of Calcareous trigger contractions to expel unwanted debris. In other animals, primary cilia also detect subtle changes in the
Sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) In Salvador, Bahia State, Tropical Brazilian Coast. environment such as pH, temperature, chemicals and fluid motion. We have been studying the evolution of
Prof. Fernanda Cavalcanti sensory systems using sponges as a model and wondered whether sensory cilia might function in a similar way
10.45 ST – 70: Deep-sea sponges under stress: from nutrient sources to nutrient sinks? in sponges. Sponges are thought to take advantage of passive flow to enhance their feeding, yet given their
Dr. Christine Rooks sensory systems, is this really passive? Could sensory cilia allow a sponge to detect and respond to changes
in its fluid environment?
10.50 ST- 71: A Trophic Niche Separation May Explain the Tight Coexistence of High (HMA) and Low
(LMA) Microbial-Abundance Sponges Using flow and oxygen sensors we have studied metabolism and energetics of shallow water demosponges
Dr. Teresa Morganti in temperate and tropical waters, and in glass sponges at 200m-deep sponge reefs on the continental shelf
11.00 Coffee Break of the Pacific coast of Canada. We also used morphology to model the resistance across the filter in each of
Session 17: Sponge Conferences past, present, future these sponges’ aquiferous systems. Our results show radical adaptations to habitats and highlight the need for
Chair: Prof Grace McCormack sponges to sense their environment to optimize metabolism. Shallow warm-water species filter large volumes
11.20 OS- 71: Sponge science culture and demography of water at a high energetic cost; shallow cold-water species filter small volumes at a reduced cost; and glass
Dr. Christine Schönberg sponges filter large volumes to survive in food- poor deep water, but use ambient flow to enhance filtration at
reduced cost. In contrast, at least one species of deep-water demosponge with high microbial abundance does
not take advantage of ambient flow, suggesting a diminished reliance on particulate carbon in exchange for
11.45 Prizes
nutrition derived from dissolved carbon and symbionts.
11.50 Next Step If the filter feeding seen in modern sponges was a feeding mechanism used by the earliest evolving animals,
12.30 Official Conference Closing then reducing the cost of filtration would have been an effective driver of the evolution of sensory and signal-
ling systems, and would have given rise to a diversity of sensory responses. The range of sensory systems
14.00 Systematics Update & Discussion in sponges may have allowed them to respond and adapt to conditions in early oceans; these same sensory
14.45 Genomics Forum systems may also allow them to respond to the changes in our oceans that are already taking place, or are still
to come.
15.00 Hexactinellid Identification Workshop with Dr Henry Reiswig Financial support by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grants,
Venue: Lab, MRI NSERC Strategic Grants (CHONeI and CHONeII), Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Norwegian
Research Council, is gratefully acknowledged.
40 41
10th World Sponge Conference Evolution
Evolution Save the best for the last: mRNA editing and multiple linear chromosomes in
mitochondria of calcaronean sponges.
A Solution to the Conundrum of Non-Bilaterian Relationships? Dennis Lavrov1
Gert Wörheide1,2, Paul Simion3, Michael Eitel1, Michaël Manuel4, Hervé Philippe4, Davide Pisani6 1
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, USA. dlavrov@iastate.edu
1
Department of Earth- and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology and Geobiology & GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Uni- Animal mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is commonly described as a small, circular molecule that is conserved
versität München. woerheide@lmu.de in size, gene content, genome organization and high rate of sequence evolution. Studies in four major classes
2
SNSB – Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie of sponges challenged this view by revealing substantial mitochondrial diversity both among and within these
3
Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ paris 06, CNRS, Evolution Paris-Seine, Institut de Biologie Paris- Seine, Paris, France groups1. Our recent work on mitochondrial genomes from calcaronean sponges uncovered what is arguably
4
Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Evolution Paris-Seine UMR7138, Institut de Biologie, Paris-Seine, Case 05,
the most unusual mtDNA both in sponges and animals in general2. Not only do mt-genomes of calcaronean
7 quai St Bernard, 75005 Paris, France sponges consist of multiple small linear chromosomes, but all mt-coding sequences in this group are edited
5
Centre de Théorisation et de Modélisation de la Biodiversité, Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR CNRS 5321, at RNA level by multiple insertions of single or double uridylate (U) (See figure below). Here I will describe
Moulis 09200, France. the patterns and process of RNA editing in calcaronean mitochondria, its influence and interdependence with
6
School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK; 2 genome organization, and potential mechanisms involved.
Despite many years of intense effort, the deep phylogenetic relationships of the five major animal lineages References
Porifera, Placozoa, Ctenophora, Cnidaria, and Bilateria remain problematic and highly controversial. Recent 1. D. Lavrov and W. Pett, Genome Biol. Evol. 8 (2010) 2896-2913.
attempts to address this difficult phylogenetic question using large molecular datasets failed to find an agree- 2. D. Lavrov, M. Adamski, P. Chevaldonné, and M. Adamska, Curr. Biol. 26 (2016). 86-92.
ment especially on the position of ctenophores relative to the other metazoans. Instead of resolving the prob- Financial support by NSF and Iowa State University is gratefully acknowledged.
lems, these studies rather fuelled old debates initiated by morphologists long ago.
Here, the current status of non-bilaterian phylogenomics will briefly be reviewed and some of the most im- Think like a sponge: Examining neural-marker genes in context
portant controversial issues highlighted to show that some of the most recent large phylogenomic datasets,
Jasmine Mah1 & Sally P. Leys1
partially building on recently sequenced genomes, are still sensible to systematic error. Analyses of new da-
tasets will be presented that provide a large step towards a robust solution to the conundrum of non-bilaterian 1
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. jmah@ualberta.ca
relationships – those datasets all converge on the same solution to place especially Porifera in the tree of life. The assertion that Ctenophora is the most basal phylum1 strikes dissonance with the apparent simplicity of
sponges. Yet sponges harbour a surprising degree of genetic complexity2, including the presence of neural-
Sponges versus Ctenophora : The Evolution of Epithelial Proteins marker genes. Given that ctenophores possess a full nervous system, are neural-marker genes indicative of a
‘proto-nervous’ system, or nervous system loss in sponges? Bilaterian gene function is not necessarily con-
André Le Bivic1, Hassiba Belahbib2, Emmanuelle Renard3, Carole Borchiellini3 served in non-bilaterian animals; genetic and functional context is required to interpret this data. We per-
1
Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Aix-Marseille University, France formed a meta-analysis of in situ hybridization studies in sponges to examine all current gene expression data.
2
Information Génomique et Structurale, Aix-Marseille University, France It revealed that while sensory structures do express neural-marker genes, so do cell types with no known sen-
3 sory function. We also performed an RNA-seq experiment investigating the osculum, a sponge sensory organ.
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie, Aix-Marseille University, France. Carole.borchiellini@imbe.fr
Bilaterian epithelia were defined by the presence of three major features: cell polarity, cell-cell junctions, We asked whether a particular set of genes was associated with the osculum, and whether some of these were
presence of a basement membrane that are central to their key functions1 : the regulation of internal/external neural-marker genes. Oscular development was examined by comparing the pre-oscular and juvenile stages
exchanges and morphogenesis. The persistent neglect of the diversity across non-bilaterian animals prevented of Spongilla lacustris, while the osculum itself was investigated by comparing the oscular and body tissue of
objective comparisons and evolutionary interpretations on epithelial structure. Aphrocallistes vastus (Fig. 1). With few exceptions, neural-marker genes were not differentially expressed
during oscular development and in the osculum itself. However, a distinct cohort of genes was upregulated
Despite the absence of a basement membrane in all but one sponge class, Porifera possess bona fide functional
in the osculum and during its development, indicating that at the molecular level the osculum is a specialized
epithelia and most of the proteins involved in cell polarity and adhesion of bilaterians. It now remains to deci-
structure. This, together with a lack of evidence for neural function of neural-marker genes suggests neural-
pher whether these conserved proteins have conserved interactions and functions in sponges. To this purpose,
marker genes have cryptic, non-sensory functions in sponges.
proteins that compose and pattern adherens junctions were carefully identified and analyzed from private and
publicly available transcriptomic and genomic databases of the four classes of Porifera, two genera of Cte- References
nophora and Placozoa : classical cadherins (E- type) and catenins, Par3/Par6/aPKC and Crumbs apical polar- 1. J. Ryan et al. Science, 342(6164) (2013) DOI: 10.1126/science.1242592.
ity complexes themselves dependent on the Scribble lateral polarity complex. In sponges, we found contrasted 2. M. Srivastava et al. Nature, 466 (2010) 720-726.
results in accordance with contrasted epithelial features. In addition, we found a totally unexpected lack of Financial support from NSERC Discovery and PGM, Alberta Innovates and the Alberta Government is grate-
conservation of the epithelial toolkit in Ctenophores asking for a profound revision of our understanding of fully acknowledged.
Ctenophore biology. Ancestral state or very derived character? These findings will be discussed in the context
of the hot debate opposing sponge-first and ctenophore-first hypotheses.
References
1. Le Bivic, A. Evolution and cell physiology. 4. Why invent yet another protein complex to build junctions in epithelial cells?
(2013) Am J Physiol Cell Physiol. Dec 15; 305(12):C1193-201.
Financial support by “investissement d’avenir” French Government program, A*MIDEX project (n° ANR-11-
IDEX-0001-02) is gratefully acknowledged.
42 43
Tetractinellida is a hot-spot of Group I Introns: vertical gene transfer, secondary losses determined. The SHN type can be further divided into three subtypes (α, β, γ) and while all other demosponges
and implications for DNA barcoding (bearing spicules) analysed had more than two of these copies (i.e. Poecilosclerids, astrophorids and freshwa-
ter sponges) haplosclerids only possess silicatein β. We hypothesise that the simplicity of the skeleton in ma-
Astrid Schuster1, Jose V. Lopez2, Leontine E. Becking3, 4, Shirley A. Pomponi5, Michelle Kelly6, Gert rine haplosclerids maybe related to this genomic feature and differences in the skeletal architecture amongst
Wörheide1, 7, 8, Dirk Erpenbeck1, 8, Paco Cárdenas9 haplosclerid species may be due to differential expression of the various silicatein copies. To explore the
1. Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität München, impact of environment on skeletal architecture a comparison of the transcriptomes of branching vs encrusting
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. morphotypes from Haliclona simulans was carried out. Morphotypes found in habitats with different energy
a.schuster@lrz.uni-muenchen.de environments were found to possess different skeletal architectures. Comparative transcriptomics showed 19
2. Center of Excellence in Coral Reef Ecosystem Research, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA. differentially expressed genes between the morphotypes, however no differences in expression levels of any
3. Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University & Research Centre, P.O. Box 3700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands. silicatein genes were identified. Further investigations using RT-qPCR to compare expression patterns of the
4. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Marine Zoology Department, PO Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. silicatein genes within and between species are ongoing and some of this data will also be presented.
5. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft Pierce, FL 34946, USA.
6. National Centre for Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 109-
695, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand. Molecular Diversity of Demosponges in the Indo-Pacific
7. SNSB – Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany.
Dirk Erpenbeck 1, 2, Astrid Schuster1, Oliver Voigt1, Kathryn Hall3, Merrick Ekins3, Christine
8. GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany.
Schönberg4, Nicole J. de Voogd, 5, Michelle Kelly6, John N.A. Hooper3, 7, Cecile Debitus8, Gert
9. Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmacognosy, BioMedical Center, Uppsala University, Husargatan 3, 75123
Uppsala, Sweden.
Wörheide1, 2, 9
Introns constitute “selfish” and “mobile” genetic elements that intermit coding regions of genes. In eukaryotic 1 Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München,
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333
mitochondrial genomes they are divided into Group I and Group II introns according to their splicing mecha-
Munich, Germany erpenbeck@lmu.de
nisms and secondary structures. In metazoans they have so far only been detected in sponges, cnidarians,
2 GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany
placozoans and one annelid species. Within demosponges, Group I and Group II introns are present in six
3 Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
families. Based on their different insertion sites within the cox1 gene and their secondary structure, four types
4 School of Earth and Environment and Oceans Institute The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
of Group I and two types of Group II introns are known, which harbour homing endonuclease genes (HEG) of
5 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, the Netherlands
the LAGLIDADG family (Group I) and/or reverse transcriptase (Group II). 6 National Centre for Coasts and Oceans, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 99940, Newmarket,
In the current study we analysed the largest dataset to date on sponge mitochondrial introns (95 taxa), en- Auckland, 1149, New Zealand
compassing 11 different sponge genera. We provide strong evidence that one LAGLIDADG encoding gene 7 Eskitis Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
was vertically transmitted within the subtropical-tropical genus Cinachyrella (family Tetillidae) for which we 8 LEMAR, IUEM Technopôle Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
analysed 73 samples comprising 13 species. Additionally, the extent of independent horizontal gene transfer 9 SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333 Munich, Germany.
between different demosponge groups was studied. Furthermore, we detected for the first time up to two in- The Indo-Pacific is the world’s largest marine biogeographic region, covering tropical and subtropical waters
trons in the family Scleritodermidae. Finally, our study highlights the potential biases and consequences of from the Red Sea to Easter Island. It is characterized by taxon specific and different degrees of biogeographic
using standard cox1 barcoding primers in demosponge systematics and DNA barcoding. connectivity, in particular, in its marine realm. The Indo-Pacific also harbours the majority of demosponge spe-
cies currently known to science. Comparisons between several regional sponge faunas have been undertaken
in the past - most based on morphological features of individual putative sponge species. The Sponge Barcod-
Evolution and Development of the Skeleton in Selective Marine Haplosclerids ing Project (www.spongebarcoding.org), in tandem with other regional molecular taxonomy campaigns, has
Jose Maria Aguilar-Camacho1, Liam Morrison2 & Grace P. McCormack1 now provided one of the largest molecular data sets from the Indo-Pacific that includes several independent
1
Zoology, School of Natural Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Rd., Galway, Ireland
molecular markers, such as mitochondrial gene sequences as well as nuclear rDNA. This data, acquired from
2
analyses of sponges, for example, from the Red Sea, Mayotte, Mauritius, Indonesia, Thailand, Western Aus-
Earth and Ocean Sciences and Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, University Rd., Galway, Ireland
tralia, Queensland and Polynesian Islands now provides a platform to investigate fundamental but as yet un-
Marine haplosclerids are one of the most diverse groups of sponges in terms of habitat exploited and numbers answered questions on the distribution, evolution, dispersal and ecology of demosponges in the Indo-Pacific.
of species. All haplosclerids share a simple skeleton comprised only of oxeas or strongyles as megascleres. The For example, the use of molecular tools has thus far rejected the presence of cosmopolitan or otherwise very
arrangement of the spicules in the skeleton has been used as a diagnostic feature for species identification but widespread sponge species based on few case studies. This is consistent with the hypotheses of a higher level
there is incongruence between morphological classification and molecular phylogeny based on mitochondrial of endemism among marine invertebrates than previously thought. Reasons for this might be, for example,
and nuclear markers. Greater understanding of the evolution vs environmental influence on the skeleton using the short life-span of the sponge larvae or adaptations to special ecological niches. Therefore, we analyze with
an integrated approach will inform systematics in this difficult group. In addition to employing morphologi- the most comprehensive data set on Indo-Pacific demosponges whether we can generally assume a high level
cal, ultrastructural and ecological approaches transcriptomes from specimens of three species dispersed across of endemism throughout this area and provide the fundament for subsequent in-depth regional assessments of
three major clades (A) Haliclona oculata, B) H. simulans and C) H indistincta) were sequenced, assembled demosponge biodiversity.
and analysed. Silicateins and cathepsins-L were identified from this data and from all other available sponge
transcriptomes and genomes. We identified cathepsins L in all the four major classes within Porifera but silica-
teins were only found in demosponges. A novel scenario in the evolution of the silicateins in sponges will be
presented. We recognize silicatein types based on the aminoacid composition of the active site, 1) SHN, 2)C/
SQN and 3)CHN. All demosponges have at least one copy of the first type (SHN). The second type (C/SQN)
is only present in haplosclerids. The third type (CHN) was not found in all transcriptomes analysed. This latter
type was found in all haplosclerids and some other demosponges but no obvious phylogenetic pattern could be
44 45
Foliose fans of the sea: the Phyllospongiinae be represented in the random sampling.
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab1, Jane Fromont2, Oliver Gomez2, Nikos Andreakis1 & Nerida Wilson2, Hexactinellids are strongly dominant over lithistids in the Chiampo fauna. Additional evidence supports a
3 middle to outer carbonate ramp depositional environment of the assemblage: (1) the most common taxa dwell
1 in rather deep water today. Examples are Laocoetis, Hexactinella and lyssacinosids; (2) the absence of shallow
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, The University of Western Australia (MO96) 35
Stirling Hwy, Crawley WA 6009, m.abdulwahab@aims.gov.au water “ceractinomorphs” (sensu Buckeridge et al. 2013) non-lithistid demosponges; and (3) sedimentological
2
Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Western Australia, Aus- evidence and composition of the associated fauna (e.g. planktonic foraminifera and pteropods).
tralia The presence of sponge clusters, delicate encrusting bases, and various ontogenetic stages provides evidence
3
Molecular Systematics Unit, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Western Australia, Australia that the Chiampo fauna is autochthonous and was rapidly buried. The rank-abundance distribution suggests a
The Phyllospongiinae are unique within the Thorectidae in having foliose, lamellate, or digitate forms and, moderately complex community with a Zipf-Mandelbrot distribution, characterised by relatively long tail of
except in one genus, the possession of tertiary fibres. Five genera are recognised within the subfamily, and are rare species.
distinguished by the presence or absence of surface armour, fasciculation of primary fibres, type of patterning
References
around the oscules, and details of the tertiary skeleton. Abdul Wahab et al. (2014) using ITS2 and morphologi-
1. V. Frisone, A. Pisera, N. Preto, J. Syst. Palaeontol. 14 (2016) 949-1002
cal characteristics of tropical Australian specimens, found good support for eight clades, some of which rep-
2. J.S. Buckeridge, M. Kelly, D. Janussen, H.M. Reiswig, New Zeal. J. Geol. Geop. 56 (2013) 171-185
resented well known species such as Phyllospongia lamellosa, P. papyracea, Carteriospongia foliascens, C.
flabellifera and Strepsichordaia lendenfeldi. However, they also found discrepancies in generic assignments
of species of Phyllospongia and Carteriospongia. Our study aims to resolve these discrepancies by utilis- The Chondrilla species complex along N-S gradient in the tropical Western Atlantic: an
ing additional specimens and three gene regions of 28S (D1-D2, D3-D5, D6-D8) and whole 18S ribosomal integrative approach
subunits, as well as the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 region and ATP Synthase 8, and by further examining Carla Zilberberg1, C. Lazoski2, Alexander V. Ereskovsky3, Marinella S. Laport4, Cristiane Hardoim4, 5,
morphological features. The inclusion of additional phyllospongiinid species within the genera Candidaspon- Michelle Klautau6, Antonio M. Solé-Cava7 & Nicole Boury-Esnault3
gia and Lendenfeldia, and a genus from the sister subfamily Thorectinae (Cacospongia spp.) further explores 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Biodiversidade de Cnidaria, Rio de Janeiro,
phylogenetic and morphological associations for the Thorectidae. Brazil
References 2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Genética, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1. Abdul Wahab et al. (2014) Combining morphometrics with molecular taxonomy: How different are similar foliose keratose 3
Mediterranean Institute of Marine and Terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Marseille,
sponges from the Australian tropics? Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 73: 23–29. France
This work was funded by the Gorgon Project’s Barrow Island Net Conservation Benefits Fund, which is ad-
4
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Laboratório de Bacteriologia Molecular e
Marinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
ministered by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, and the Western Australian Museum, Western Australia, 5
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Australia. 6
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Biologia de Porifera, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
7
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Genética, Laboratório de Biodiversidade Molecular, Rio de Janeiro,
Diversity analysis of a fossil sponge fauna (Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) from Brazil
Italy (Eocene, Lessini Mts) The biodiversity of Chondrilla species along a N-S gradient in the Tropical Western Atlantic was studied,
including the Eastern Caribbean, Florida, Belize, Bahamas and several localities along the Brazilian coast.
Viviana Frisone 1, Andrzej Pisera 2, Nereo Preto 3 & Wolfgang Kiessling 4
Specimens from the type locality of Chondrilla nucula (the Mediterranean Sea) were included in the phylo-
1
Museo di Archeologia e Scienze Naturali ‘G. Zannato’, Montecchio Maggiore, Italy museo.scienze@comune.montecchio-mag- genetic analyses and C. australiensis was added as an outgroup. The molecular markers used were the Folmer
giore.vi.it region of the COI mtDNA, the spacer between COII and ATP6 mtDNA, and the region encompassing the
2
Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Science, Warsawa, Poland ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 rDNA. The COI mtDNA had the best resolution in the phylogenetic analyses, so this re-
3
Università degli Studi di Padova, Dipartimento di Geoscienze, Padova, Italy gion was chosen for the haplotype network analysis. A cytological study was also done to compare the sponge
4
GeoZentrum Nordbayern, Universität Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany cells and symbiotic microorganisms of Mediterranean C. nucula with those from the Eastern Caribbean and
The bodily preserved sponge fauna from the middle Eocene (ca. 48 Ma) of Chiampo Brazilian coast. The phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses demonstrated that in the Tropical Western
Atlantic there are four species of Chondrilla, which are genetically different from C. nucula. The cytologi-
Valley in north-eastern Italy shows a high diversity, with 32 species. cal results showed that cells with inclusions are particularly abundant and the morphology of the spherulous
A systematic study by Frisone et al. (2016) identified fifteen hexactinellid species (47% of the total), among cells is typical of the genus Chondrilla. Granular cells of different types allowed discrimination between the
which one (3%) belongs to the order Lyssacinosida, seven to Hexactinosida (22%) and seven to Lychniscosida Mediterranean and the Tropical Western Atlantic species. At least three symbiotic morphotypes were found
(22%). Seventeen species belong to the class Demospongiae (53%), of which 15 are lithistids (47%) and two in Chondrilla species: coccoid cyanobacteria, Gram-positive and Gram-negative rod shape cells. This study
(Astrosclera sp. and Vaceletia progenitor Pickett, 1982) are non-lithistids (6%). The percentage values above highlights the importance of integrative approaches to identify and describe sponge species, particularly those
are based on museum material and selective sampling for well-preserved sponges and are thus unlikely to re- with one to few spicule types.
flect true abundance patterns. To explore the rank-abundance distribution of the sponge fauna more rigorously,
we performed repeated bulk sampling at the original collection site. We gathered 362 specimens that could be
assigned to 23 taxonomic entities, usually species. Of the sampled individuals, 92% belong to Hexactinellida,
while only 8% belong to Demospongiae. At the ordinal level, 68.1% of the specimens belong to Hexactinosi-
da, 19.6% to Lychniscosida, 4.3% to Lyssacinosida, and 7.9% are lithistids. These numbers differ substantially
from the museum-based material, which suggests that quantitative information from museum material should
be treated with care. For example, non- lithistid sponges were probably not found because they are too rare to
46 47
10th World Sponge Conference Systematics
Biodiversity and biogeography of Tropical Western Atlantic Calcarea (Porifera) Systematics
Fernanda Azevedo 1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, André Padua1, Taynara Louzada1, Tayara Fontana1,
Raisa Rizzieri1, Pedro Leocorny1, Eduardo Hajdu2, Thierry Pérez3 & Michelle Klautau1 The Evolution of Sponge Systematics from Aristotle (4th BC) to the 10th World Sponge
1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373. CEP Conference in Galway (21stAC).
21941-902. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. nandaporifera@gmail.com, mklautau@gmail.com
Nicole Boury-Esnault
2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
3
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ., Sta- IMBE, CNRS, Aix Marseille University, Station Marine d’Endoume, 13007 Marseille, France.
tion Marine d’Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille. E-mail : nicole.boury-esnault@orange.fr
According to the Census of Marine Life, the Caribbean and the South America marine shelves are two of the Aristotle studied sponges in Lesbos Island (Eastern Mediterranean) where there was an important community
most threatened regions of the world, submitted to various local anthropogenic pressures and to the Global of sponge fishermen. In his “History of Animals” he was able to distinguish 5 species of dictyoceratid sponges.
Change (1, 2). Allied to this, taxonomic knowledge is insufficient for many marine taxa, sponges notorious He made observations on live sponges, noting the presence of pores and water flow, their ability to regenerate,
among these. This context justifies biological inventories in order to feed programs for the preservation of differences in consistency, habitat and depth (Voultsiadou, 2007). Several centuries later Linnaeus (18th AC)
marine natural resources and ecosystem services in this area. The International Associated Laboratory (LIA- named 9 marine and 2 freshwater sponges that he placed in Cryptogamia, as he considered sponges a group of
MARRIO) was implemented in 2013 to fill in gaps of knowledge on the sponge diversity of the Tropical algae. For many years, depending on the author, sponges have been considered as animals or plants. However,
Western Atlantic (from Brazil to North of the Caribbean Sea). A huge collection was acquired along the Lesser most scientists observing sponges in life considered them as animals.
Antilles and the Brazilian Coast, resulting in more than 700 specimens of the class Calcarea which is the focus The first major step in the study of sponges came with the application of the light microscope which permit-
of the present study. Calcareous sponges are generally neglected in scientific field surveys; consequently, their ted a more detailed description of the skeleton. Donati (1750) was the first to describe and draw the skeleton
diversity is seriously underestimated worldwide. In the TWA, only 68 species were known. Therefore, the consisting of “minutissime spine” of a “Tetie sferica” in his “Storia naturale marina dell’Adriatico”. The word
goals of this study were to determine richness, distributional, and endemism patterns of calcareous sponges, “spicula” appeared for the first time in the work of Ellis & Solander (1786). They noted that “the texture of
by means of an integrative taxonomic approach (morphology and rDNA) to identify species. them (e.g; sponges) is very different in different species” and they linked these differences to the organisation
Preliminary results increased the number of Calcarea in the Caribbean from 24 to 42, and in the Brazilian of the skeleton. However, it was Grant (1826, 1833) who emphasised the “various and remarkable form of the
Coast from 52 to 70 species. Both areas share 18 species, of which 15 are calcineans belonging to Arthuria, skeleton”. He demonstrated that the skeleton can be siliceous, calcareous or composed of a horny substance.
Ascandra, Borojevia, Clathrina, Ernstia, Leucaltis, Leucetta, and Nicola genera, and 3 are calcaroneans of He described the different types of spicules, and saw that “each form is indicative of a particular species”.
the Leucandra, Leucilla, and Sycon genera. Overall, the TWA Calcarea fauna increased from 68 to 98 species. These observations were the basis of the classification of sponges, and it is still one of the most important
The Caribbean Province exhibits a higher provisional endemism of 59%. The Tropical Southwestern Atlantic characters used in sponge taxonomy.
and the Warm Temperate Southwestern Atlantic exhibited respectively 47% and 36% of endemism, as well Bowerbank (1858) proposed a very precise protocol for the description of sponge species. In addition to the
as a variety of discontinuous patterns with unexpectedly wide distributions. Indeed, species belonging to nature of the sponge skeleton and the position of skeletal elements in the body of the sponge, he also described
calcinean (Arthuria, Ascaltis, Ascandra, Clathrina, Ernstia) and calcaronean genera (Leucilla, Paraleucilla, the cells, the inhalant and exhalant orifices, the aquiferous system, the movement of the cilia, the reproduction
Sycettusa, Vosmaeropsis) also occur in Eastern South America, Eastern Atlantic, Northeastern Atlantic, Arctic, and the presence of gemmules. He also attempted to define the variety of different spicules. The necessity to
Mediterranean Sea, Western Indian Ocean and Australia. Four major patterns of endemism were recovered in have a common language for sponge descriptions was a constant preoccupation for all sponge scientists and
the TWA, and a total of 30 new species are still awaiting completion of their detailed integrative descriptions. many followed Bowerbank, giving accurate descriptions of the skeleton, aquiferous system and anatomy. The
References plates illustrating the works of e.g; Schulze, Sollas, Ridley & Dendy, Haeckel and Topsent are a testimony
1. M.J. Costello, M. Coll, R. Danovaro, P. Halpin, H. Ojaveer, P. Miloslavich, PLoS ONE, 5(8) (2010):e12110. doi:10.1371/jour- to these accurate descriptions. However the classification was mainly based on the skeleton and the tentative
nal.pone.0012110. use of cytological or reproductive characters were mostly ignored or rejected. A good example of this was
2. P. Miloslavich, J.M. Díaz, E. Klein, J.J. Alvarado, C. Díaz, J. Gobin, E. Escobar-Briones, J.J. Cruz- the hypothesis of Minchin & Bidder (1898) which used cytological and embryological characters to classify
3. Motta, E. Weil, J. Cortés, A.C. Bastidas, R. Robertson, F. Zapata, A. Martín, J. Castillo, A. Kazandjian, M. Ortiz, PLoS ONE, Calcarea, It took more than a century for this hypothesis to gain acceptance!
5(8) (2010): e11916. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011916.
During the second half of the 20th century the development of transmission and scanning electron microscopy
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq, FAPERJ, CNRS, LIA MARRIO and Fundação Grupo Boticário.
permitted a better knowledge of the anatomical and cytological diversity of sponges. However as emphasised
by Lévi (1956) “taxonomists have ignored embryology and cytology, and embryologists and cytologists have
completely neglected taxonomy.” Although some progress has been made and more taxonomists take into ac-
count cytology and embryology, these characters are not “universally” adopted except for sponges without
skeletons!!
An important evolution in sponge taxonomy was the introduction of cladistics by Rob Van Soest (1984-1990).
Although cladistics is nowadays accepted and applied in most recent works, spongologists are still faced with
a huge problem, i.e., the absence of knowledgeabout the homology and ancestral state of skeletal characters.
After a slow start of molecular phylogeny at the end of 20th century, improvements in DNA sequencing com-
bined with better phylogenetic methods enabled huge developments in molecular systematics at the beginning
of the 21st century. Whilst some of this work was based solely on molecular markers, some used a more inte-
grative approach. As Jenner (2004) underlined “no single data set, molecular or morphological, can reason-
ably be expected to be the Holy Grail of phylogenetics.” The recent progress in sponge systematics is clearly
the result of an integrative approach.
48 49
The importance of cytology towards integrative taxonomy of sponges 5. Schmidt, O. 1880. Die Spongien des Meerbusen von Mexico. II Heft. (G. Fischer: Jena).
6. Soest, R.W.M. Van, Stentoft, N. 1988. Barbados deep-water sponges. Studies on the Fauna of Curaçao and other Caribbean
Alexander Ereskovsky1, 2 & Philippe Willenz3, 4 Islands 70: 1-175.
1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Mar- 7. Van Soest, R.W.M., Boury-Esnault, N., Vacelet, J.; Dohrmann, M., Erpenbeck, D., de Voogd, N.J., Santodomingo, N., Vanhoo-
seille, France rne, B., Kelly, M., Hooper, J.N.A. 2012. Global diversity of sponges (Porifera). PLoS ONE, 7, e35105.
2
Saint-Petersburg State University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Embryology, Saint-Petersburg, Russia Financial support by the Polish National Science Center Grant 2016/21/B/ST10/02332, to A. Pisera
3
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Bruxelles, Belgium
4
Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Bruxelles, Belgium Variation between Giant Barrel Sponges Around the Globe
Traditional sponge taxonomy was initially based on the comparative morphology of spicules and their orga- Thomas Swierts1, Daniel F. Cleary2, Katja T.C.A. Peijnenburg1 & Nicole J. de Voogd1
nization in a framework, or the shape of a fibrous network when present. With the development of molecular
1
methods, population genetics, embryology data or phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis, a new concept Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands Thomas.Swierts@naturalis.nl
of “integrative taxonomy” has emerged in the last decade. However, other characters as cytology, associated 2
CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
microbionts or embryonic development are still considered as marginal in sponge taxonomy. Although ultra- Three giant barrel sponge species have been described so far, with species delineations mainly based on geo-
structural features recently appeared more and more necessary for species differentiation in groups lacking graphical distributions. Xestospongia muta occurs in the Tropical Atlantic, Xestospongia testudinaria in the
spicules like some Homoscleromorpha or some Verongimorpha, their use is still neglected for “spiculate taxa”. Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to Taiwan and Xestospongia bergquistia is thought to be confined to inshore
Some cells are present in all species but have no distinctive characters like pinacocytes, archaeocytes or environments in Northern Australia where it lives in sympatry with X. testudinaria. It is virtually impossible
lophocytes. If choanocytes bear distinctive features, in particular the position of the nucleus or the presence to assign a specimen to especially X. muta or X. testudinaria without knowledge of its origin. This gives rise
of periflagellar sleeves, different mesohylar cells with inclusions appear prominently promising in sponge to the question whether genetic and morphological differences between the two species are yet to be exposed,
taxonomy by their presence vs absence, or their particular morphology: spherulous, granular, globular, vacu- or if the current species delineations do not represent the genetic and morphological variation between giant
olar cells, etc. We show the importance to compare all stages of cell ontogenesis (ex: pocket cells in Halisarca barrel sponges around the globe. Here we present the results of multiple studies seeking to map the variation
or spherulous cells in Chondrilla) and we bring forward the taxonomical value of cytology from the level of between giant barrel sponges around the globe using different approaches, including phylogenetics, taxonomy
order to genus and even species. and microbial biology. Our efforts revealed multiple genetically isolated lineages which were sometimes con-
fined to certain water bodies or which had a preference for certain habitats. Furthermore, we found that speci-
mens of both X. muta and X. testudinaria can be genetically more closely related to a giant barrel sponge in
Diversity of Deep-Water Lithistids of the Tropical Western Atlantic: Are They Really another ocean basin, than to a sympatric congener on the same reef. Some of the genetically isolated lineages
Isolated Survivors? also showed distinct morphological features as spicule size and organization of the ectosome and choanosome.
Andrzej Pisera Together these genetic and morphological differences make a strong case for the existence of additional spe-
cies resulting from an intricate evolutionary history.
Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland apis@twarda.pan.pl
Lithistid sponges, a polyphyletic group of demosponges characterized by choanosomal articulated desma
skeleton, are among the most common and diversified sponges in the fossil record. They are believed to be of Homoscleromorpha diversity revised through an Integrative Systematics
low diversity today, sometimes treated as “isolated survivors of a much larger fossil sponge fauna” (Van Soest César Ruiz1, Thierry Pérez1
et al. 2012). However, recent studies (Pisera and Fromont 2010, Pisera unpublished) suggest that this picture 1
Institut Méditerranéen de biodiversité et d’Ecologie Marine et Continental (IMBE), UMR CNRS 7263, IRD 237, Aix-Marseille
may be wrong. The present study is based on new material from the several widely distributed localities in Université, Avignon Université, Station Marine d’Endoume, Marseille, France. cesar.ruiz@imbe.fr
the tropical Western Atlantic (including Bermuda). Earlier Schmidt (1870, 1879, 1880) reported about 24 spe-
Homoscleromorpha taxonomy is one of the most challenging among Porifera. Recently elevated to the rank
cies from the same region, while Van Soest and Stentoft (1988) observed 14 species solely from Barbados.
of Class, this group, made of one Order and two families, has seen a high rate of new descriptions over the
The study revealed 48 lithistid species (among them 26 new) belonging to 20 genera (including one new).
last two decades. The development of an integrative taxonomic approach and the exploration of remote ma-
Lithistids are dominated by Theonellidae (both in terms of diversity and number of specimens, represented by
rine ecosystems have revealed an hidden diversity, highlighting the importance of complementary datasets
3 genera and 16-17 species), the next in diversity being Scleritodermidae (4 genera and 6 species), Neopelti-
such as morphology, cytology, chemistry and genetics to clarify erroneous identifications, cases of alleged
dae (3 genera, 7 species), Corallistidae, (2 genera, 6 species). Other less common are Azoricidae (2 species),
cosmopolitanism and unresolved species-complexes. Using this integrative approach, we have studied the
Siphonididae (2 genera, 3 species), Macandrewiidae (3 species) Vetulinidae (2 species). Families Pleromidae
Homoscleromorpha dwelling in submarine caves. Every new exploration has allowed to discover new species.
and Desmanthidae has one species each. This diversity, incidentally similar to that known from other oceans,
The analysis of worldwide fauna provides new insights into Homoscleromorpha classification, challenging the
for example off Western Australia in the Indian Ocean (Pisera and Fromont 2010) or the SW Pacific in the
present systematics and calling the revision of several non-monophyletic groups.
New Caledonia region (Pisera unpublished), is also comparable to the diversity of Mesozoic lithistids reported
from Europe (Pisera 1999). It clearly shows that lithistid demosponges are today not isolated survivors, but This work takes place in the framework of the LIA MARRIO, and was funded by the CNRS, the Total Founda-
simply understudied group. tion and Colciencias-Colfuturo.
References
1. Pisera, A. 1999. Postpaleozoic history of the siliceous sponges with rigid skeleton. Memoires of the Queensland Museum 44: Current outlook on carnivorous sponge diversity and systematics
463-472.
Jon Thomassen Hestetun1, Hans Tore Rapp1
2. Pisera, A., Fromont, J. 2010. The lithistid fauna of Western Australia: general characteristics and distribution. In: Ancient
animals new challenges. VIII World Sponge Conference 2010. Book of Abstracts, p. 296. 1
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53A/B, N-5020
3. Schmidt, O. 1870. Grundzüge einer Spongien Fauna des atlantischen Gebietes. (Engelman: Leipzig). Bergen, Norway. Jon.hestetun@uib.no
4. Schmidt, O. 1879. Die Spongien des Meerbusen von Mexico. I Abt. Lithistiden. I Heft. (G. Fischer: Jena). Carnivorous sponges constituting Cladorhizidae (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) have the ability to capture
50 51
small invertebrates, representing a unique life strategy within the sponges. Prey items such as small crusta- the second largest genus of Ancorinidae, to date the only available DNA sequence is 18S rRNA data from J.
ceans get entangled by filaments or other structures, and are subsequently enveloped by the sponge. Cladorhi- novaezealandiae. In addition to obtaining sequence data from the type species, the present study has generated
zids are more prevalent at greater depths, and carnivory is generally regarded as an evolutionary adaptation to 18S and 28S rRNA sequences from a further 5 species of Jaspis.
oligotrophic deep-sea conditions, where filter feeding is less viable1. Currently, Cladorhizidae contains nine
A total analysis tree using a combination of 18S and 28S rRNA sequence data shows strong support for some
genera with some 150 species2, a number that has increased significantly in the last twenty years.
Jaspis species clustering with J. novaezealandiae in Astrophorina (Tetractinellida); J. iacuitaster clustering
Carnivorous sponges are very diverse in microsclere chela morphology, making it difficult to establish a closely with Paratimea (Stelligeridae, Axinellida), and the type taxon, J. johnstonii clustering with Hemiast-
secure systematics based only on morphological characters. Here, we present some main findings from our erella bouilloni in a newly identified clade, separate to Astrophorina, Hemiasterellidae (Tethyida) and Stel-
recent molecular phylogeny of the carnivorous sponges. Results show that all known carnivorous sponges ligeridae. Chemical screening shows H. bouilloni contains bengamides and bengazoles that are the same as
constitute a monophyletic clade containing no known non-carnivorous sponges, strengthening the hypothesis those previously described from a species of Jaspis from Fiji. Our analysis of CO1 barcoding fragments shows
that carnivory evolved only once within known sponges3. newly obtained sequences from H. bouilloni and J. splendens clustering with Hemiasterella sp. 2 (GenBank
Cladorhizid collection records are scattered, and many areas worldwide remain virtually unexplored. Still, AY561977) and Hemiasterellidae (Sponge Barcoding Database Hemiasterellidae sequence SBD 532).
recent discoveries have added to the available information for the group, and in light of several investigations In this study we present morphological and molecular to support the transfer of J. iacuitaster to Paratimea,
into regional cladorhizid faunas4, 5, 6, we draw some general conclusions on current knowledge in terms of morphological, molecular and chemical data for the reassignment of Hemiasterella bouilloni to Jaspis and
distribution patterns and diversity, as well as indicating possible directions for further research. morphological and molecular data for the erection of a new order Jaspida ord. nov. The present study high-
References lights the insights that can be gained by taking a more integrative approach to sponge systematics and incor-
1. Vacelet, J. (2007). Diversity and evolution of deep-sea carnivorous sponges. Porifera research: biodiversity, innovation and porating morphological, molecular and chemical datasets.
sustainability. Série Livros, 28, 107-115.
2. van Soest R.W.M., Boury-Esnault N., Hooper J.N.A., Rützler K., de Voogd N.J., Alvarez B.d.G., Hajdu E., Pisera A.B., Man-
coni R., Schoenberg C., Janussen D., Tabachnick K.R., Klautau M., Picton B., Kelly M., Vacelet J., Dohrmann M., Cristina
Are we there yet? Novel families and genera revealed within Verongimorpha while
Díaz M. and Cárdenas P. (2016) World Porifera Database. Accessed 2017-02-20. expanding geographic and habitats explorations.
3. Hestetun J.T., Vacelet J., Boury-Esnault N., Borchiellini C., Kelly M., Ríos P., Cristobo F.J. and Rapp H.T. (2016) The system- M. Cristina Díaz1, 2, Pierre Chevaldonné3, Maude Dubois3, Marie Grenier3, César Ruiz3, Alexander
atics of carnivorous sponges. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 94, 327-345. DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.08.022
Ereskovsky3, Jean Vacelet3, Nicole Boury-Esnault3 & Thierry Pérez3
4. Hestetun J.T., Pomponi S. and Rapp H.T. (2016) The cladorhizid fauna of the Caribbean and adjacent areas. Zootaxa, 4175(6),
1
521-538. DOI:10.11646/zootaxa.4175.6.2 HBOI-Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US1, Fort Pierce, Fl 34946, U.S.A. 2 NSU, Guy Harvey Oceanographic Cente, Dania
5. Hestetun J.T., Rapp H.T. and Xavier J. (2016) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from the Southwest Indian Beach, FL, USA. 3 Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD,
Ocean Ridge seamounts. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 1-24. DOI:10.1016/j.dsr2.2016.03.004 Avignon Univ. Station Marine d’Endoume, chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
6. Hestetun J.T., Tompkins-MacDonald G. and Rapp H.T. (in press) A review of carnivorous sponges (Porifera: Cladorhizidae) Verongimorpha includes taxa of heterogeneous morphologies, as they may possess fibers (containing chitin
from the boreal North Atlantic and Arctic. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. and/or spongin), spicules only, or no macro-skeleton at all. Current phylogenies depict three main orders
Financial support by the Norwegian Research Council, Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre and the within the subclass: Verongiida, Chondrosiida, and Chondrillida (see Morrow and Cardenas, 2015). Recent
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 679849, is studies seem to indicate that genetic data and the choanocyte chamber morphology (eurypylous vs diplodal)
gratefully acknowledged. seem to produce the most congruent phylogenies within this group.
In recent years, we have collected more than 200 specimens of Verongimorpha while exploring shallow tropi-
Nothing in sponge systematics makes sense - except in the light of DNA! cal habitats, mostly from caves and other cryptic habitats, of remote areas such as the Marquesas archipelago
Christine Morrow1, 2, 3, Jean Vacelet 4, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli 5, Ulisses Pinheiro 6, Kevin Calabro 2, (Western Central pacific) and 11 islands in the Lesser Antilles. The COI gene (Folmer fragment, 575 bp)
Olivier Thomas 2 & Grace P. McCormack 1. was amplified, sequenced, and aligned with the Verongimorpha datasets on genetic databases. Morphological
studies have been advanced on some of the taxa. The genetic affinities of taxa collected in these expeditions
1
Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland confirm certain concepts of Verongimorpha phylogeny, but also reveal novel clades (taxa). Some of the most
2
Marine Biodiscovery Laboratory, School of Chemistry, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
important results obtained so far are the monophyly of Verongiida and its families Aplysinidae, Ianthellidae,
3
Queen’s University Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry, Northern Ireland
and Pseudoceratinidae and the finding of basal novel clades within major Verongimorph groups: i.e. basal Ve-
4
Station Marine d’Endoume, Chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France
rongiida and basal Pseudoceratinidae. Among the novel genera and families uncovered, are: i) a novel clade,
5
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
sister to Aiolochroia, suggesting the need of a distinct genus, possibly within a new family of Verongiida; ii) a
6
Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Zoologia, Centro de Biociências, Av. Prof
Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Brasil
novel Ianthellidae clade, composed of a Hexadella-like species with a very distinct genetic identity; iii) a nov-
el taxon sister to Aplysina, from Marquesas Islands, reinforcing the unique genetic identity of Aplysina; and
Demospongiae is by far the largest group of sponges, representing approximately 80% of all known sponges.
iv) two novel clades within Chondrillida, suggesting a much greater diversity within this order, and the need to
Systema Porifera (2002) aimed to provide an updated classification for sponges based (almost entirely) on
search for other anatomical and biological synapomorphies within the group.The results here presented clearly
morphological characters. Since the early 1990’s a number of molecular studies on sponges suggested that
show that even within a well-known poriferan group, expanding geographic and habitats explorations show
several demosponge orders and families were not monophyletic, however it was only in 2015 that the demo-
that “We are not done yet” discovering new taxa, relationships, and understanding the congruence between
sponge classification was revised in light of molecular data. Although this revision proposed many radical
genetic identities and anatomical features.
changes to the classification it stressed that the discovery of new taxa and the sequencing of additional species
would likely lead to new phylogenetic hypotheses, which would require further changes to the classification. This work takes place in the framework of LIA MARRIO. Sampling cruises Pakaihi I Te Moana and Paco-
tilles were financially supported by the “Agence des Aires Marines Protégées (AAMP)” and the “UMS Flotte
The current study uses a combination of morphological, molecular and chemical data to investigate the taxo-
Océanographique française”, respectively. Post processing of the samples was achieved thanks to funding by
nomic affinities of Jaspis Gray, 1867 (Ancorinidae: Astrophorina). This is the first study to include molecular
CNRS, Aix Marseille University and the Total Foundation.
data from the type species of Jaspis, J. johnstonii (Schmidt, 1862). Although Jaspis (with 37 valid species) is
52 53
A proposal for the family level classification of Calcinea (Porifera, Calcarea) base of sequences for these regions. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis indicates broad agreement among the
mitochondrial and ribosomal gene trees, and further, that these trees are consistent with observed morphologi-
Oliver Voigt 1, Fernanda Azevedo 2, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján 2, Hans Tore Rapp 3, Gert Wörheide 1, 4 &
cal variation. Given that these four additional markers are quicker and easier to amplify compared to COI
Michelle Klautau 2
(50–70% success rate, compared to 25% for COI), and have a higher information content because they are
1
Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität Munich, Paleontology and Geobiology, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, more rapidly evolving, we advocate strongly for a multilocus approach to the “barcoding” of tetillid sponges.
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. oliver.voigt@lmu.de Although the study is still in infancy, already our data show that at least 10 MOTUs hide within the C. aus-
2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia. Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373. traliensis species complex.
CEP 21941-902. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
3
References
University of Bergen, Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research Thormøhlensgt. 53 A/B, Bergen,
1. C.P.J. Rua, C. Zilberberg, A. Solé-Cava, JMBA, 91 (5) (2011) 1015–1022.
Norway
4
GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 München, Germany.
Financial support by the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) is gratefully acknowledged.
Integrative approaches have more recently advanced the understanding of the taxonomy and phylogenetic
relationships of calcareous sponges of the subclass Calcinea. With the help of DNA phylogenetic analyses and Taxonomy of deep-sea sponges living on polymetallic nodule fields in the Clarion-
morphological re-interpretation of characters several genera were revised. It became obvious that several clas- Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ), East Pacific
sically recognized genera such as example Clathrina and Guancha comprised species that sometimes were not
Daniel Kersken1, 2, Dorte Janussen1 & Pedro Martínez Arbizu
particularly closely related to each other. As a result, several new genera were proposed, for example Arthuria
1
Klautau, Azevedo, Cóndor-Luján, Rapp, Collins & Russo, 2013, Borojevia Klautau, Azevedo, Cóndor-Luján, Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum (SGN), Department of Marine Zoology, Senckenberganlage 25, D-60325
Rapp, Collins & Russo, 2013, Brattegardia Klautau, Azevedo, Cóndor-Luján, Rapp, Collins & Russo, 2013 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Daniel.kersken@senckenberg.de
2
and Nicola Cóndor-Luján & Klautau, 2016. These revisions also led to the recognition of new synapomorphic Senckenberg am Meer, German Centre of Marine Biodiversity Research (DZMB), Am Südstrand 44, D-26382 Wilhelmshaven,
morphological characters for the genera. Consequently, however, uncertainties about the family-level taxon- Germany.
omy of Calcinea exist. We analysed two nuclear DNA markers, the internal transcribed spacer region and the Up-to-date knowledge on the deep-sea sponge fauna (Porifera) of the Clarion- Clipperton Fracture Zone
partial 28 ribosomal RNA gene from 18 genera of Calcinea. Based on the results of our phylogenetic analyses, (CCFZ) in the eastern Pacific is relatively scarce and needs to be extended, because the CCFZ is one of the
we propose a revised family-level taxonomy for the subclass. worldwide biggest potential deep-sea mining areas for industrial mining of polymetallic nodules. The frame-
work of this project is the Joint Programming Initiative Oceans (JPIO), which is focused on the ecological
aspects of deep-sea mining. The project-related research expedition SO239 EcoResponse by RV Sonne was
Cinachyrella australiensis (Carter, 1886) In The Indo- West Pacific: An Integrative focused on the study of benthic deep-sea communities living in polymetallic nodule field systems. During
Approach To Understanding A Complex Species Complex this expedition, 68 deep-sea sponges of 18 morphotypes and 35 species were collected in depths from 1700
Kathryn A. Hall1, Miranda E. Vidgen1 & John N.A. Hooper1 to 5000 m by deployment of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (Figure 1). Main objective of this project is the
1
establishment of a picture-based species catalogue of the deep-sea sponge fauna in the CCFZ. Further main
Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. kathryn.hall@qm.qld.gov.
au
objectives are DNA-Barcoding with four genetic markers (16S, 18S, 28S and COI) and software-based anno-
tation of video material from ROV transect dives. The presentation during this workshop includes preliminary
Species of Cinachyrella Wilson, 1925 (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Tetillidae), with their distinctive ball
results of the deep- sea sponge taxonomy with additional project-specific information, e.g. on species distribu-
shapes and complements of delicate triaenes protruding beyond their surfaces, are charismatic and conspicu-
tion within the CCFZ or potential occurrence of new deep-sea species.
ous components of benthic marine sponge fauna. Within the large collection of sponges at Queensland Mu-
seum, several hundred specimens are identified provisionally as Cinachyrella australiensis (Carter, 1886), Financial support by the German Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) is gratefully ac-
largely due to their yellow colouration and spherical habitus. Much of this material was collected by benthic knowledged.
trawls of locations spanning the entire length of the inter-reef seabed of the Great Barrier Reef and Torres
Strait. Additional material from subtropical and temperate eastern Australia, Papua New Guinea and other Calcarean sponge fauna of the eastern Mediterranean Sea
western Pacific and eastern Indian Ocean localities supplements the GBR collection. The physical forces as-
sociated with the collection method, and subsequent handling of large volumes of material from the trawls, Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Tayara Fontana2, Fernanda Azevedo2, Chryssanthi Antoniadou3, Eleni
caused many sponges to be broken and fragmented, making identification using light microscopy alone ex- Voultsiadou3 & Michelle Klautau2
tremely demanding. 1
Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece. vgero-
vas@hcmr.gr;
Given the inadequacy of light microscopy for resolving the identities of the specimens within this large and 2 Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de
problematic collection, it seemed the perfect candidate for an integrative taxonomy study, using DNA barcod-
Janeiro, Brazil.
ing and detailed electron microscopy. Examinations using SEM demonstrated variation in the morphology 3 Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
of the specimens, suggesting that we did not have a homogenous set of samples, despite their macroscopic
similarity. Although biological variation was evident, the partial COI mtDNA barcode sequences we obtained Sponge research in the eastern Mediterranean Sea has mainly focused on demosponges. Calcareans have been
were insufficient to resolve satisfactorily any species limits within the sample. Consequently, we adopted a scarcely studied in this area, especially when compared with the north-western Mediterranean basin and the
combined approach to the molecular examination, employing four additional markers: partial COII mtDNA, Adriatic Sea. Recent sponge sampling in various habitat types of the Aegean Sea (e.g. shallow rocky beds,
two mitochondrial intergenic spacers, and partial 28S rDNA. semi- and entirely submerged caves, artificial substrates), in the framework of different research projects,
yielded several specimens of calcareous sponges. The examination of this material revealed 11 taxa, of which
Our results to date support previous studies (1), which suggest that, for tetillid sponges at least, COII and the 6 species are new to science: Amphoriscus sp. nov., Sycantha sp. nov., Sycon sp. nov. and Vosmaeropsis sp.
intergenic spacers have faster rates of evolution than the COI barcoding region, and are useful for taxonomic nov. 1-3. Furthermore, a detailed overview of the relevant scientific literature was performed and an updated
studies. Given the very large collection housed at Queensland Museum, we are amassing a substantial data- checklist of the calcarean fauna of the eastern Mediterranean Sea was compiled. According to our results, the
54 55
new records included, the up-to-date calcarean fauna of the eastern Mediterranean consists of 32 species (40% Calcareous Sponges From Palau And The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
of the Mediterranean Calcarea) belonging to 16 genera, 13 families, and 4 orders. Calcaronea is the richest
Anita Mary George1, Merrick Ekins1, Sam McCormack2 & Michelle Klautau3
subclass, with 23 species, while Calcinea is represented with 9 species. The most diverse genus was Sycon (8).
1
Most species were recorded in the Levantine Basin (17), North Aegean (12), and South Aegean Sea (6). Our Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia anita.george@qm.qld.gov.au
review showed that most calcarean records from the eastern Mediterranean Sea were included in old publica- 2
University of Waikato, Tauranga, New Zealand
tions and that the calcarean species found to date exclusively in the eastern Mediterranean make up 25% of 3
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
its total calcarean fauna. This and the fact that recent research effort in the Aegean Sea yielded 6 new species Calcareous sponges are composed of calcium carbonate spicules that can be diactines, triactines, tetractines,
indicate that further research could increase our knowledge on the calcarean diversity of the Mediterranean. and/or polyactines. Their aquiferous system is very diverse, being asconoid, syconoid, syllebid, leuconoid or
solenoid. Currently there is a dearth of taxonomists and knowledge in calcarea taxonomy in Australia. As part
Three new and four poorly known species of Plakina (Porifera, Homoscleromorpha) of acquiring taxonomic knowledge and updating the calcareous sponge collections from Queensland Museum,
a set of 21 vouchered samples from Palau and the Great Barrier Reef were examined at the first calcareous
Anaíra Lage1, Vasilis Gerovasileiou2, Eleni Voultsiadou3, Thierry Pérez4, César Ruiz4 & Guilherme
workshop conducted at the South Australian Research Development Institute (SARDI) Aquatic Sciences,
Muricy1
Adelaide, South Australia. Four specimens were from Palau while the remaining specimens were from the
1
Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; Queensland coast with 12 specimens exclusively from the Great Barrier Reef. Eighteen species were identified
2
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece; as calcareous sponges, of which, 12 species were from the subclass Calcinea and five from Calcaronea. Order
3
School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; Clathrinida (Calcinea) was represented by the genera: Arthuria, Ascandra, Ascoleucetta, Clathrina, Leucaltis,
4
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ, Leucetta and Levinella. Whilst the subclass Calcaronea was represented by the genera Grantia, Leucandra,
Marseille, France Sycettusa and Sycon. Of these, the widespread dominant genera were Leucetta, followed by Ascoleucetta.
Plakina is among the most representative genera of the class Homoscleromorpha, with 29 valid species New species are expected from this collection for Australia and Palau.
occurring in subtidal hard substrates, mostly ceilings and walls of dark or semi-dark habitats. The genus
is widely distributed around the world, although the regions of the Mediterranean Sea (8 spp.) and Carib- Divergence between molecular and morphological data in Brazilian Arenosclera
bean Sea (5 spp.) record the highest species richness. Two Mediterranean species, Plakina monolopha and sponges (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae)
P. trilopha, are allegedly cosmopolitan but most records from outside the Mediterranean need revision,
including the Brazilian record of P. trilopha (Muricy et al., 1998, Domingos et al., 2016). In the pres- Camille V. Leal1, 2, 3, Fernando C. Moraes4, Adriana Froes2, Ana Carolina Soares2, Fabiano Thompson2
ent study, we describe three new species of Plakina and redescribe four others from different regions & Eduardo Hajdu1
(Central Pacific, Aegean Sea, Antarctic, and Southwestern Atlantic). Plakina sp. nov. 1 from the Marquises 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil camille.victoria@gmail.com
Island, Central Pacific, is distinguished by its lophose calthrops exclusively trilophose and with all actines 2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
terminally spined. Plakina sp. nov. 2 from Greece is massive, orange to red-pink with whitish borders in 3
Graduate Program in Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
vivo, and has trilophose and tetralophose calthrops with very irregular shapes. Plakina monolopha var. ant- 4
Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
arctica Topsent, 1917 from Petermann Island, Antarctica, has monolophose calthrops with the basal actines
bifurcated and the lophose actine ramified in a complicated 1m, 2d, ts pattern. Furthermore, its spicules are Arenosclera has six accepted species in the Indo-Pacific (5): Australian (3), New Caledonia (1), Red Sea (1)
larger than those of Mediterranean P. monolopha (cf. Muricy et al., 1998). We thus propose to rename it as and West Atlantic: Brazil (1). Recent expeditions to the Amazon reefs yielded three specimens assignable to
a new species, provisionally called Plakina sp. nov. 3. We also revised other four poorly known species Arenosclera, but seemingly quite distinct from the sole species this far known from Brazil, namely A. brasil-
of Plakina and added the following new characters to their descriptions: to P. crypta, the irregular shape iensis. The rich chemistry known from A. brasiliensis caught our attention about relationships among these
and rare trilophose calthrops; to P. weinbergi details of spicule shape (regular and irregular, with blunt and species and inspired us to perform a phylogenetic analysis to verify if Arenosclera is monophyletic. We inte-
microspined tips); to P. bowerbanki the presence of a marginal canal, circular oscules and basal cavities, and grated morphological and metagenome derived molecular analyses (28S). Morphology was studied as usual,
SEM analysis of spicules; and to P. coerulea the presence of a marginal canal, basal cavities and rare mono- and metagenomes were extracted according to (1), and then sequenced with Illumina MySeq technology. A
, di- and trilophose calthrops. The geographic distribution of P. crypta from SW France is extended to the 28S Genbank database was compiled with sequences ≥80% similar to the complete 28S of A. heroni (type
Aegean Sea, with its first record for Greece. The distribution of the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic species species of Arenosclera). Metagenomes were compared with this database using BLASTN and only 28S-like
P. coerulea is extended from Maceió to Fernando de Noronha oceanic archipelago and to Cabo Frio, in SE sequences were saved. Following, we used CAP3 and SPADES to assemble sequences in contigs, and selected
Brazil. These preliminary results indicate that the genus Plakina is more diverse and that its species are the largest contig for the phylogenetic analysis. The latter also used additional haplosclerid 28S sequences
more widely distributed than previously thought. collected from Genbank. Sequences were aligned with MAFFT 7 and the Maximum likelihood phylogeny
obtained with RAxML. The Amazon species feature delicate oxeas and sand in the fibers (carbonatic in one,
References siliciclastic in the other), with soft consistency and beige color. Additional differences between both species
1. Domingos, C., Lage, A., Muricy, G., (2016). J Mar Biol Assoc UK 96(2), 379–389.
are the structure of their callyspongiid skeleton and morphology of the oxeas. Aside their arborescent habit,
2. Muricy G., Boury-Esnault N., Bézac C., Vacelet J., (1998) Zool J Linn Soc 124, 169–203. these species are very similar to other Arenosclera spp. However, the phylogeny retrieved shows that not only
3.Topsent E., (1917). Paris: Masson et Cie., 1–97. Amazon reef species, as well as A. brasiliensis do not form a monophyletic group with A. heroni. Brazilian
This research takes place in the framework of the LIA MARRIO. Financial support by CNPq, CAPES, species appear in a distinct clade, suggesting that these species represent a new genus. The confused systemat-
FAPERJ, EU and Greek national funds through the Research Funding Program: Heracleitus II, Investing in ics of the Haplosclerida hinders the objective classification of this new clade for now. Additional studies using
knowledge society is gratefully acknowledged. other Haplosclerida and molecular markers are necessary to better define this group.
References
1. G.D. Garcia, G.B. Gregoracci, O. Santos Ede, P.M. Meirelles, G.G. Silva, R. Edwards, T. Sawabe, K. Gotoh, S. Nakamura, T.
Iida, R.L. de Moura, F.L.Thompson. Metagenomic Analysis of Healthy and White Plague-Affected Mussismilia braziliensis
56 57
Corals. Microb. Ecol. (2013) 1076-1086. contract number 179560), and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (grant
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq, FAPERJ and LIA-MARRIO is gratefully acknowledged. agreement No 679848) is gratefully acknowledged.
Cliona laticavicola is an ecophenotype and an ontogenic life stage of the coral Exploring remote islands and remote habitats: the key role of hidden cave sponges in
excavating sponge Cliona delitrix solving systematic issues
Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Angela Marulanda-Gómez2, Benjamin Mueller3, Jose V. Lopez4 & Sven Zea2 Pierre Chevaldonné1, Nicole Boury-Esnault1, Maria Cristina Díaz2, 3, Maude Dubois1, Alexander
1
Ereskovsky1, César Ruiz1, Marie Grenier1, Jean Vacelet1, Michelle Klautau4, Thierry Pérez1
Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, #2 John Brewers Bay, St Thomas, U.S.-Virgin
Islands, USA. andiachaves@gmail.com 1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Uni-
2
Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Cali, Colombia versité, Station Marine d’Endoume, rue Batterie des Lions 13007 Marseille, France
2
3
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 US1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA
3
4
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North NSU, Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, Dania Beach, FL, USA
4
Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida, USA. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Rio de
5
Instituto de Estudios en Ciencias del Mar—CECIMAR, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Caribe, Santa Marta, Colom- Janeiro, RJ, BR-21941-902, Brazil
bia. Some entire groups of Porifera are still phylogenetically unsettled and are commonly reorganised at the supra-
Excavating sponges burrow galleries and tunnels in calcareous substrata. Their epilithic portions may be generic level. Recent explorations conducted by our group, targeted remote or poorly explored islands of
papillated, encrusting or massive, and some species may pass through these stages as part of their ontogeny- tropical areas, as well as habitats that are not commonly surveyed. Among such remote habitats are underwater
growth. The red-orange excavating sponges Cliona laticavicola Pang, 1973 and Cliona delitrix Pang, 1973 marine caves that have been rather well studied for sponges in areas such as the Western Mediterranean, but
were described simultaneously from the same reefs in Jamaica as separate species, the former being papillated are still reservoirs of unknown biodiversity in most other parts of the world. Their environmental peculiarities
and the latter fully encrusting. Despite similarities in spicule morphology, they appeared to be separate species make marine caves indeed common shelters for representatives of groups otherwise uncommon at shallow
due to their geographical and ecological distribution throughout the Caribbean, with papillated forms widely depths, including some carnivorous sponges (cladorhizids), hexactinellids or lithistids. Research cruises to the
distributed in shallow habitats, and encrusting forms restricted to deeper settings and absent in certain locali- Marquesas Islands (West Central Pacific) and to several islands of the Lesser Antilles (Caribbean) focussing
ties. However, detailed observations of C. delitrix papillated recruits and their subsequent growth led us to on caves and shaded habitats have indeed allowed to gather an unprecedented collection of cave-dwelling
question whether C. laticavicola and C. delitrix are the same species. Extensive morphological comparisons sponges with original body plans, living strategies and/or associations with microorganisms. Our efforts have
of material from different locations in the Caribbean showed that their tylostyle spicules strongly overlap in improved tremendously the scope of species diversity among two Porifera classes, the Calcarea, and Homo-
shape and size between both species wherever they co-exist. In addition, in Southern Caribbean localities scleromorpha. Targeting the preferred habitat (caves) of Homoscleromorpha allowed us to recover a high
(continental coast of Colombia and Panama) both species share a complement of unique spiraster spicules that proportion of new species (ca 20) that help understand the phylogenetic relationships within this still poorly-
are absent in other studied areas including the type locality. Genetic analyses using the mitochondrial segment studied, difficult group. We have confirmed the rather common distribution of sponges with hypercalcified or
from CO2 to ATP6 genes supported a monophyletic group with genetic distances between species compatible hypersilicified skeletons in underwater caves. Furthermore, these preliminary investigations produced a great
with conspecificity, confirming previous published work with nuclear ITS1 sequences, while microsatellites number of taxonomic novelties, not only at the species level, which was expected, but also at the levels of
analyses suggest incomplete speciation or recent hybridization between species. Based on both morphological genera and most probably families. This was most striking for Verongimorpha, for which the number of new
and genetic information, we herein suggest synonymizing the two species, choosing C. delitrix as the valid clades of high rank recovered was surprising, despite this is a rather well studied group.
name, and C. laticavicola as an early ontogenetic life stage and an ecophenotype. This work takes place in the framework of LIA MARRIO. Sampling cruises Pakaihi I Te Moana and Paco-
tilles were financially supported by the “Agence des Aires Marines Protégées (AAMP)” and the “UMS Flotte
A revised molecular phylogeny of the subclass Calcaronea Océanographique française”, respectively. Post processing of the samples was achieved thanks to funding by
CNRS, Aix Marseille University and the Total Foundation.
Adriana Alvizu1, Mari Heggernes Eilertsen1, Joana R. Xavier1 & Hans Tore Rapp1
1
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen,
Norway adriana.alvizu@uib.no Chemosystematics as a complementary tool for Haliclona species (Class Demospongiae,
Calcareous sponges are acknowledged to be taxonomically challenging and molecular data does not support Order Haplosclerida).
the current morphology-based classification. We sequenced a short fragment (C-region) of the 28S gene, Miriam Reverter1, 2, Marie-Aude Tribalat1, Grace P. McCormack3 & Olivier P. Thomas1
which was recently proposed as the most phylogenetically informative marker to be used as a DNA-barcode 1
School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland. mirireverter@gmail.com
for calcareous sponges. Our analyses, that combine newly generated sequences with those from previous stud- 2
ies, include a total of 125 sequences representing ca. 71 taxa across 23 (out of 56) genera and all 14 families Marine Institute, Rinville West, Oranmore, Ireland.
3
of Calcaronea. Our results are congruent with previous studies in that the current ordinal classification within National University of Ireland Galway, Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
Calcaronea is artificial, and most families and genera are non-monophyletic. Our study also supports the basal The sponge Order Haplosclerida (Class Demospongiae) is one of the most diverse groups of sponges in terms
position of Leucosolenia, however, the increased taxon sampling reveals this genus to also be polyphyletic. of number of species and habitats. Despite Haplosclerid sponges being well defined morphologically, the sys-
We further recovered a well-supported monophyletic clade that includes Sycon-like species with a stem col- tematics within this group remains challenging since molecular evidence is discrepant with the morphological
lected in both shallow- and deep-water. This study highlights the need for a thorough revision of the subclass indicators [1]. Gratifyingly, haplosclerids produce a high diversity of specialized metabolites, including alka-
Calcaronea and provides a molecular framework for future studies. loids, polyacetylenes and terpene derivatives [2]. Chemosystematics, which is the classification of organisms
based on their metabolite contents, has proven to be a valuable tool to complement morphology and molecular
Financial support by the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (grant to HTR, project number 70184219),
genetics for some sponge groups like Homoscleromorpha [3]. In this study, we have combined UHPLC- ESI-
the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (grant to HTR), the Research Council of Norway (through
58 59
qQToF and NMR metabolomics analyses of 11 Haliclona species from the Northeastern Atlantic and the Phenotypic Plasticity in Sponges: a case study on Callyspongia sp. from Northeastern
Northwestern Mediterranean. Integration of results from both techniques through a multiple factor analysis Brazil
(MFA) allowed the identification of six statistically different groups based on the sponge metabolomes, which
are in accordance with the previously established Haliclona sub-genera. This study shows the potential of Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu, Mariana Ventura Alves, Thomáz Vieiralves & Thiago Silva de Paula
chemosystematics as a complementary tool, as well as the importance of integrating both NMR and LC-MS Department of Genetics, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, PHLC, sala 205, 20550-013,
techniques for the study of sponge metabolomes. The perspectives and limitations of this approach will be Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. lobohajdu.uerj@gmail.com
discussed. Classically, phenotypic plasticity promotes diversification because the developmental pathway which deter-
mines the phenotypes induced by the environment consists of multiple genes, responsive to the action of natu-
References
ral selection. However, environmental changes can induce disparity in the expression of genes, by modifying
1. Redmond, N.E., Morrow, C.C., Thacker, R.W., Diaz, M.C., Boury-Esnault, N., Cardenas, P., Hajdu, E., Lôbo-Hajdu, G., Pic-
ton, B.E., Pomponi, S.A., Kayal, E., Collins, A.G. Int. Comp. Biol. 53 (2013) 388-415. the DNA without changing the allelic frequencies. Sessile organisms activate different genetic programs in
2. Tribalat, M-A., Marra, M.V., McCormack, G.P., Thomas, O.P. Planta Med. 82 (2016) 843-856. response to environmental changes by large scale DNA methylation control and chromatin modification. One
3. Ivanisevic, J., Thomas, O.P., Lejeusne, C., Chevaldonné, P., Pérez, T. Metabolomics 7 (2011) 289-304. modified route can be fixed if the environment is stabilized, and the selected phenotype can be expressed this
way as long as the environment is kept unchanged. This expressed phenotype can, and is, inherited, as long as
Financial support by the Marine Institute (grant PBA/MB/16/01) is gratefully acknowledged.
the selective pressure continues. This expression level of phenotypic plasticity in sponges has been a source
of impairing for both species identification and delimitation. Changes in the morphology of the sponges have
Integrative taxonomy reveals a high diversity of Homoscleromorpha in Cabo Frio, been correlated with the action of the waves, currents, sedimentation, temperature, bioavailability of minerals,
Southeastern Brazil (SW Atlantic) and several biotics factors, such as predation. In Northeastern Brazil, four colour morphotypes of Callyspon-
Guilherme Muricy1, Celso Domingos1, Anaíra Lage1, Mirelly Balbino1, Carolline Pequeno1, Daniele gia sp. are observed, blueish, greenish, redish, and yellowish; which may regard to interspecific differences.
S. Quintela1, Emilio Lanna2, Cristiane Hardoim1, 3, Gabriela Puccinelli3, Marinella Laport3, Carla A total of 55 samples of Callyspongia sp. collected in Salvador, were examined: 15 blueish, 22 greenish, 06
Zilberberg4, Philippe Willenz 5, Alexander Ereskovsky6, 7, Thierry Perez6, Dennis Lavrov8 redish, and 12 yellowish. All phylogenetic reconstructions, whether if using ITS, 16S or cox1, shown that
individuals of Callyspongia sp. comprise the same clade, regardless of colour. Besides genetically identical,
1. Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
specimens of Callyspongia sp. were also morphologically indistinguishable. Their skeleton are strongly strati-
2. Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Brazil
fied, and show the double integrated net of spogin fibres, typical of the genus. The primary fibres have about
3. Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil
40 micrometers (µ m) and secondary fibres, about 30 µm. The endosome is constituted by primary fibres of
4. Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
5. Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Taxonomy and Phylogeny, & Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
47- 59, 81-66 µ m, secondary 23-33, 14-38 µm and tertiary 5-10, 62-18 µm. Spongin fibres are filled by the
6. Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ,
megascleres oxeas, measuring 48-121 µm long and 2 - 8 µm wide. Toxa are the only microscleres observed
Marseille, France type, ranging from 8 to 19 µm in length. No difference was found among colour morphotypes of Callyspongia
7. Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Russia sp. either in their external or internal morphology. Although these results evidence that colour variation in
8. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, US Callyspongia sp. is not a case of diversification, the underlying causes for such plasticity in this species are
So far, the Class Homoscleromorpha was poorly represented in the Southeastern Brazil ecoregion of the Warm still to be demonstrated.
Temperate Southwestern Atlantic province, with only one unidentified record of Oscarella from Búzios, in the References
coast of Rio de Janeiro State (Muricy & Hajdu, 2006). An exhaustive search in the nearby city of Cabo Frio 1. E.J. Duncan, P.D. Gluckman, P.K. Dearden, J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 322B (2014) 208–220.
revealed a rich fauna of Homoscleromorpha with several chromotypes of Plakina spp. and Oscarella spp. liv- 2. K.N. Laland, T. Uller, M.W. Feldman, K. Sterelny, G.B. Müller, A. Moczek, E. Jablonka, J. Odling-Smee, Proc. R. Soc. B 282
ing in the underside of boulders and massive corals of the subtidal zone (5-10 m depth) and of stones of a tide (2015) doi: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1019.
pool (0.1-1.0 m depth at low and high tides, respectively). The lack of useful morphological characters and the Financial support by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Conselho Na-
high variability of the external morphology requested to describe these species with an integrative approach cional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo
including morphology, anatomy, cytology, reproduction, ecology, and sponge barcoding DNA sequences gen- à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ).
erated with two distinct phylogenetic markers (cox-1 and cit-b). We found that the different morphotypes
belong to three species of Plakina and to between six and eight species of Oscarella. The genus Plakina in-
Sponges of the genus Agelas from the Indo-Pacific
cludes the first record of P. coerulea outside its type locality and two new polychromatic species found only
in a single tide pool. The different Oscarella species are highly polymorphic and are still under cytological Merrick Ekins
and molecular investigations. This integrative approach applied to the species from Cabo Frio, combined with Queensland Museum Po Box 4400, South Brisbane, 4101
extensive searches directed to Homoscleromorpha in cryptic habitats, showed that the diversity of the class is The genus Agelas is one that has caused a great deal of confusion over the past hundred years or so. It has
significantly higher than previously known. confused taxonomists by its deceptively seductive verticillated acanthostyles. However despite it’s obvious
References bright orange colour, specimens have been classified rather haphazardly, not because of incompetence but
1. G. Muricy, E. Hajdu, Porifera Brasilis, Eclesiarte (2006) 1–104. rather due to the combination of poor descriptions, type specimens that were either destroyed during the sec-
This research takes place in the framework of the LIA MARRIO. Financial support by CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ ond world war, lost, badly preserved, or too small a fragment to examine. Revision of the Indo-Pacific Agelas
and FNRS is gratefully acknowledged. species involved examination of all available type specimens. The revision includes molecular data as well as
photographs of the specimens, spicules, skeletons and additional specimens to show the variation that occurs
within each species, and descriptions of new species. This should provide a useful resource for identification
of Agelas species around the world.
60 61
Evolutionary transformations of choanocyte kinetid in the phylum Porifera and their described in details the localities he had visited back then, in some of his most famous works1. Ten years later,
significance for phylogenetic reconstructions in his extensive monograph2, Haeckel finds and describes some of the Adriatic calcarean species, and also
revises Schmidt’s species along the way. After Lendenfeld’s work3 on the Adriatic calcareans in the end of the
Igor Pozdnyakov1, Agniya Sokolova2, Sergey Karpov1, 3, Alexander Ereskovsky4, 5 19th century, calcarean sponge taxonomy of this region has been rather neglected. Only in recent years, the
1. St. Petersburg State University, Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Saint-Petersburg, Russia interest in calcarean sponges and in their type species and localities has grown wider, so in the 21st century a
2. A. N. Severtzov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, RU few papers e.g.4, 5 revived this subject. We here present a historical overview of calcarean species records in
3. Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia. the Adriatic Sea, comparing chronologically since Schmidt till nowadays the presence/absence of recorded
4. InstitutMéditerranéen de Biodiversitéetd’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Mar- species and their localities.
seille, France
5. Dept. Embryology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia References
1. Schmidt O. 1862. Die Spongien des Adriatischen Meeres, enthaltenddie Histologie und systematiche Ergänzungen. Wilhelm
Sponges were traditionally considered as the most primitive multicellular animals because of their general Engelmann, Leipzig.
simplicity and similarity between choanocytes and choanoflagellates. Recent molecular data confirmed the 2. Haeckel E. 1872. Die Kalkschwämme, eine Monographie. Vols 1–3. Reimer, Berlin.
hypothesis of common ancestor for choanoflagellates and sponges. One could expect the presence of com-
3. Lendenfeld R. von 1891. Die Spongien der Adria. I. Die Kalkschwämme. Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig.
mon characters in cytoskeleton in both groups. It is well known that the kinetid structure of eukaryotes is a
4. Pansini M. & Longo C. 2008. Porifera. In: Relini G. (ed.) Checklist della Flora e della Fauna dei Mari Italiani (Parte I). Biolo-
good phylogenetic marker for the analysis of macroevolutionary processes and relationships among organisms gia Marina Mediterranea 15 suppl.(1); 42–66.
through time. Kinetid of sponge choanocyte might possesses some characters of choanoflagellates, or even 5. Klautau M, Imešek M, Azevedo F, Pleše B, Nikolić V, Ćetković H (2016) Adriatic calcarean sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) with
deeper lineages of opisthokonts. description of six new species and richness analysis. European Journal of Taxonomy 178; 1-52.
Using transmission electron microscopy we obtained original data on the choanocyte kinetid structure from
three main branches of Porifera: Demospongiae, Calcarea, and Homoscleromorpha.Based on the analysis of
kinetid diversity and known molecular phylogeny of Porifera we reconstructed the ancestral type of choano-
cyte kinetid for each of these branches. Kinetids of Demospongiae differ from each other by presence/absence
of accessory centriole and the connection with nucleus as well as by the arrangement of MTOCs around the
kinetosome. Subclasses Keratosa and Verongimorpha apparently have one kinetid type. In subclass Hetero-
scleromorpha representatives of different monophyletic groups have different kinetid types. The tendencies
of kinetid evolution in Demospongiae appear to be the reduction of centriole and transformation of kinetid-
associated MTOCs pattern. In Calcarea the choanocyte kinetids of subclasses Calcinea and Calcaronea dif-
fer by the presence/absence of kinetosome-nucleus connection, which corresponds to nuclear position in the
choanocyte. In Homoscleromorpha all the Plakinidae and few species of Oscarella (Oscarellidae) with apical
nucleus in choanocyte have the kinetid connected to the nucleus, but the Oscarella species with basal nucleus
have different kinetid type. Each evolutionary choanocyte kinetid transformation occurs within certain branch
of sponges, but the kinetid transformation does not occur in every sponge lineage. In different subdivisions
of Porifera the changes of kinetid structure are confined to the taxa of different levels. The nuclear-kinetid
disconnection and nuclear migration from apical to basal position in choanocyte is a common evolutionary
tendency that was observed in all three classes of Porifera. On the base of comparative morphological analysis
we reconstructed the ancestral type of choanocyte kinetid for Porifera that differs essentially from the kinetid
type of choanoflagellates. Thus, these data contradict to hypothesis of the direct origin of the choanocytes
from choanoflagellates and does not support an opinion that choanoflagellates were ancestors of Metazoa.
Financial support by Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No 15-04-03324), and RC of Molecular
and Cell Technologies of Saint-Petersburg State University are gratefully acknowledged.
Historical overview on the Adriatic calcarean sponges

Mirna Halasz1, Helena Ćetković1, Michelle Klautau2
1
Ruđer Bošković Institute, Division for Molecular Biology, Bijenička cesta 54, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Carlos
Chagas Filho 373, Cidade Universitária, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.
The Adriatic Sea represents one of the seven eco-regions of the Mediterranean. It is situated in the northern-
most part of the Mediterranean and can be subdivided into three ecologically distinct areas: Northern, Central
and Southern Adriatic. Some of the first sponge studies have been carried out in the Adriatic, starting a long
time ago with Aristotle dissecting an Adriatic sponge in 300 BC. Since then, many scientists have been inves-
tigating this area and the Adriatic Sea is known today as the type locality of many sponge species. Calcarean
sponges in the Adriatic were most intensively investigated in the 19th century, primarily by Schmidt, who had
62 63
10th World Sponge Conference Sponges & Microbes
Sponges & Microbes multiple spatial and temporal scales. Sponges offer unique opportunities to study the evolutionary processes
that produce mutualistic interactions. We are exploring dynamics of photosynthate translocation and mecha-
nisms by which symbionts co-opt host cellular machinery to avoid detection and maintain residency within
Exploring microbial dark matter in sponge symbioses
the host. We will present work that contrasts findings from shallow (<1 m) and deep (>10 m) populations
Ute Hentschel Humeida1 of C. varians in terms of feeding efficiency, symbiont densities, and general aspects of trophic ecology. We
RD3 Marine Microbiology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany. uhentschel@geomar.de will also present results from two models designed to evaluate factors that promote symbiont persistence in
The term “holobiont” (syn. “metaorganism”) was coined in recognition of the fact that in the environment, hospite. The first is an agent based model constructed to explore the role of energy budgets in the dynamics
all multicellular hosts (animals, plants) associate with microorganisms1. The concept has profound impacts of host:symbiont partnerships. The second is a Lotka-Volterra-type model designed to examine how two sym-
on our understanding of ecology which seeks to understand the interactions between organisms and between biont species might compete for access to a single host. Empirical work testing aspects of these models (e.g.,
organisms and their environment. There is a growing awareness that such microbial communities may fulfil how novel and native symbionts navigate host cellular responses) will be presented.
many essential functions, from nutrition to development and defense against pathogens. Sponges are excel- Financial support from National Science Foundation awards 1617255 & 1555440 is gratefully acknowledged.
lent examples of such holobionts2, because many species harbor enormously dense and diverse communities
of symbiotic microorganisms in their tissues. Up to 41 bacterial phyla and candidate phyla as well as two
archaeal lineages representing thousands of symbiont lineages per sponge individual have been recorded3.
Molecular and metabolic interactions in sponge-microbe symbiosis
This diverse array of microbial communities has received considerable research attention, yet much remains Torsten Thomas, Lucas Moitinho e Silva, Giampiero Batani, Ana I.S. Esteves, Mary Nguyen, David
unknown about the mechanisms of interactions with the sponge host and their in situ ecological function(s). Reynolds, Cristina Diez-Vives, Rajesh Thangamani, Lu Fan
The presentation will focus on recent insights into the HMA LMA dichotomy obtained by machine learning4 Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation, University of New South Wales, Sydney
as well as summarize our current understanding of the genomic adaptations of sponge symbionts to a lifestyle Sponges host complex communities of symbiotic microorganisms, but how this symbiosis is mediated re-
within sponges. mains poorly understood. Our recent studies based on –omics approaches have provided new insights into
References how the uncultured, microbial symbionts interact with their sponge host.
1. McFall-Ngai, M., Hadfield, M., Bosch, T., Carey, H., Domazet-Loso, T., Douglas, A., Dubilier, N., Eberl, G., Fukami, T., Gil-
bert, S., Hentschel, U., King, N., Kjelleberg, S., Knol, A.H., Kremer, N., Mazmanian, S., Metcalf, J., Nealson, K., Pierce, N.,
Firstly, we discovered the presence and abundance of genes encoding for eukaryotic-like proteins (ELPs) in
Rawls, J., Reid, A., Ruby, E., Rumpho, M., Sanders, J., Tautz, D., Wernegreen J (2013) Animals in a bacterial world: a new microbial symbionts. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these ELPs have been horizontally transferred from
imperative for the life sciences. Proc Natl Acad Sci 110(9): 3229-3236 sponges and other eukaryotes into symbiont lineages. Meta-transciptomic analyses showed that a large array
2. Pita, L., Fraune, S., Hentschel, U. (2016) Emerging sponge models of animal-microbe symbioses. Frontiers in Microbiol: of different ELPs is expressed under natural settings, indicating their functional role in symbiosis. Through
7:2102. recombinant approaches we also showed that ELPs can inhibit eukaryotic phagocytosis, which is a relevant
3. Thomas, T., Moitinho-Silva, L., Lurgi , M., Björk, J.R., Easson, C., Astudillo, C., Olson, J.B., Erwin, P.M., López-Legentil, phenotype for a symbiont to avoid being consumed by sponge amoebocytes. Some ELPs could also specifi-
S., Luter, H., Chaves-Fonnegra, A., Costa, R., Schupp, P., Steindler, L., Erpenbeck, D., Gilbert, J., Knight, R., Ackerman, G., cally bind to sponge proteins involved in bacterial recognition and degradation. These findings suggest that
Lopez, J.V., Taylor, M.W., Thacker, R.W., Montoya, J.M., Hentschel, U., Webster, N. (2016) Global Sponge Microbiome:
microbial symbionts have acquired eukaryotic host genes that have subsequently evolved to function as mo-
Diversity, structure and convergent evolution of symbiont communities across the phylum Porifera. Nature Communications,
7:11870. lecular mediators of symbiotic interactions.
4. Moitinho-Silva, L., Steinert, G., Nielsen S., Hardoim C.P., Wu Y.C., McCormack G.P., López-Legentil S., Marchant Secondly, we used genome-centered meta-transcriptomics to develop a model for the integrated metabolism in
R.,Webster N.,Thomas T., Ute Hentschel U (2017). Predicting the HMA-LMA status in marine sponges by machine learning. the sponge Cymbastela concentrica. Transcriptional analysis indicated that diatoms and sponge likely provide
Front Microbiol. 2017; 8: 752.
dissolved organic carbon and organic nitrogen compounds, such as creatine, creatinine, urea, and cyanate, to
Financial support by the “DFG-CRC1182 Origin and Function of Metaorganisms” and the EU project “SponG- bacterial and archaeal community members. This fuelled both heterotrophic and chemolithoautotrophic pro-
ES” is gratefully acknowledged. cesses that retained and recycled biochemical resources within the sponge holobiont. These findings provide
an unprecedented view of the metabolic interactions within sponge-microbe symbiosis, bridging the gap be-
Sponge Bleaching, Symbiodinium Symbioses, and forces that shape Coevolutionary tween cell- and community-level knowledge.
Specialization. Financial support by Australian Research Council and the Betty and Gordon Moore Foundation is gratefully
Malcolm Hill, Garrett Fundakowski, Tyler Heist1, Connor Hughes2, Nasheya Rahman, Shiv acknowledged.
Toolsidass, Tongu Wang, Paul Kwam, April Hill, John Wesley Cain3, Barry Lawson
University of Richmond, Richmond, VA mhill2@richmond.edu Genome-informed insights into the function of a coral reef sponge holobiont
1
Present address: Lewis-Sigler Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ Rebecca Fieth1, Jabin Watson1, Benedict Yuen1, Maely Gauthier1 & Sandie Degnan1
2
Present address: School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 1
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD, Australia s.degnan@uq.edu.au
3
Present address: Department of Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA The critical ecosystem engineering roles of marine sponges are achieved in large part due to the symbiotic bac-
Cliona varians harbors dense intracellular populations of Clade G Symbiodinium. These symbioses are typi- teria with which they associate. Working with the coral reef sponge Amphimedon queenslandica and its low
cally unaffected by environmental stressors that induce coral bleaching. However, widespread sponge bleach- complexity bacterial symbiont community, we are exploring how intimate interactions between the partners
ing was observed during a mass coral bleaching event in October 2015 on shallow reefs in the Florida Keys, shape the biological function of the holobiont. Genomic, transcriptomic, microbiomic and cellular analyses
and community- wide consequences of disrupting this sponge symbiosis are unknown. The shallow water together provide strong support for a high fidelity relationship of all partners that begins with vertical trans-
form of C. varians did not bleach in 2015 despite experiencing maximum temperatures >41°C. To better un- mission of core symbionts and is complemented at larval settlement by selective horizontal transmission [1].
derstand the basic biology of the symbiosis, and the role of the sponge and its symbionts in reef ecology, we The result is an adult microbiome dominated by a sulphur-oxidising bacterial symbiont (order Chromatiales)
are empirically and theoretically exploring sponge:algal partnership from an interdisciplinary perspective at that assists the holobiont to function in its low energy, high deposition intertidal reef flat environment [2].
64 65
The gene content of both host and symbiont genomes, and a draft mixed-species genome-scale metabolic recovered from the sponge metagenomes; the six most complete genomes were then analyzed in more detail.
model built from these, suggests that amino acids traded in both directions between the partners are critical to Besides shared genomic features with respect to carbon and nitrogen metabolism, carbon degradation, and res-
holobiont development and ecology. As further evidence of the intimacy of this relationship, we see different piration, the analyzed Anaerolineae genomes were depleted in the number of CRISPR systems and secondary
transcriptional responses by the host to symbiont versus non-symbiont bacteria, with an initial discrimina- metabolism gene clusters compared to their cultivated relative A. thermophila and also compared to the other
tion between the two appearing to involve conserved animal innate immune pathways. The emerging picture Chloroflexi symbionts. We posit that the Caldilineae and SAR 202 type symbionts are responsible for bacterial
from our multi-facted approach is that the A. queenslandica holobiont has evolved a diverse set of molecular defenses, while the Anaerolineae may benefit from this protection. Furthermore, the newly established method
interactions that underlie a strong and stable alliance. Ongoing study of specific interactions highlighted in FISH-CLEM was applied, to our knowledge for the first time, to visualize Chloroflexi symbionts within the
this presentation will help us to further understand how sponges cooperate with their bacterial symbionts to sponge extracellular matrix at ultrastructural resolution. This study contributes to our understanding of the
produce biomass while living in a seasonally variable, oligotrophic, reef environment. basis of marine sponge-microbe interactions.
References
1. Fieth RA, Gauthier MA, Bayes J, Green KM, Degnan SM. 2016. Frontiers in Marine Science 3, 228. Metabolic Diversification Across Caribbean Sponges
2. Gauthier MA, Watson JR, Degnan SM. 2016. Frontiers in Marine Science 3, 196.
Christopher J. Freeman1, Cole G. Easson2, Kenan O. Matterson3, Robert W. Thacker4, David M.
Financial support by the Australian Research Council is gratefully acknowledged. Baker5 & Valerie Paul1
1
Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA. freemanc@si.edu
Sponge Symbionts – key to understanding sponge responses to climate change 2
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, Florida, USA
Heidi Luter 1, 2
, Holly Bennett , James Bell , Nicole Webster
1, 2 1 2 3
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
4
1
School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. h.luter@vuw.ac.nz Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
5
2
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia The Swire Institute of Marine Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China
Coral reefs worldwide are facing increasing pressures due to ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification Microbial symbionts expand the ecological niche of host sponges by allowing for the exploitation of novel
(OA). Given that Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scenarios are predicting further in- sources of carbon and nitrogen. Striking host-specificity in these interactions, however, suggests that there is
creases in both OW and OA, we are likely to see significant loss of coral cover in the future. However, non- strong evolutionary selection for divergent microbial communities across coexisting sponge species. If as-
calcifying organisms like sponges may not be affected in the same way, with a recent study revealing that sociating with unique microbial taxa alters how sponge hosts acquire resources, these interactions may also
sponges can tolerate IPCC projections for 2100 under CO2 Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 6.01. promote niche partitioning in crowded, oligotrophic ecosystems. To investigate trophic niche specialization
While we are beginning to understand sensitivity thresholds of sponges exposed to OW and OA, much less is and partitioning across common sponge species in the Caribbean, we measured the isotope values (δ13C and
known about the mechanisms that enable them to cope with environmental pressures. In this study, we used δ15N) of sponges from twelve sites spanning four geographic regions across a latitudinal gradient from tropical
aquarium-based experiments to examine the effects of OW and OA on microbial symbiont function in two Panama to the subtropical Florida Keys. In total, 21 species of sponges were collected. Host species varied in
phototrophic (Carteriospongia foliascens and Cymbastela coralliophila) and two heterotrophic (Rhopaloe- their utilization and processing of resources within sites, with host identity accounting for between 75-90 % of
ides odorabile and Stylissa flabellformis) species. Sponges were exposed to OW and OA conditions predicted the variation in δ13C and δ15N values across individual sponges within a site. Isotopic niche overlap between
for 2100 under two CO2 RCPs. Principle component analysis (PCO) of the Clusters of Orthologous Groups species within a site was low (mean of 12% [+/- SE of 0.96]), suggesting that individual species are filling
of proteins (COGs) revealed distinct symbiont functional profiles for each species, with the two phototrophic unique functional trophic niches. Interestingly, while δ13C values varied widely and independent of host phy-
species being most similar (Fig.1). In both phototrophic species, the functional potential of the symbionts was logeny, δ15N values were highly conserved across host phylogeny, with a strong phylogenetic signal indica-
not significantly affected by OW or OA. In both heterotrophic species, the functional gene profiles were not tive of evolutionary legacies that condition resource use and isotope dynamics. Trends in δ13C values may be
significantly affected by OA but were significantly disrupted by OW. In particular, sponge microbial com- driven by high levels of organic matter in the Caribbean leading to relaxed selection pressure for physiological
munities at ambient temperature (28.5°C) were enriched in symbiont functions including substrate utilization, constraints in carbon metabolism. In contrast, divergence in nitrogen metabolism is likely microbially medi-
defense and repair, and membrane transport, whereas these functions were underrepresented in sponges ex- ated, with depleted δ15N values in some lineages suggestive of biological nitrogen fixation and the recycling
posed to 31.5°C. Decreases in these functions likely indicate a breakdown in the sponge-microbe symbiosis in and assimilation of inorganic nitrogen. In conclusion, nitrogen limitation may have helped to shape the evolu-
heterotrophic species in response to temperature stress. tion of microbial symbioses across Caribbean sponges, leading to niche divergence and specificity in nitrogen
metabolism across host species and broad scale trends in microbial symbiont community diversity.
References
1. H. Bennett, C. Altenrath, L. Woods, S.K. Davy, N.S. Webster, J.J. Bell, Glob. Change Biol. (2016) DOI: 10.1111/gcb.13474
Function and Form: Finding the Raison d’être of Symbiotic Communities within
Metagenomics and FISH-CLEM visualization of marine sponge-associated Chloroflexi Sponges
Kristina Bayer, Beate Slaby, Martin T. Jahn, Lucas M. Silva & Ute Hentschel Jose V. Lopez1
Geomar Helmhotz Centre For Ocean Research, Geomar Helmhotz Centre For Ocean Research, Marine Microbiologie, Düstern- 1
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University,
brooker Weg 20 24105 Kiel, Germany 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida, USA
Marine sponges harbor an exceptional microbial diversity with up > 10.000 different operational taxonomic Characterizations of the identity and diversity of microbial symbiotic communities (“microbiomes”) within
units (OTUs), the vast majority of which remains uncultivated. Members of the phylum Chloroflexi can domi- different sponges have advanced considerably over the last two decades. Thousands of microbial, mostly un-
nate the microbiome of the high microbial abundan ce (HMA) sponges. In order to elucidate the diversity and cultivable, operational taxonomic units (OTUs) have been identified through the advances of high-throughput
function of Chloroflexi symbionts within marine sponges, we combined amplicon sequencing with metage- DNA sequencing. However, in spite of compelling data pointing to actual symbioses between many microbes
nomics and single cell genomic analysis, as well as microscopy (FISH-CLEM). A total of five metagenom- and the sponge host, determination of microbial symbiont functions remains equivocal in most instances.
ics bins and 13 single amplified genomes of the classes Caldilineae, Anaerolineae and SAR 202 group were Here, I will review current approaches towards addressing the potential function of microbiomes and sym-
66 67
bionts found in marine sponges. A basic hindrance to effective study of microbial functions, stems from the Dissolved organic matter cycling by the sponge holobiont
uncultivability of most symbionts apart from their host. As one solution, sequencing the entire sponge holo-
Laura Rix1, Malik S. Naumann2, Jasper M. de Goeij3, Dick van Oevelen4, Marta Ribes5, Rafel Coma6,
biont (host and microbiome) as a “metagenome” can illuminate. For example, computational tools provide
Ulrich Struck7, Fuad Al-Horani8, Christian Wild9, Ute Hentschel1
algorithms for inferring function from (16S rRNA) sequence data. Microbes also significantly contribute to
1
elemental cycling and catabolism. Another likely role for symbionts is the biosynthesis of unique secondary GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany lrix@geomar.de
metabolites and vitamins, exhibited in many sponge species. These can be used as defensive or communica- 2
Coral Reef Ecology Group (CORE), Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany
tion factors benefiting the holobiont. Newer combinations of older, sophisticated technologies such as fluores- 3
Department of Aquatic Environmental Ecology, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
cence in situ hybridization-correlative light/electron microscopy (FISH-CLEM) and nanoscale secondary ion 4
Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ-Yerseke), and Utrecht Univer-
mass spectrometry (NanoSIMS) now promise to reveal more potential symbiont functions. Other pervasive sity, Yerseke the Netherlands
questions on the origins and co-evolution of specific symbiont-host partners, and how relevant microbiome 5
Institut de Ciències del Mar, ICM-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain
function is to holobiont fitness and speciation will also be discussed. 6
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes, Girona, Catalonia, Spain
7
Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
The impact of depth: sponge-associated microbes and antimicrobial activity change 8
The University of Jordan, Marine Science Station, Aqaba, Jordan
Detmer Sipkema , Anak Agung Gede Indraningrat , Georg Steinert , Michael W. Taylor , Peter J.
1 1, 2 1, 5 6 9
Faculty of Biology and Chemistry (FB 2), University of Bremen, Germany
Schupp5, Leontine E. Becking3, 4 & Hauke Smidt1 Sponges are increasingly recognized as important ecosystem engineers due not only to their ability to provide
1. Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. and modify habitat for other benthic organisms, but also their ability to influence the cycling of key nutrients
2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Science Education, Institut Keguruan dan Ilmu like carbon and nitrogen (1, 2). In particular, sponges have recently been shown to play a role in the recycling
Pendidikan Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia (IKIP PGRI) Bali, Indonesia. of dissolved organic matter (DOM) via the sponge loop (3, 4). DOM is a major carbon source for a variety of
3. Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. sponges (5-7), and it is hypothesized that the abundant communities of microbes harboured by sponges play
4. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands a role in its uptake (2, 8, 9). However, the importance of these microbes for DOM uptake and the influence
5. Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky Universität of DOM quality on processing by the sponge holobiont (i.e. the sponge host and its associated microbes) are
Oldenburg, Wilhelmshaven, Germany still unknown. Here we used stable isotope tracer experiments to compare the processing of different DOM
6. Biology Sciences, The University of Auckland, New Zealand sources by high-microbial (HMA) and low-microbial abundance (LMA) sponges from the Mediterranean and
Some sponge species are found both in shallow and deeper waters, however, the majority of sponges seems Red Sea. All sponges examined assimilated DOM, but significant differences in the processing of the various
to prefer either shallow or deeper waters. It is currently unknown whether sponge-associated microorganisms DOM sources demonstrated that DOM quality affects its uptake by the sponge holobiont. Phospholipid-de-
play a role in the ability of their host to cover a larger depth range. Whereas the microbiota associated with rived fatty acid analyses further indicated that the sponge host and its associated microbes may preferentially
shallow water sponges has been extensively studied during the past decade, microbial communities associated utilize certain types of DOM, suggesting there may be resource partitioning within the holobiont. Microbes
with sponges that chose habitats out of reach of SCUBA divers are still largely a ‘blue hole’. also appeared to be more active in the processing of DOM in HMA compared with LMA sponges, but similar
uptake rates suggest HMA and LMA sponges may utilize different strategies to take up DOM. Finally, we
To address this knowledge gap, we selected four sponge species that are found both in shallow water (0-30
found evidence for the transfer of bacterial-assimilated DOM to the sponge host, providing new insights into
m) and in deeper waters (60-90 m). Two of these species were sampled in the Pacific (Callyspongia sp. and
the metabolic interactions between sponges and their associated-microbes.
Rhabdastrella globostellata) and two in the Caribbean (Xestospongia muta and Agelas sventres). Next genera-
tion sequencing of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments was applied to characterize microbial diversity References
in these sponges. In addition, antimicrobial activity is being determined from extracts and bacterial isolates 1. J. J. Bell, Estuar. Coastal Shelf Sci. 79, 341-353 (2008).
obtained from Caribbean sponges sampled from different depths. 2. M. Maldonado, M. Ribes, F. C. van Duyl, Adv. Mar. Biol. 62, 113-182 (2012).
3. J. M. de Goeij et al., Science 342, 108-110 (2013).
The first results for the Pacific sponge species and the seawater show depth-related stratification of the micro-
4. L. Rix et al., Sci. Rep. 6, 18715 (2016).
bial communities. Perhaps not surprisingly, bacteria that were most important for the divide between shallow
5. G. Yahel, J. Sharp, D. Marie, C. Hase, A. Genin, Limnol. Oceanogr. 48, 141-149 (2003).
and deep individuals from the same species were cyanobacteria. However, the divide was not entirely ex-
6. B. Mueller et al., Plos One 9, (2014).
plained by the disappearance of cyanobacteria in the deeper sponges. The highly reduced relative abundance
of cyanobacterial species in the deeper sponges was accompanied by increased relative abundance of other 7. S. E. McMurray, Z. I. Johnson, D. E. Hunt, J. R. Pawlik, C. M. Finelli, Limnol. Oceanogr. 61, 1271–1286 (2016).
cyanobacterial species suggesting that certain cyanobacteria are better adjusted to environmental conditions 8. H. M. Reiswig, J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 14, 231-249 (1974).
in the deeper waters. In addition, preliminary results of antimicrobial activity tests of organic extracts from 9. J. B. Weisz, N. Lindquist, C. S. Martens, Oecologia 155, 367-376 (2008).
the Caribbean sponges indicate that extracts from the shallow-water sponges are more active against Gram+
bacteria than extracts from their deeper counterparts. No depth-related differences in antimicrobial activity
against Gram- bacteria were observed.
68 69
Virus: an Important Component of the Sponge Holobiont changes in the relative abundance of a few dominant microbial symbiont taxa, as well as the presence or ab-
sence of numerous rare symbionts. Second, we conducted a 70-day reciprocal transplant experiment to directly
Cecília Pascelli123, Patrick Laffy2, Marija Kupresanin4, Emmanuelle Botte 2, Timothy Ravasi4 & Nicole
test the effects of tidal exposure on the microbiome of H. heliophila [2]. Sponges transplanted between habi-
Webster2
tats displayed shifts in microbial communities, however, temporal variation was the dominant factor affecting
1
AIMS@JCU, Townsville, Australia. C.Pascelli@aims.gov.au microbiome composition. We identified core symbionts that persisted across these spatio-temporal scales and
2
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia. used a metagenomic approach to show that these stable members of the microbiome in H. heliophila represent
3
James Cook University, Townsville, Australia. nitrogen cycling taxa that have the potential to contribute to a diverse array of nitrogen transformations in the
4
Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences & Engineering King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, sponge holobiont. Together, these results indicate that (1) extreme abiotic fluctuations, such as periodic air ex-
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia posure in intertidal habitats, can drive intraspecific differences in complex sponge-microbe symbioses, and (2)
Sponges are extraordinary holobionts since they host a diverse array of macro and micro symbionts. This high despite these spatio-temporal shifts in symbiont composition, core symbiont functions (e.g. nitrogen cycling)
symbiont complexity makes them an ideal model for studying host- viral interactions. Viruses are ubiquitous can be maintained in sponge microbiomes through functional redundancy.
biological entities that regulate diverse biological processes1. However, despite their abundance, we have References
limited knowledge about how viruses interact with marine sponges. Morphological and molecular approaches 1. B. L. Weigel, P. M. Erwin, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 82 (2016) 650-658.
were used to describe the diversity and function of viruses in some of the most representative coral reef sponge 2. B. L. Weigel, P. M. Erwin, Sci. Reports 7 (2017) 43247.
species from the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and the Red Sea (RS). Sponge viruses were isolated from their
hosts, viral metagenomes were sequenced and taxonomic composition and function were assessed using a Looking for barettins and barretides in north Atlantic demosponges: a case in favour of
customized bioinformatic pipeline designed specifically for analysis of holobiont metaviromes. In addition,
a species specific microsymbiont production?
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was used to morphologically characterize the viral particles and
resolve their spatial location within the holobiont. Molecular analyses indicate that sponges host a wide diver- Paco Cárdenas1, Erik Jacobsson1, Stefanie Schempp1, Gabrielle Tompkins-MacDonald2, Ulf
sity of bacterial and eukaryotic viruses including abundant Caudovirales and representatives of Mimiviridae, Göransson1 & Lars Bohlin1
Phycodnaviridae and Iridoviridae. Functional annotation revealed the presence of viral accessory genes, as 1
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmacognosy, BioMedical Center, Husargatan 3, Uppsala University, 751 23
Nylon degradation and heavy metal resistance, indicating that virus can potentially contribute for sponge Uppsala, Sweden. paco.cardenas@fkog.uu.se
environmental acclimation. TEM analysis further revealed tailed bacteriophages (Caudovirales), non-tailed 2
Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
icosahedral, dumble-ear, geminated and filamentous virus-like particles (VLP) in the sponge mesohyle matrix, Barettins1 are brominated diketopiperazines with many acknowledged bioactivities: antifouling, anti-inflam-
mucus or associated with their microbial symbiont. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the viral commu- matory, anti-coagulant and antioxidant activities. Barettides2 are disulfide-containing peptides with antifouling
nity are mostly consistent within the same sponge specie, although it varies among species. Similarities in the activities. These compounds were all originally isolated from the deep-sea boreal north Atlantic demosponge
viral community from sponge species that co- occur in the GBR and the RS reinforce the host specificity in Geodia barretti3. Barettins have so far only been reported from G. barretti and G. macandrewii. Barettides
the sponge-viral association. This study highlights viruses as a diverse and important component of the sponge have never been reported elsewhere. We therefore wonder whether they may be present in other species of
holobiont. Geodia, or even other species of demosponges. In other words, could these compounds be used in sponge
References systematics as synapomorphies of the genus Geodia, the family Geodiidae, or the suborder Astrophorina? The
1 R. Danovaro, C. Corinaldesi, A. Dell’anno, J.A.Fuhrman, J.J. Middelburg, R.T. Noble, C.A.Suttle, Marine viruses and global distribution of barettins and barrettides may also help our understanding of their biological function and their
climate change. FEMS Microbiol Rev. 35 (2011) 993-1034. origin (sponge vs. symbionts).
Financial support by AIMS@JCU is gratefully acknowledged.
We looked for presence/absence of barettins and barrettides in extractions of specialized metabolites from
several north Atlantic demosponges, including 35 specimens of G. barretti (from different populations), 11
Tide After Time: Structural Shifts and Functional Stability in the Microbiome of an species of north Atlantic Geodia and 15 other demosponge species. Metabolic profiles were produced using a
Intertidal Sponge Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS) system.
Patrick M. Erwin1, Brooke L. Weigel1, 2 Our results show that only barettin and 8, 9-dihydrobarettin were occasionally found in other north Atlantic
1
demosponges, most of the time in very small amounts. Bromobenzisoxalone barettin was never found in other
Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina
species than G. barretti. Likewise, barrettides A and B were never found in other species than G. barretti.
Wilmington, Wilmington, NC. erwinp@uncw.edu
2
More surprising, we found G. barretti intra-specific variation in the presence/absence and amounts of the
Current address: Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. barettins and barrettides. Furthermore, these variations reflected major changes in the metabolic profiles from
Marine sponges host complex bacterial and archaeal communities (microbiomes) that exhibit a high degree of different populations. We conclude by suggesting that i) barettins are produced by a species specific micro-
host-specificity among different sponge species. However, the factors controlling variation in the microbiome symbiont and that ii) depth explains the G. barretti metabolic variations.
among conspecific sponge individuals are poorly characterized, yet provide critical insight into the stability of
References
sponge-microbe associations. The contrast between intertidal and subtidal habitats, with large environmental
1. Hedner E, Sjögren M, Hodzic S, Andersson R, Göransson U, Jonsson PR, Bohlin L (2008) Antifouling Activity of a Dibromi-
variation over a small spatial scale, provides an ideal system to assess the effects of environmental variation nated Cyclopeptide from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti. J Nat Prod 71 (3):330-333
on sponge-microbe symbioses. Here, we investigated intraspecific variation in the microbiome of the intertidal 2. Carstens BB, Rosengren KJ, Gunasekera S, Schempp S, Bohlin L, Dahlström M, Clark RJ, Göransson U (2015) Isolation,
sponge Hymeniacidon heliophila from oyster reefs in North Carolina (USA). First, we characterized the mi- Characterization, and Synthesis of the Barrettides: Disulfide-Containing Peptides from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti. J
crobial communities of intertidal and subtidal H. heliophila sponges, ambient seawater, and sediment [1]. H. Nat Prod 78 (8):1886–1893
heliophila samples yielded clearly distinct microbial communities from those found in sediment and seawater. 3. Cárdenas P, Rapp HT, Klitgaard AB, Best M, Thollesson M, Tendal OS (2013) Taxonomy, biogeography and DNA barcodes
Further, significant differences in the diversity, structure, and composition of microbiomes were detected be- of Geodia species (Porifera, Demospongiae, Tetractinellida) in the Atlantic boreo-arctic region. Zool J Linn Soc 169:251-311
tween subtidal and intertidal sponges, despite their close proximity (<10 m). These differences were driven by Financial support from the EU FP7 through the Bluegenics project (grant agreement No. 311848) and from the
70 71
EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849. bacteria with successful gene transfer between the live and dead sponges or between either sponge species.
This provides experimental evidence for facilitation of antimicrobial resistance transfer by an aquatic inver-
Metabolic profiles of microbiota from Antarctic sponges revealed by metagenomics tebrate. Sponges can provide a substrate for the gene transfer whether they are alive or dead. Future work is
needed to address which bacterial interactions with sponges facilitate the gene transfer and where exactly in
Mario Moreno Pino1, Mariela Guajardo1 & Nicole Trefault 1
the sponge it occurs.
1
Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Santiago, Chile.
mario.moreno@mayor.cl References
1. Berendonk, T.U., et al., (2015). Tackling antibiotic resistance: the environmental framework. Nature Rev. Microbiol, 13, 310-
Marine sponges harbour diverse and abundant microorganisms which play key metabolic roles in biogeo- 317.
chemical cycles1. Whereas most of the general observations of sponge microbiomes have focused in temper- 2. Harwood, V.J. et al., (2014). Microbial source tracking markers for detection of fecal contamination in environmental waters:
ate and tropical environments, the functional roles of sponge symbionts from Polar Regions remain largely Relationships between pathogens and human health outcomes. FEMS Microbiol Rev, 38(1), 1–40.
unknown. 3. Kefalas, E., et al., (2003). Bacteria associated with the sponge Spongia officinalis as indicators of contamination. Ecol. Indic.,
Our study aims to characterize the functional potential of microorganisms associated to Antarctic sponges. 2(4), 339–343.
Two sponge species, Myxilla sp. and Leucetta antarctica, were collected from Fildes Bay (King George Is- 4. Lucey, J. & Cocchiglia, L., (2014). Distribution of Sponges (Porifera: Spongillidae) in Southern Irish Rivers and Streams. Biol
Environ, 114(2), 89–100.
land, South Shetlands) to perform, shotgun metagenomic sequencing.
5. Zhang, R. et al., (2015). Antibacterial and residual antimicrobial activities against Enterococcus faecalis biofilm: A compari-
Community composition of microorganisms associated to Myxilla sp. and L. antarctica showed a high pre- son between EDTA, chlorhexidine, cetrimide, MTAD and QMix. Scientific Reports, 5, 1–5
dominance of sequences assigned to the Bacteria domain and differences between the two sponge species, Financial support provided by Department of Employment and Learning is gratefully acknowledged
consistently with previously reported data2. Profiles of general functions were homogeneous in the two spong-
es (Fig 1A), with a high proportion of genes related to amino acid transport and metabolism, replication, re-
combination and repair. The presence of genes involved in the nitrogen cycle like narCGH, nirK, qnor, nosZ The microbial and chemical affairs between haplosclerid and homosclerophorid sponge
(denitrification), and amoA (ammonia oxidization) was detected, as well as genes implied in carbon cycle like pairs of the Caribbean
pgi, rbcs, tkt (Calvin-Benson cycle), and sulphur cycle like cysD, cysC, cysH and papsR (sulfur assimilation). Jan Vicente1, Lucas Moitinho-Silva2, Micah J. Marty3, Sven Zea4, Russell T. Hill5
As evidenced in sponge-associated microbial communities from other environments, genes implicated in (i) 1
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA. janv@hawaii.edu
Vitamin synthesis, (ii) Eukaryotic like proteins and (iii) CRISPR associated (CAS), were also identified in
2
both sponges (Fig 1B). To our best knowledge, this work is the first insight into the functional potential of The University of New South Whales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
3
sponge- associated microbial communities from the Antarctic environment, and reveals a similar metabolic Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403 USA
profile in both sponges. 4
Centro de Estudios en Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Santa Marta, Colombia
5
References Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Center for Environmental
1. M.W. Taylor, R. Radax, D. Steger, M. Wagner. MMBR (2007)71(2):295-347. Science Baltimore, MD 21202, USA
2. S. Rodríguez-Marconi, R. De la Iglesia, B. Díez, C.A. Fonseca, E. Hajdu, N. Trefault. PLoS One (2015);10(9):e0138837. Most marine sponges have evolved free-living lifestyles, with specific chemical and microbiological adapta-
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0138837. tions that help compensate for any ecological limitations. In a microbiological context sponge species have
evolved by either selecting a low microbial abundance (LMA), an intermediate abundance, or a high micro-
Do Freshwater Sponges Facilitate the Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance inWater-Borne bial abundance (HMA) of bacteria. In a chemical ecological context sponge species are either chemically de-
Enterococcus faecalis? fended, variably defended or palatable. These specific lifestyles are therefore restricted to a particular trait and
are necessary for adaptation to ecological pressures. In this study, we describe four new sponge pairs which
Allison Cartwright1, Michael Conwell2, Joerg Arnscheidt1, James Dooley2, Patrick Naughton2, Chris consist of two haplosclerid sponges associating with two homosclerophorid sponges in the Caribbean and
McGonigle1 determine whether these sponge pairs associate to offset the limitations of a free-living lifestyle. Bacterial and
1
School of Environmental Sciences, Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA sponge cell counts revealed that haplosclerid sponges are LMA sponges that live epibiotically on basibiont,
2
School of Biomedical Sciences, Ulster University, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA HMA, homosclerophorid sponges. Characterization of the microbial community using next-generation se-
Corresponding authors email address: Cartwright-A4@email.ulster.ac.uk quencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed higher diversity indices of microbial symbionts in basibiont sponges
The rise in antibiotic resistance among bacteria is currently a major healthcare concern (Berendonk et al. than epibiont sponges for three geographic locations of the Caribbean.
2005). Opportunistic pathogens which have acquired high levels of antibiotic resistance include Enterococ- Free-living individuals of the haplosclerid sponge Xestospongia deweerdtae were also analyzed and the mi-
cus faecalis (Berendonk et al. 2015; Zhang et al. 2015). E. faecalis is regularly found in aquatic ecosystems crobial community in free-living individuals showed less diversity than found in associated individuals. Rela-
polluted with faecal matter where it has the opportunity to interact with other bacterial species and aquatic tive abundance of microbial phyla in associated cases of X. deweerdtae also showed microbial OTUs belong-
organisms (Harwood et al. 2014). Freshwater sponges have been shown to concentrate bacteria through the ing to phyla found in the basibiont, homosclerophorid sponge Plakortis spp., suggesting that epibionts could
process of filtration (Kefalas et al., 2003), and could, therefore, facilitate the transfer of antibiotic resistance be acquiring symbionts from the basibiont sponge through horizontal transmission. Fish feeding assays using
genes in bacteria. crude extracts from both sponge species on two Caribbean fish species (generalist and spongivore) revealed
Laboratory experiments for the horizontal transfer of Vancomycin resistance in E. faecalis as indicated by that basibiont homosclerophorids are strongly chemically defended, X. deweerdtae is variably defended in
cultivation on antibiotic-selective plates were tested using live and dead Ephydatia fluviatilis and Spongilla la- their free- living state but always defended when associated to its homosclerophorid pair. In addition, diode-
custris. We found that sponges facilitated gene transfer of vancomycin resistance among our selected strains of array HPLC coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS/IT-TOF) of crude extracts from each
E. faecalis (Cartwright et al. in prep). The facilitation of gene transfer was similar in both species of sponges. pair showed that plakinic acids I and K are main compounds of the basibiont sponge, while trace amounts
Gene transfer occurred in both live and dead sponges. There was no significant difference in the number of were detected in the epibiont X. deweerdtae; potentially contributing to the consistent deterrence observed in
the associated lifestyle of the epibiont. Comprehensively, these results show how the two sponge species in a
72 73
pair with disparate lifestyles are likely associating opportunistically to access advantageous traits from their molecules in the sponge extracellular matrix. A third guild of symbionts may be viewed as nutritional gener-
counterpart. alists that perform largely the same metabolic pathways but lack such extraordinary numbers of the relevant
genes. This study characterizes the genomic repertoire of sponge symbionts at an unprecedented resolution
and it provides greater insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying microbial-sponge symbiosis.
The response of sponges to microbial elicitors
Lucía Pita1, Marc Höppner2, Marta Ribes3 and Ute Hentschel Humeida1, 4 Financial support by DOE JGI, by the European Commission, and by the German Excellence Initiative with
a grant to the Graduate School of Life Sciences of the University of Würzburg is gratefully acknowledged.
1
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany. lpita@geomar.de
24
ChristianAlbrechtsUniversity Kiel, Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Kiel, Germany
3
Institute of Marine Science CSIC, Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta 37-49, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Multi-primers Targeting 16S rDNA Variable Regions Essential for Sponge (Porifera)
4
ChristianAlbrechtsUniversity Kiel, ChristianAlbrechtsPlatz 4, 24118 Kiel Microbiome Study
Diverse invertebrate and vertebrate models of symbiosis suggest that host immunity is involved in the mainte- Wei Zhang1,2, Qi Yang1, 2, Christopher M.M. Franco1, 2
nance of symbiosis 1. In sponges, recent analysis of genomes and transcriptomes revealed potential receptors 1 Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development, and 2 Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of
for recognition of microorganisms 2, 3 and the presence of complete innate immune signalling pathways 4. Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, SA 5042, Australia
The functional evidence of the receptors and effectors in sponge immunity is still scarce 5. Here, we adopted Wei.Zhang@flinders.edu.au
an experimental approach followed by RNA-seq and differential gene expression in order to identify and PCR-based amplification and sequencing of 16S rRNA gene is the cornerstone molecular approach for micro-
characterize receptors and effectors involved in the sponges’ microbial pattern recognition. We focused on two biome survey of many environmental samples, which contributes greatly to our understanding of the microbial
Mediterranean species, Aplysina aerophoba and Dysidea avara, as representatives of high microbial abun- world. Amplicon-based study of sponge microbiome using Illumina platform has become the method of choice,
dance (HMA) and low microbial abundance (LMA) sponges, respectively. To study the short-term response, however exclusively sequenced only one specific 16S rDNA variable region, even with well-recognised prim-
sponges were exposed to a “cocktail” of microbial elicitors (i.e. LPS and peptidoglycan) or sterile artificial er bias problem. We demonstrated that different primers targeting different variable regions revealed vastly
seawater (control) and tissue samples were collected at three different time points. We identified differentially different parts of the microbiome, and the combination of multi-primers is essential and improves unprec-
expressed genes in treatment vs control. We further compared the reference transcriptomes to published data edentedly the microbiome coverage. This new multi-primer approach represents a philosophical, but simple
of other sponge species. By exploring the gene repertoire in an experimental approach, our data provide evi- change of conventional single primer amplicon -based microbiome study that will uncover many black-holes
dence for candidate genes that might mediate the response of sponges to microorganisms. and enhance greatly our understanding of the microbial world.
References References
1. Chu, H. & Mazmanian, S. K. Innate immune recognition of the microbiota promotes host-microbial symbiosis. Nat. Immunol. 1. Caporaso, J. G. et al. Ultra-high-throughput microbial community analysis on the Illumina HiSeq and MiSeq platforms, ISME
14, 668–75 (2013). J, 6(8), 1621-1624 (2012).
2. Hentschel, U., Piel, J., Degnan, S. M. & Taylor, M. W. Genomic insights into the marine sponge microbiome. Nat. Rev. Micro- 2. Claesson, M. J. et al. Comparison of two next-generation sequencing technologies for resolving highly complex microbiota
biol. 10, 641–54 (2012). composition using tandem variable 16S rRNA gene regions, Nucleic Acids Res., 38(22), e200 (2010).
3. Ryu, T. et al. Hologenome analysis of two marine sponges with different microbiomes. BMC Genomics 17, 158 (2016). 3. Engelbrektson, A. et al. Experimental factors affecting PCR-based estimates of microbial species richness and evenness. ISME
4. Riesgo, A., Farrar, N., Windsor, P. J., Giribet, G. & Leys, S. P. The analysis of eight transcriptomes from all Poriferan classes J., 4, 642–647 (2010).
reveals surprising genetic complexity in sponges. Mol. Biol. Evol. 31, 1102–1120 (2014). 4. Shin, J. et al. Analysis of the mouse gut microbiome using full-length 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Sci. Rep. 6, 29681;
5. Pita, L., Fraune, S. & Hentschel, U. Emerging sponge models of animal-microbe symbioses. Front. Microbiol. 7, (2016). doi: 10.1038/srep29681 (2016).
U.H.H. received financial support from the DFG (CRC1182-TPB1) and L.P. was awarded a postdoctoral fel- 5. Thomas, T. et al. Diversity, structure and convergent evolution of the global sponge microbiome. Nat. Commun. 7, 11870 doi:
lowship from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, which was sponsored by The Future Ocean Cluster. 10.1038/ncomms11870 (2016).
6. Wang, Y. and Qian, P.Y. Conservative fragments in bacterial 16S rRNA genes and primer design for 16S ribosomal DNA am-
plicons in metagenomic studies. PLoS ONE, 4, e7401 (2009).
Metagenomic binning of a marine sponge microbiome reveals unity in defense but The authors would like to thank Dr. Jason Tanner and his team in South Australian Research and Development
metabolic specialization Institute for the collection of the sponge specimens, Ms Shirley Sorokin for sponge identification; Dr. Nicola
Beate M. Slaby1, 2, Thomas Hackl3, Hannes Horn1, 2, Kristina Bayer1, Ute Hentschel1, 4* Angel in the Australian Centre for Ecogenomics of the University of Queensland for data processing and
1
consultation. This study was funded by Flinders University, the Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development.
RD3 Marine Microbiology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany. bslaby@geomar.de
This work was supported by a Chinese Scholarship Council-Ph.D. Scholarship and Flinders University-CSC
2
Dept. of Botany II, Julius-von-Sachs Institute for Biological Science, University of Würzburg, Germany Fund for Qi Yang. Wei Zhang also acknowledges the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of
3
Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA China (Grant No. 41428602).
4
Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany
Marine sponges are ancient metazoans that are populated by distinct and highly diverse microbial communi-
ties. In order to obtain deeper insights into the functional gene repertoire of the Mediterranean sponge Aply-
sina aerophoba, we combined Illumina short-read and PacBio long-read sequencing followed by un-targeted
metagenomic binning. We identified a total of 37 high-quality bins representing 11 bacterial phyla and 2
candidate phyla. Statistical comparison of symbiont genomes with selected reference genomes revealed a sig-
nificant enrichment of genes related to bacterial defense (restriction-modification systems, toxin-antitoxin sys-
tems) as well as genes involved in host colonization and extracellular matrix utilization in sponge symbionts.
A within-symbionts genome comparison revealed a nutritional specialization of at least two symbiont guilds,
where one appears to metabolize carnitine and the other sulfated polysaccharides, both of which are abundant
74 75
Single-cell measurement of metabolic interactions between a bioeroding sponge and its core taxa abundance and transient, rare taxa occurrence, and are minimally affected by variability in ambient
endosymbiotic dinoflagellates using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry. bacterioplankton communities.
Michelle Achlatis1, Mathieu Pernice3, Kathryn Green4, Ove Hoegh-Guldberg1, 2 & Sophie Dove1, 2
1
Visualization of eukaryotic-like-proteins as ring-like structures within bacteria-
Coral Reef Ecosystems Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia,
m.achlatis@uq.edu.au containing sponge cells
2
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, University of Queensland, Giampiero Batani1, Lucas Moitinho-Silva1, Martin T. Jahn2, Kristina Bayer2, Ute Hentschel2, Torsten
Brisbane, QLD, Australia Thomas1
3
Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster (C3), Faculty of Science, University of 1
Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South
Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia g.batani@student.unsw.edu.au
4
Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia 2
Marine Microbiology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, 24105, Germany
Sponges of the genus Cliona are common bioeroders that have an important ecological role in shaping reef Sponges (Porifera) are known to establish and maintain stable symbiotic associations with dense and highly
habitats and influencing seawater carbonate cycling. Some of the most aggressive clionaid species host in- diverse microbial communities (Erwin et al., 2015; Pita et al., 2016). However, it is not well understood how
tracellular dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium, which purportedly fuel the sponge with autotrophic the microbial symbionts are controlled on a molecular and cellular level and how they escape from being
energy, thereby indirectly promoting bioerosion. In contrast to cnidarian symbioses, little is known about the digested like any other food particle. Eukaryotic-like-proteins (ELPs) were recently discovered in high abun-
metabolic partnership between sponges and Symbiodinium dinoflagellates. Traditional studies have been ham- dance and expression levels in the bacterial communities of sponge (Fan et al., 2012, Díez-Vives et al. 2016)
pered by the difficulty of separating the two partners in a metabolically meaningful timeframe and without and they were subsequently been found to influence phagocytosis behavior of eukaryotic cells (Nguyen et al.,
cross-contamination. Here, we report on the use of a novel technology to study nutrient assimilation and trans- 2013; Reynolds & Thomas, 2016). Therefore, we aimed to localize ELPs inside sponge tissues to shed light
fer in the intact symbiosis between the Indo-pacific bioeroding sponge Cliona orientalis and its endosymbiotic on the poorly understood cellular mechanisms in which these proteins are involved. We studied here the cel-
alga. Combining transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry lular localization of a particular ELP (SSA4) of the ankyrin-class from an uncultured gamma-proteobacterial
(NanoSIMS), we were able to visualize and measure isotopic signatures at the individual cell level, allowing symbiont of the marine sponge Cymbastela concentrica. Using a combination of fluorescence in situ hybrid-
us to track the fate of 13C- bicarbonate and 15N-ammonium within this symbiosis. We found strong uptake of ization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on ultra-thin sponge tissue sections we obtained a picture
both inorganic sources by the symbiont cells and rapid assimilation especially of the carbon tracer. Labelled of SSA4 localization. This shows that SSA4 is present in ring-like structures around bacterial cells that reside
nutrients were translocated from the symbionts to the hosting archaeocyte cells within 6 hours, and to other within sponge cells. Such localization would be consistent with the secretion of SSA4 from engulfed bacterial
host cells within 3 days. Our findings strongly support hypotheses of metabolic interaction between the two cells and highlights the possibility that ELPs might directly interfere with structures and processes involved
partners, shedding light on the ecological advantage that photosymbiotic bioeroding sponges have in marine in phagocytosis. This information could provide new insights into the ELPs function and the molecular and
habitats. cellular processes underlying bacteria-sponge symbiosis.
Financial support by the Australian Research Council (ARC), the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef References
Studies, the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and the Holsworth Wildlife Re- 1. P.M. Erwin, R. Coma, P. López-Sendino, E. Serrano, M. Ribes, FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 91.10 (2015): fiv115.
search Endowment by Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. 2. L. Pita, S. Fraune, U. Hentschel, Frontiers in Microbiology, 7 (2016).
3. L. Fan, D. Reynolds, M. Liu, M. Stark, S. Kjelleberg, N.S. Webster, T. Thomas, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sci-
ences, 109. 27 (2012): E1878-E1887.
Temporal dynamics of sponge microbial communities
4. C. Díez-Vives, L. Moitinho-Silva, S. Nielsen, D. Reynolds, T. Thomas, Molecular Ecology (2016).
Cole G. Easson1, Robert W. Thacker2, Xavier Turon3, Patrick Erwin4, Susanna Lopez-Legentil4 5. M. THD Nguyen, M. Liu, T. Thomas, Molecular Ecology, 23.6 (2014): 1635-1645.
1
Nova Southeastern Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Dania Beach, FL. ceasson@nova.edu 6. D. Reynolds, T. Thomas, Molecular Ecology, 25.20 (2016): 5242-5253.
2
Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
3
Center for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes Girona, Spain Do symbiotic bacteria help sponges to cope with eutrophication?
4
Department of Biology and Marine Biology, Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Marta Turon1, Leire Garate1, Xavier Triadó-Margarit1, Joan Cáliz1 & Maria J.Uriz1
Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 1
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC, Accés Cala St.Francesc 14, Blanes, Girona,
Sponges host diverse symbiont communities with compositions that are largely species- specific and struc- 17300, Spain. mturon@ceab.csic.es
tured by host evolutionary history. However, little is known about how these communities vary over time
Microbes have been intimate partners of sponges since the Pre-Cambrian and can represent up to 50% in
and whether this variability is linked to the community dynamics of ambient bacterioplankton. To address
volume of the microbial-sponge holobiont. However, little is known about the role (if any) that symbiotic
this question, we sampled individuals of three closely related species of Irciniidae and ambient seawater each
bacteria may play in shaping the ecological distribution of sponge species. To address this issue, we analyzed
month for 15 (Ircinia oros) and 18 (Sarcotragus. fasciculatus, I. variabilis) months. We characterized symbi-
the associated microbiomes of the most common sponges found in Nha Trang Bay (central Vietnam), which
otic and ambient microbial communities as part of the Earth Microbiome Project using Illumina sequencing
offered at short geographical distances contrasting areas such as well-preserved coral reefs within a marine
of the 16S ribosomal subunit V4 region. Microbial taxa were grouped according to their occurrence frequency
protected area and eutrophic zones highly impacted by mariculture (Tkachenko K.S. et al 2016). Collection
(transient vs. core) and abundance (rare vs. dominant) within individual hosts over time. Our analysis revealed
of the specimens was performed by SCUBA diving along 25 m long transects, randomly placed in the two
that sponge microbial communities are stable compared to the highly dynamic bacterioplankton community
targeted habitats. The microbiome from the 20 most abundant sponge species was analyzed by throughput
in the surrounding seawater. Temporal shifts in the microbial symbiont community were largely driven by
16S-tag sequencing. After analysis, we obtained a total of 12733 bacterial OTUs (97% identity) correspond-
gains and losses of rare taxa, and decoupled from broad shifts in bacterioplankton diversity and composition.
ing to 39 bacterial phyla, with Proteobacteria (64.4%), Chloroflexi (5.1%), Acidobacteria (4.6%) and Actino-
A lesser portion of temporal variability was also driven by shifts in persistent taxa abundance. Overall, these
bacteria (4.1%) being the most abundant taxa. The structure of sponge-associated bacterial communities was
data indicate that sponge-associated microbial communities are mostly stable over time, with minor shifts in
76 77
closely related to host- species regardless of the environment. The microbiome of the most dominant spong- work Programme FP7/2007-2013/ under REA grant agreement n° 607786 (BluePharmTrain) is gratefully
es in well-preserved habitats (Aaptos suberitioides and Neofibularia hartmani) showed significantly higher acknowledged.
Shannon diversity indices than those of the dominant ones (Amphimedon sp and Clathria reinwardti) in the
eutrophic environment (Fig1). Members of the Rhodobactereacea family and Shewanella genus, which play
Microbiome Comparison Suggests Differential Involvement of Bacterial Associates in
important roles in the sulfur and carbon cycling, weresignificantly (Indicador Value: 0.7) associated to those
sponge species dominating in the eutrophic habitat. Indeed, some genus of these groups have been proposed the Carnivorous Sponges Chondrocladia grandis and Cladorhiza oxeata
for bioremediation in polluted environments due to their ability to oxidize toxic compounds that thrive in such Joost Verhoeven1 & Suzanne C. Dufour1
habitats (Fredickson 2008, Zhang 2013). The particular abundance of these bacteria in sponges adapted to live 1
Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Canada. jverhoeven@mun.ca
in eutrophic habitats points to the sponge microbiomes as drivers of sponge adaptation to get over eutrophica-
In deep-sea and arctic environments, carnivorous sponges feeding on mesoplanktonic prey could fulfill im-
tion (or other) environmental pressures.
portant ecological functions, some of which may be mediated by associated microbial communities. In this
References study, we used Illumina based high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to investigate the bacterial
1. Tkachenko K.S. et al. (2016) Influence of anthropogenic pressure and seasonal upwelling on coral reefs in Nha Trang Bay community structure (microbiome) of the carnivorous sponge Chondrocladia grandis, collected off the coast
(Central Vietnam)
of Baffin Island (N=3) and within the Gulf of Maine (N=4), and Cladorhiza oxeata (N=2) from Baffin Island.
2. Fredickson J.K. et al (2008) Towards environmental systems biology of Shewanella. Nature reviews 6: 592-603
Subsampling of sponges was performed to allow separate, inter- and intra-specimen analyses of anatomical
3. Zhang B. et al (2013) Identification of removal principles and involved bacteria in microbial fuel cells for sulfide removal and regions with predicted involvement in prey capture (sphere), support (primary and secondary axis) and benthic
electricity generation. Int J Hydrogen Energ 38: 14348-14355
substrate attachment (root, base axis).
Financial support by he Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the project MarSymbiOmics
(CTM2013-43287-P) is gratefully acknowledged. At phylum level, operational taxonomic units (OTU) were distributed amongst 33 bacterial phyla, with the
vast majority of OTUs assigned to either the Proteobacteria or Bacteroidetes. A diverse bacterial community
(Chao1: 356) was observed within C. grandis, including the most abundant Flavobacteriaceae (23%) along
Global patterns of microbial diversity and composition among three marine host types: with other families such as the Rhodobacteraceae, Halieaceae, Colwelliaceae and Hyphomonadaceae, with
sponges, corals, and ascidians minor differences within the two geographic locations. Within C. oxeata, a significantly lower diversity was
Andrea Aldas-Vargas1, Detmer Sipkema1, Hauke Smidt1 & Georg Steinert1 detected (Chao1: 229), mainly dominated by Flavobacteriaceae (~62% relative abundance).
1
Laboratory of Microbiology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands georg.steinert@wur.nl Sediment-associated anatomical regions in C. grandis generally showed a high diversity (Chao1: 262), where-
as other regions displayed a more restricted, lower diversity community (Chao1: 47 - 144). No large scale
Marine sponges, corals, and ascidians constitute three taxonomically different holobiont groups, which are
difference in diversity were seen amongst regions within C. oxeata. Within C. grandis, enrichment of specific
well-known to host dense and diverse microbial communities. All three groups are acknowledged sources of
bacterial genera within root and sphere regions was detected. Notably, significant increases of the chitin hy-
bioactive natural products, some of which are potentially of microbial origin. While these animals are phylo-
drolysis enabling Colwellia and Reichenbachiella (log2 fold-change of 2.5 and 6.8) within trapping spheres
genetically vastly different, often they share the same habitats along with similar lifestyle traits, such as filter
could indicate a dependency on bacteria to degrade prey exoskeleton-associated chitin. Furthermore, enrich-
feeding or being sessile. However, normally the majority of studies investigating patterns of host-associated
ment of the genera Robiginitomaculum and Mycobacterium (log2 fold-change of 2.1 and 4.9) in root samples
microbial community diversity and composition solely focus on one of the three holobiont groups. This in-
could indicate that C. grandis supplements its carnivorous diet with the bacterial degradation of environmental
evitably leaves a great number of available independent 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets that encompass in
hydrocarbons. This hypothesis was corroborated by the observation of a significant decrease in δ13C isotope
theory a much larger common history of host-symbiont evolution.
ratios within C. grandis specimens sampled in areas with suspected hydrocarbon presence (Gulf of Maine).
Here we present, for the first time, an integrative processing and analysis approach across these three groups No significant bacterial taxon enrichments were detected in different anatomical regions of C. oxeata, possibly
of marine holobionts to tackle this so far untouched potential of individual datasets from multiple studies, indicating a divergent carnivorous strategy with less reliance on bacterial symbionts.
comprising different host taxonomies, geographic locations, sequencing technologies, and primer regions.
This study highlights the remarkable microbiome diversity of two carnivorous sponge genera, and the poten-
Prokaryotic host- associated communities were analysed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon datasets from 41
tial for these sponges to be intrinsically involved in deep-sea food webs through microbiome specialization.
publications, accounting for 492 samples almost evenly distributed among various sponge, coral, and ascidian
taxa. The general aim was to investigate the global prokaryotic diversity and composition distribution among This project was funded by ArcticNet, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and
those three holobiont groups. For instance, with 56 associated prokaryotic phyla sponges represent an intrigu- the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
ing host- taxon that harbours many marine bacteria and archaea, while at the genus level, corals exhibited
the most host-specific taxa among those three host groups (Figure 1). At the class level several Proteobacte- Searching for bacterial genes involved in the symbiosis between sponges and calcifying
ria differentially dominated the three host types, with Alphaproteobacteria highly abundant in ascidians and
Gammaproteobacteria mainly present in corals. Sponges, in turn, exhibited also very abundant assemblages
endosymbiotic bacteria
of Chloroflexi members. Furthermore, Synechococcus spp., Ruegeria spp., and Endozoicomonas spp. were the Leire Garate1, Rüdiger Ortiz-Álvarez1 & Maria J. Uriz1
most abundant genera associated with sponges, corals, and ascidians, respectively. 1
Department of Marine Ecology, Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Girona, Spain lgarate@ceab.csic.es
Additionally, the variance in prokaryotic community composition was analysed by fourfactors: (1) host type Uriz et al.1 reported that the calcareous spherules observed in Hemimycale columella were produced or me-
(i.e., sponge, coral, or ascidian), (2) host taxonomy (at host-genus level) (3) amplicon region, (4) publication. diated by calcifying bacteria (calcibacteria). Later, pyrosequencing analyses revealed that they belonged to
It was shown that the most influential factor regarding the microbial distribution was the host taxonomy, while Alpha-proteobacteria class, the most abundant bacteria in H. columella tissues2. Recently, this type of endo-
the weakest correlation was observed for the host type. This indicates that marine prokaryotic host- symbiont symbiotic calcifying bacteria was identified in several sponge species, geographically apart, as well as in sea-
interactions may be highly specific to individual host taxa regardless of higher evolutionary relationships. water and cnidarians3. It has also been reported that calcifying bacteria are actively transported to the sponge
Financial support by the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union’s Seventh Frame- periphery by sponge cells and accumulated at the sponge periphery3 forming a kind of rudimentary exoskel-
eton. The several calcibacteria found form a monophyletic clade within the SAR116. However, the metabolic
78 79
10th World Sponge Conference Biomaterials & Biomolecules
patterns of calcibacteria and the potential mechanisms ending in bacteria calcification remained unexplored. Biomaterials & Biomolecules
To gather understanding on the symbiosis functioning we investigate the bacteria genome and thus their main
metabolic pathways. We sequenced the genome of a single calcibacterium isolated from H. columella using
The Potential of Biosynthetic Products from Sponges and Sponge-derived Gram-
whole genome amplification and sequencing techniques, and compare the results with the genomes of three
SAR116 bacteria from the IMG/M. Preliminary results showed a high abundance of genes coding for calcium- negative Bacteria to Open New Research Horizons
related proteins. Comparisons with the other SAR116 genomes revealed significant differences in metabolic Phillip Crews and Co-workers
patterns between the calcibacterium (L11) and the other SAR116 representatives (Fig. 1), which make the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California at Santa Cruz, USA
calcibacterium metabolically singular. Current research attempts to go deeper on the unknown metabolisms,
The marine natural products program begun at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC) many decades ago has a rich history
which appear particularly characteristic of calcibacteria, with a particular focus on identification of metabolic
and continued promise for future significant discoveries. Our repository contains approximately 4,000 extracts
paths potentially related with calcification processes.
from tropical marine sponges, more than 500 strains of marine Gram-negative derived bacteria, plus more than
References 1,100 purified natural product compounds. The goal to obtain unique molecules from sponge biota derived by
1. MJ. Uriz, G. Agell, A. Blanquer, X. Turon, EO. Casamayor. Evolution 66 (2012) 2993–2999. investigating biodiverse regions of Oceania has been rewarding. It continues to be the driving force for all of
2. A. Blanquer, MJ. Uriz, PE. Galand. Environ. Microbiol. 15 (2013) 3008–3019. the ongoing projects in the field and in the laboratory. Our continuing collaboration with Indonesian Scientists
3. L. Garate, J. Sureda, G. Agell, MJ. Uriz. Sci. Rep. (2017) in press. constitutes another cornerstone for the various ongoing projects.
Financial support by MARSYMBIOMICS project (Spanish MINECO, CTM2013 43287-P), BluePharmTrain My lecture will begin with a brief summary of past achievements involving the bengamides, which are dual
(FP7 People-INT, Ref. 2013- 667786) and Grup Consolidat SGR-120, to MJU is gratefully acknowledged. marine sponge – microbial products. This prelude will underscore the continuing value and challenge of
developing sponge natural products as therapeutic leads. Of wide interest is the goal to obtain and culture
marine-derived microorganisms that are able to produce, during sustained culture, compounds that have been
repeatedly isolated from sponges. A status report of work in this area will be discussed. Contemporary strate-
gies employing NMR and MS data provide the key to crisp approaches for structure elucidations and rapid
compound dereplications. We will provide examples of these results involving: (a) NMR, focused on the so
called “Crews Rule,” pertaining to compounds with H/C<1, and (b) MS, using the emerging Dorrestein –
Alexandrov GNPS informatics strategy. Finally, results from our collaboration with Prof. F. Valeriote (Ford
Cancer Center) will be highlighted, which involve PANC-1 selective nM cytotoxins obtained from sponge
samples housed in our repository.
Identification of calcareous sponge spicule matrix proteins

Benedetta Fradusco 1, Sofia Fortunato 2, Maja Adamska 3, David J Miller 2, Marcin Adamski 3 & Oliver
Voigt 1
1 Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität Munich, Paleontology and Geobiology, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. b.fradusco@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
2 ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
3 Research School of Biology, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Canber-
ra, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton ACT 2601, Australia
How animals influence the formation and shape of their skeletal elements is not well understood. In eukary-
otes, the biologically controlled deposition of calcium carbonate minerals is always associated with an organic
matrix. This organic matrix plays essential roles in the nucleation, morphology, growth rate and local inhibi-
tion of mineral crystal deposition within the matrix, but its composition remains unclear. A number of proteins
rich in aspartic acid and/or asparagine have been previously identified as components of the organic matrix of
calcareous sponge spicules, and influenced the crystallographic properties of precipitating calcite in vitro. Re-
cent work in our laboratory has led to the identification of a number of acidic matrix proteins that are produced
only during specific stages of spicule formation, but until now the full complement of spicule matrix proteins
has remained unknown. The study presented here combined transcriptomic and proteomic approaches with the
aim of comprehensively characterizing the spicular matrix composition of calcareous sponges. The ultimate
goal of this work is to understand the general rules of biomineralization that apply across the Metazoa.
Financial support by the German Research Foundation (DFG, Project VO 2238/1-1) is gratefully acknowl-
edged.
80 81
10th World Sponge Conference Biomaterials & Biomolecules
Poriferan Chitin as a Universal Template for Extreme Biomimetics References
1. Sullivan, B.; Djura, P.; McIntyre, D. E.; Faulkner, D. J., Antimicrobial constituents of the sponge siphonodictyon coralliph-
Marcin Wysokowski1, Iaroslav Petrenko2, Teofil Jesionowski1 & Hermann Ehrlich2 agum. Tetrahedron 1981, 37 (5), 979-982.
1
Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland.
Conference presenter: marcin.wysokowski@put.poznan.pl Taxonomic Identification, immunopharmacological and toxicological study of Haliclona
2
Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Germany (Soestella) sp: A novel marine sponge species from Sri Lanka
Biomimetic approaches with respect to inorganic and biological macromolecules are a driving force in de- V.K. Gunathilake 1, M. Bertolino 1, G. Bavestrello 1, W.D. Ratnasooriya 1, D. de Silva 3 & P.V. Udagama
velopment of novel advanced composite materials which exhibit unique structural, electronic, photonic, and 1
catalytic properties. In particular, the 2D and 3D architectures that incorporate nanoorganized biocomposites
1
are of fundamental interest for applications in nanotechnology and bio-inspired materials science. Crucial step Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka,
2
in biomimetic synthesis is selection of proper biomacromolecules that will permit for controlled synthesis of Department of Earth Sciences of the Environment and Life, University of Genoa, Corso Europa, 26, 16132, Genoa Italy
various bioinspired architectures. Recently, we promoted new scientific direction termed Extreme Biomimet- 3
Department of Chemistry, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
ics. This is new vibrant area of science based on mineralization and metallization of selected biopolymers un- Marine organisms are a remarkable source of secondary metabolites that are biologically active molecules
der hydrothermal conditions in vitro. These extreme conditions mimic natural biomineralization that occurs in with potential therapeutic usage. The present study investigated the taxonomic identification and comprehen-
submarine hydrothermal vents, and allows insight into the principles that govern this phenomenon. The key to sive immunopharmacological and toxicological study on Haliclona (Soestella) sp, presumably a novel marine
Extreme Biomimetics is utilization of specific biomacromolecules with high thermal and chemical stability. sponge species from Sri Lankan marine waters.
Practically all representatives of extremophile fauna contain chitin as the main structural component of their
skeletons. This aminopolysaccharide is stable, even up to 400 °C and this property pave the way for utilization Sponge material was harvested from Unawatuna, Galle, Sri Lanka, identified as Haliclona (Soestella) sp.
of this biopolymer as structural organic template for hydrothermal deposition of various metal oxides. The These were extracted with methanol/dichloromethane, filtered and rota-vapoured to obtain Haliclona (Soes-
unique evolutionarily optimized 3D morphology of chitin isolated from marine sponges makes an opportunity tella) sp sponge crude extract (HSCE). Appropriate doses were prepared by diluting HSCE in 5% ethanol.
for creation of 3D chitin-based inorganic organic composites attractive for various applications. In vivo and ex vivo immunomodulatory tests of HSCE were carried out using adult male Wistar rat and adult
male ICR mice models. Antioxidant activity of the HSCE was tested by in vitro assays using DPPH, SO, NO
Here utilization of poriferan chitin in Extreme Biomimetic creation of nanostructured bioinspired materials is and ABTS radicals and in vivo NO radical scavenging assay. In vitro cancer chemo preventive activity was
presented. Our experimental results show with strong evidence that selected chitinous scaffolds of poriferan assessed using human laryngeal (Hep-2) carcinoma cell line followed by a toxicological evaluation including
origin might be used as highly structured biological templates in a broad variety of hydrothermal synthesis in in vivo general, haemo, hepato, renal toxicity and stress parameters. Chemical characterization of the active
vitro. Here, we represent several novel approaches for the design of ZrO2-, SiO2-, GeO2-, ZnO-, and Fe2O3- compounds present in HSCE was also evaluated.
based and chitin-containing biocomposites under specific hydrothermal conditions. By detailed characteriza-
tion of these composite materials using a variety of advanced analytical techniques (FT-IR, Raman spectros- The HSCE possesses immunosuppressive, immunostimulant and acute anti-inflammatory properties in Wistar
copy, XPS, NEXAFS, HR-TEM with SAED and FFT) we prove that Extreme Biomimetics is on the rise as rat and ICR mice models. Immunosupression was evident in the following tested parameters: in vivo WBC,
a powerful approach for the design of a new generation of advanced 3D nanostructured inorganic–organic WBC DC, platelet, bone marrow cell and splenocyte counts, ex vivo immune cell proliferation and cytokine
materials with complex morphology and unique physicochemical production. Nonetheless, the HSCE showed immunostimulation with respect to in vitro phagocytic capac-
ity of rat peritoneal macrophages. The HSCE showed potent anti-inflammatory activity against acute phase
References oedema as revealed by the Carrageenan induced paw oedema and suppression of pro inflammatory cytokine
1. H. Ehrlich, Extreme Biomimetics, Springer International Publishing (2017) Cham, Stitzerland. production. Both anti- radical activity on quenching DPPH radicals and in vivo NO scavenging activity of the
2. M. Wysokowski, I. Petrenko, A.L. Stelling, D. Stawski, T. Jesionowski, H. Ehrlich Polymers 7 (2015) 235-265. HSCE established its antioxidant properties. Toxicological evaluation confirmed that the HSCE was devoid of
Financial support by PUT research grant 03/32/DSPB/0706/2017 is gratefully acknowledged. general toxicity, and hepato and reno- toxic effects. Conversely, the HSCE was moderately haematotoxic and
stressogenic. The HSCE showed marked cytotoxic effect by inhibition of proliferation of Hep-2 cell line, at
Five new siphonodictyals from Caribbean Sponge Siphonodictyon coralliphagum an IC50 value of 19.63 µg/mL. The chloroform fraction of the HSCE also showed anti proliferative activity of
Hep-2 at IC50 value of 29.52 µg/mL.
Daria Firsova, 1 Kevin Calabro, 1 Grégory Genta-Jouve, 2 Thierry Pérez, 3 & Olivier P. Thomas1
In conclusion, Haliclona (Soestella) sp., demonstrated immunosuppressant, immunostimulant, acute anti in-
1
School of Chemistry, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland. D.firsova1@nuigalway.ie flammatory, antioxidant and anti cancer properties with associated moderate haematotoxic and stressogenic
2
Université Paris Descartes, équipe C-TAC, COMETE UMR 8638 CNRS, 4 avenue de l’observatoire, 75006 Paris, France. effects.
3
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, IMBE UMR 7263 CNRS / IRD / Aix Marseille Uni-
Financial support by Higher Education for the Twenty first Centaury (HETC) project, (SJP/O-AS/N1) and the
versité / Avignon Université. Station Marine d’Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka is acknowledged.
The sponge Siphonodictyon coralliphagum is a common sponge of the Caribbean region and it is most often
found burrowing living coral while only an oscule part of the sponge is protruding from it (Fig. 1). Due to its
interesting ecological behaviour and relative ease of access S. coralliphagum has been previously chemically Deep-sea discovery – deep-sea sponges as a source of novel biologics
studied leading to the discovery of new sesquiterpenes named siphonodictyals among others.1 Herein we re- Mathew Upton 1, Arif Felek1, Garry Farnham1, Kerry L. Howell2
port the isolation and structure elucidation of five new siphonodictyal derivatives (Fig. 1). All isolated com- 1
School of Biomedical & Healthcare Sciences, Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and
pounds contain one tetra- or pentasubstituted benzaldehyde moiety linked to the sesquiterpene. Interestingly
Dentistry, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK. mathew.upton@plymouth.ac.uk
the connection with the terpene parts is observed at the different positions of the aldehyde and the terpene
2
cores are highly diverse. Absolute configurations were determined by comparison between experimental and Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA
theoretical data of 13C NMR and Circular Dichroism. Natural product screening methods are still arguably the most efficient way to identify highly novel antibiot-
ics, which are now an urgently needed resource. Marine invertebrates have been identified as one of the most
82 83
10th World Sponge Conference Ecology
promising natural sources for future antibiotics. Sponges are, perhaps, the most prolific source of natural Ecology
products with more than 7, 000 bioactive compounds identified. Existing research has focused on shallow
water species, but much of the world’s biodiversity is located in deep-sea regions and the potential resource
Sponge resilience and susceptibility to current and future anthropogenic impacts
that exists within this ecosystem is largely unexplored. We investigated antimicrobial activity in cultivable
bacteria from two deep sea sponge species. Hexactinellid sponges were collected from between 700 and James Bell
1400m depth in the North Atlantic Ocean (Rockall Trough). Harvested bacteria were cultured using modified School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Po Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
Zobell Marine Agar and NH4 minimal medium at 4oC and 16oC and tested for antimicrobial activity using the Major changes are occurring throughout the oceans as a result of anthropogenic impacts that are altering eco-
simultaneous antagonism assay. Draft genome sequencing of inhibitor producing bacteria was conducted. Of systems and changing the way that they function. Such changes are only likely to intensify as the impacts of
the 85 bacterial colonies recovered from the sponge samples, 10 (12%) were inhibitor producers and two of global climate change become more widely felt. In tropical systems there continues to be a general decline
these are highly novel strains. Strain EU2 (Gram positive rod) and EU4 (Gram positive spiral rod) are active in coral cover and there’s increasing evidence to support major collapses of reef building coral populations
against Gram positive bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus (EU4 only). Over 92% of the sequence reads in response to ocean warming and acidification. However, such coral declines may provide opportunities for
for both strains map to unclassified species (~6% are related to the Bacillaceae family). In silico analysis of other non-coral organisms, such as sponges. While individual sponge responses to environmental stressors
the genome sequence data combined with mass spectrometric data, will facilitate rapid identification of the are unsurprisingly variable, there is an increasing body of evidence showing that some sponges are more re-
potentially novel agents produced by these strains. The two new bacterial species discovered here are likely to silient than corals to specific stressors. In this talk I will begin with a review of the global conservation status
be producing novel antimicrobials, some with activity towards clinically relevant bacteria. The sponges being of sponges, and discuss the variability in the resilience and susceptibility of sponges to environmental stress.
examined represent a unique and potentially rich source of novel biodiversity to help address the urgent need I will then describe some of my group’s recent work looking at the impacts of local scale stressors on tropi-
for new antibiotics. cal sponges including long-term changes in sponge assemblage structure. I will describe our work on a now
Financial support from the EUROFLEETS2 programme and Plymouth University is gratefully acknowledged. sponge-dominated reef in Indonesia, particularly focusing on the mechanisms by which some sponges are able
to tolerate conditions no longer suitable for coral. I will then focus on future coral reefs and describe how reefs
might function if sponges are as tolerant to ocean warming and acidification as current experimental evidence
Value-Added in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials from Freshwater Sponges predicts. If the current decline on coral reefs is not halted and reversed then future coral reefs will look very
Nisit Ruengsawang1, Petch Suthiporn1, Wilailak Chuchuay2, Narumon Sangpradub3 & Renata different and therefore it is important to explore how they might function and their potential to provide eco-
Manconi4 systems services.
1
Division of Biology, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep, Bangkok, Thailand nisit.r@rmutk.ac.th Financial support by the Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund, Victoria University of Wellington, The
2
Division of Industrial Product Development, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep, Bangkok, Thailand Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, and Operation Wallacea, are gratefully acknowledged.
3
Department of Biology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
4
Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy Genomic approach to the evolutionary history and population structure of Dendrilla
Biodiversity surveys of freshwater sponges in Northeast Thailand shown that sponges were commonly found antarctica Topsent, 1905 (Porifera, Demospongiae) from southern ocean shallow waters
in cage of fish culture in rivers and reservoirs. These filter feeders clogged the nets and limited water circula-
Carlos Leiva1, 2, Sergi Taboada2, David Combosch3, Gonzalo Giribet3 & Ana Riesgo2
tion in and out the cages. After fish harvesting, cages were cleaned of freshwater sponges by air-drying for
1
cage maintenance. Therefore, the aims of this research project were to utilize freshwater sponges from net Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. clei-
cleaning of tilapia cage culture as biological materials for pottery production and to increase the value-added vama@gmail.com
2
in Thai pottery. Appropriated ratio of mixture clay including clay, sand and siliceous spicules of freshwater Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum of London, London, UK
sponges, Corvospongilla, were tested for shrinkage and strength of pottery. New designed products were cre- 3
Museum of Comparative Zoology, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard
ated for value-added from traditional products. Prototype products were tested and consumer willingness to University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
pay for sponge pottery was also examined.
1. R. Manconi, N. Ruengsawang, V. Vannachak, C. Hanjavanit, N. Sangpradub, R. Pronzato, J. Limno. 3320 (2013) 313-326. 1. A. L. Allcock, J. M. Strugnell, Trends Ecol. Evol. 29(9) (2012) 520-528.
2. N. Ruengsawang, N. Sangpradub, C. Hanjavanit, R. Manconi, Zootaxa. 3320 (2012) 47-55. 2. A. Riesgo et al. Heredity 117(2016) 427-39.
3. S. K. Mcintosh, K. C. MacDonald. J. Field Archaeol. 16 (1989) 489–494. 3. A. Riesgo, S. Taboada, C. Avila. Marine Genomics 31 (2015) 23:1-3.
This work was financial support by Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep. Financial support by Funding by DISTANTCOM project (CTM2013-42667/ANT; Ministry of Economy and
Competitiveness of Spain) and internal FAS (Harvard) funds to GG is acknowledged.
84 85
Population connectivity of an abyssal sponge across the Clarion Clipperton Zone that these ecosystems may be especially vulnerable and worthy of greater attention. This study uses an in-
(Central Pacific) tegrated modelling approach to explore the hydrographic fragmentation of aggregations of Pheronema car-
penteri (Wyville Thomson, 1869). A published habitat suitability model [1], supported by preliminary tar-
Sergio Taboada1, Ana Riesgo1, Helena Wiklund1, Gordon L.J. Paterson1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Andrew geted groundtruthing, forms the basis of our understanding of habitat extent and geographic fragmentation.
C. Dale2, Thomas G. Dahlgren3, 4 & Adrian G. Glover1 Although little is known of P. carpenteri’s reproductive methods, several simulations assuming planktonic
1
Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, UK larval dispersal offer a suite of optimistic predictions for their dispersal potential. Simulations used two dif-
sergiotab@gmail.com ferent simulation methods, the connectivity modeling system (CMS) takes a semi-individual based modelling
2
Scottish Marine Institute, The Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, UK approach, while the marine geospatial ecology tools (MGET) simulates the diffusion of a cloud of larvae.
3
Uni Research, Bergen, Norway The global hydrodynamic model HYCOM underpins both models but is allowed to simulate bottom tracking
4 larvae, and passive dispersal. Simulations are run with planktonic larval durations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50
Department of Marine Sciences, Universty of Gothenburg, Sweden
days. Dispersal simulations suggested that after 1 day a maximum of 1.6% of the wider habitat extent could
The abyssal sponge Axinellida sp. nov. is a demosponge endemic to the Clarion- Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in be reached, 5days 3.8%, 10 days 6.6%, 20days 14.1%, 30days 21.2% and 50days 36.2% (minimum 17.9%).
the North East Pacific, a region that has recently become economically viable as a source of polymetallic However all simulations, even run over 50 days, fail to connect the known populations in the (unprotected)
nodules [1]. Axinellida sp. nov. encrusts on these nodules and is an abundant component of the ecosystem Porcupine Seabight to those in the (partially protected) Hatton Rockall Basin, Rosemary Bank, or the historic
at these depths. As a sessile filter-feeding organism it thus represents an excellent potential model species to northern Rockall Trough ‘Holtenia grounds’ (unprotected). As very little of the existing international MPA
assess the impact of mining operations through the study of its population connectivity and the investigation network protects any of these predicted or known aggregations (~3% of the predicted habitat extent is pro-
of its biogeographic patterns (from local to large spatial scales) within the CCZ. Our aim was to describe the tected), P. carpenteri aggregations may be especially vulnerable to disturbance. More targeted exploration
population connectivity and dispersal capabilities of this keystone sponge using a total of 168 individuals col- is necessary to establish the true extent of these habitats, and observational searches within the footprints of
lected from four different areas across the CCZ, including the Area of Particular Environmental Interest- 6 different simulated dispersal clouds could improve our understanding of this VME’s survival potential, par-
(APEI-6), two sites in the adjacent mining exploration contract area UK1 (UK1-A and UK1-B), and one in ticularly in areas where bottom trawling is permitted.
the Ocean Mineral Singapore reserved area (OMS1). A total of 30 sampling stations ranging from 4, 012–4,
258 m deep were studied, with stations at APEI-6 more than 800 km apart from the exploration contract areas, References
while stations within the exploration areas being separated 10s to 100s km. To achieve our goal we used the 1. Ross, R.E., Howell, K.L., Divers. Distrib. 19 (2013) 433-445.
mitochondrial cytochrome c oxydase I (COI) and 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers newly developed using Financial support by Plymouth University is gratefully acknowledged.
an Illumina MiSeq sequencing approach. COI showed very low genetic variability with only two haplotypes
observed in individuals ca. 800 km apart. Analysis based on microsatellites showed that sponges at most of the Genetic structure patterns in Atlanto-Mediterranean sponges: environmental factors
sites showed significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium, which appears to be common in other
and biological features driving connectivity in scenarios with mass-mortalities
sponge studies as well as on many other marine benthic invertebrates [see 2]. Two genetically homogeneous
clusters with no clear pattern of geographic subdivision were inferred using the program STRUCTURE. In- Ana Riesgo1, Rocío Pérez-Portela2, Sergio Taboada1, Lucía Pita3, Patrick M. Erwin4, Paolo Melis5,
terestingly, one of these clusters grouped together samples from APEI-6 and UK1-A, which showed greater Joana R. Xavier6, Susanna López-Legentil4
molecular affinity amongst them than with samples collected from 10s of km apart. Discriminant Analysis of 1
Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK.
Principal Components corroborated STRUCTURE results and also indicated that OMS1, the most southern- A.Riesgo@nhm.ac.uk
most area, is significantly different from the other two areas studied in the UK1 mining exploration contract 2
Present address: Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL
areas. Due to the presumed lack of physical barriers in the abyssal CCZ, we suggest that the molecular connec- 33149, USA
tivity observed for Axinellida sp. nov. might be explained by oceanographic currents. In this sense, we provide 3
GEOMAR Helmholtz Center for Ocean Research, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany
and discuss near-bottom dispersal models using flow simulations from the HYCOM model. In the light of our 4
Department of Biology & Marine Biology, and Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 5600 Mar-
results, we suggest future scenarios for the preservation of the genetic diversity of Axinellida sp. nov. vin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409, USA
References 5
Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona. Avda. Diagonal 643, 08028
1. Wedding et al. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 280 (2013) 20131684. Barcelona, Spain
2. Riesgo et al. Heredity 117 (2016) 427-439. 6
Financial support by MIDAS project is gratefully acknowledged. Norway
In the past decade, several mass mortality events, resulting from anomalously high seawater temperature, were
Considering Habitat Fragmentation and Dispersal Potential: How Pheronema reported in Mediterranean rocky benthic communities, particularly gorgonians and sponges. From a genetic
point of view, such events may lead to a reduction in population sizes (bottleneck), and consequently to an
carpenteri Aggregations May Be Particularly Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems overall reduction in genetic diversity, which may decrease species resilience to environmental stressors or
Rebecca E. Ross 1, Edward J.G. Wort2, Kerry L. Howell1 perturbations and their potential for recovery [1]. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity, structure,
1
School of Biology & Marine Science, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK.
historical demography and connectivity of two common Mediterranean species, Ircinia fasciculata and Petro-
Rebecca.Ross@plymouth.ac.uk sia ficiformis, and assessed whether their biological traits have an influence on their population differentiation.
2 We genotyped 189 individuals from 12 populations in the Mediterranean for I. fasciculata and 298 individuals
Ocean & Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton
from 19 populations across the Atlanto-Mediterranean distribution of P. ficiformis with 14 and 10 microsat-
Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, UK
ellites, respectively. While all the populations for I. fasciculata were found in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium,
At present UK and Irish offshore conservation efforts are identifying Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) most of the P. ficiformis populations deviated from it. Significant genetic differentiation based on FST values
for protection with a dominant focus on cold water coral reefs. While deep sponge aggregations are a ‘listed’ was found between 90% of the populations of I. fasciculata and all populations of P. ficiformis. Genetic dif-
VME, and have had a couple of MPAs designated primarily for their protection, there is some evidence
86 87
ferences were not caused by isolation by geographical distance. In general, similar barriers to gene flow were The environment selects? Using marine lakes as laboratories of ecology & evolution
detected for both sponge populations, although the Almeria-Oran front was the strongest one for I. fasciculata,
Leontine Becking1 & Marine Lakes Team1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
while the Atlantic barriers in the Macaronesian archipelagos were the most important ones for P. ficiformis.
1
Bottlenecks were detected only in Mediterranean populations of both species. The high levels of population Marine Animal Ecology group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
differentiation and inbreeding observed for P. ficiformis may be driven by its crawling larva, which has less Lisa.becking@wur.nl
potential for dispersal than the free-swimming larva of I. fasciculata. Hybridization between I. fasciculata and 2
Computational Genomics Resource Laboratory California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California Berke-
I. variabilis enhanced recovery of genetic diversity in populations experiencing a recent bottleneck due to a ley USA
mass-mortality event. Overall, our results show that the genetic structure and diversity of common Mediter- 3
Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, USA
ranean sponges inhabiting similar habitats is shaped by different factors acting at different levels. 4
CESAM, University of Aveiro, Portugal
5
References Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
1. R. Frankham. Genetics and extinction. Biol. Conserv. 126(2005) 131-140. 6
Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
Funding by the Spanish Government project MARSYMBIOMICS CTM2013-43287-P and the Catalan Gov- 7
Marine Life Conservation Unit, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Biak, Papua, Indonesia
ernment grant 2014SGR-336 for Consolidated Research Groups is gratefully acknowledged. 8
Research Center for Oceanography, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jakarta, Indonesia
9
Marine and Fisheries Department, University of Papua (UNIPA), Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia
Limited connectivity promotes cryptic speciation in Tethya spp. Recent marine invertebrate studies in the Coral Triangle show population structure & species turnover on
Megan R. Shaffer*, Simon K. Davy*, James J. Bell* small spatial scales. These findings indicate that isolating mechanisms at small spatial scales may play an
important role in forming the spatial patterns of both genetic diversity within species and species diversity
* School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand
within communities. Isolation can be due to physical barriers or distance, irrespective of environment, and
Megan.Shaffer@vuw.ac.nz
due to different environmental regimes. A key issue is that environmental data is generally spatially structured
Determining patterns of connectivity in marine organisms is often difficult because hydrographical barriers to at multiple scales, thereby clouding the ultimate causes of divergence and differentiation. Here we use the
gene flow can be complex and the larval dispersal abilit ies of many species are poorly understood. The recent clearly defined spatio-temporal context of marine lakes – islands of sea - to study the nature of assembly of
use of molecular tools, however, has allowed complicated patterns of gene flow to be better resolved. Here, marine communities over ecological and evolutionary timescales. By comparing marine lakes, with compa-
we use mitochondrial and nuclear microsatellite markers to examine connectivity of golf ball sponges (Tethya rable ages and sizes, but varying degrees of connection to the open sea and differing environmental regimes
spp.) in New Zealand, which reproduce both sexually and asexually. Sponges matching the morphological (temperature, salinity, pH), we are testing the relative contribution of selective environments versus stochastic
description for the genus Tethya burtoni were collected from locations in southern, central and northern New processes in the formation of sponge biodiversity patterns.
Zealand. Microsatellite markers revealed potential cryptic speciation within T. burtoni, where two genetically
distinct groups were found within what was formally described as one species. For one of the genetically dis- We will present preliminary data of our international project on multiple sponge lineages across the marine
tinct groups, strong population structure was observed bet ween five populations within central New Zealand, lake model system in Indonesia based on 1. current species diversity within lake assemblages and adjacent
with a high occurrence of asexual clones found within populations. What was thought to be T. burtoni, col- seas, 2. phylogenetic community analysis, 3. population genomics (RADSeq), 4. historic species diversity
lected from northern and southern New Zealand, failed to amplify the panel of microsatellite loci, possibly due since formation of the lakes (6000-10000 year before the present) using sediment cores. Preliminary results
to changes in base composition at primer sites, and suggests an even higher degree of cryptic speciation within show that at larger spatial scales (<200km) stochastic mechanisms of dispersal limitation play a major role
the species. To investigate this further, phylogenetic analyses was performed on mitochondrial sequences for while at smaller spatial scales (30 km) varied environments can lead to rapid divergence and differentiation
different Tethya samples from across New Zealand, which revealed more genetically distinct groups in the of sponge biodiversity. At small spatial scales, we found that environmental filtering plays a greater role in
genus than previously recorded across New Zealand. Our findings suggest that there is restricted gene flow gradients of geneflow and species turnover than the degree of physical connection of the lake to the sea. Harsh
between populations of T. burtoni, where divergence may occur quickly due to high incidences of clones. The environments resulted in low species diversity within communities, yet high genetic divergence in popula-
limited connectivity between populations may further promote cryptic speciation and explains the complex tions. At small spatial scales the formation of sponge biodiversity patterns was largely shaped by deterministic
genetic relationships found within Tethya spp. processes related to environment, though priority effects during initial colonization will be further tested using
sediment cores.
Financial support by The Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research ALW-VENI (#863.14.020), INNO-
WWF Subsidy, Ecology Fund KNAW, National Geographic Explorer Grant, Rufford Foundation is gratefully
acknowledged.
Sponges of the Marianas: Initial Observations of Newly Collected Specimens

Shirley A. Pomponi1, Christopher Kelley2, Diva Amon2, Kasey Cantwell3, Kelley Elliott3, Deborah
Glickson1, 4, Patricia Fryer2
1
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL USA
spomponi@fau.edu
2
University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hawaii USA
3
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, Silver Spring, Maryland USA
4
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, Washington, DC USA
The Porifera fill critical ecologic niches in many marine environments, however, we still understand little
88 89
about deep-water sponge taxa, particularly in remote regions. From April to July 2016, an interdisciplinary Deep-sea Sponge Grounds of the North Atlantic: State of the Knowledge, Recent
team investigated the biology and geology of the waters of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mari- Advances and Outlook
ana Islands (CNMI) and the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. Sponsored by the U.S. National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the telepresence-enabled NOAA ship Okeanos Explorer Joana R Xavier1, Ellen Kenchington2, Shirley A Pomponi3, Hans Tore Rapp1
collected critical baseline information from a variety of deep-water habitats to provide a foundation of pub- 1
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box
licly available data for resource managers and the global science community. Telepresence capabilities en- 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
abled active, real-time participation from scientists worldwide, complementing and expanding the knowledge Joana.Xavier@uib.no
of the ship-based science leads which facilitated an improved initial characterization of dive locations. Many 2
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
of the sponges observed and collected are likely to be new species or new records of occurrence, including 3
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA
several rare and unusual cladorhizids. This presentation will highlight the exciting sponge discoveries from
Sponge-dominated habitats known as sponge grounds, aggregations, gardens and reefs are widely distributed
the 2016 Deepwater Exploration of the Marianas expedition. In an effort to quickly disseminate new informa-
at all depths in the World’s oceans. Although increasingly recognized as ecologically and biologically impor-
tion and to catalyze future research, sponge samples have been tentatively identified and are publicly avail-
tant and vulnerable marine habitats, sponge grounds are still underrepresented in research and conservation
able. Specimens are archived at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History Research
agendas.
and Collections and the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum and are available for study. Oceanographic data and
high-resolution imagery from the expedition are also publicly available through NOAA’s National Center for Here, we review the current knowledge of the diversity, distribution, and function of the deep-sea sponge
Environmental Information. grounds of the North Atlantic. We show that, among the deep-sea habitats, sponge grounds likely represent
an unparalleled diversity in terms of their community composition, as well as geographical and bathymetric
Financial support by the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (grant #NA14OAR432026) to
extent.
the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology at Harbor Branch Oceanographic
Institute-Florida Atlantic University is gratefully acknowledged. We also present a synthesis of the supporting, regulating, and provisioning goods and services (e.g. habitat and
nursery, nutrient recycling, carbon sequestration) known or hypothesised to be delivered by sponge grounds
and the societal and economic benefits they embody in the so-called Blue Growth era.
Sponge Assemblages on the recently declared Menorca Channel Marine Protected Area
(Western Mediterranean Sea) Despite significant advances in recent years we identify a number of knowledge gaps regarding these habi-
tats biology and ecology, and demonstrate the potential that a closer integration of molecular, ecological and
Andreu Santín1, Jordi Grinyó1, Stefano Ambroso1, Iosune Uriz2, Andrea Gori1 & Josep-Maria Gili1 oceanographic data paired with modern analytical approaches (e.g. in the fields of genomics, ecological and
1
Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain. santin@icm.csic.es oceanographic modelling) may have in filling-in of those gaps.
2
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes (Girona), Spain. We further highlight the main direct and indirect impacts that established (e.g. fisheries, oil and gas exploita-
The existence of sponge assemblages in continental shelves and slopes has been known for centuries; how- tion) and emerging (e.g. deep-sea mining) human activities, as well as climate change, may have over such
ever, due to sampling limitations associated to the traditional sampling systems, individual sponge species habitats and the spatial and temporal scale at which they are expected to occur. Last, but not least, we assess
rather than assemblages were mainly reported. The current study characterizes sponge assemblages over a current conservation efforts and call for a coordinated and international effort between researchers, stakehold-
large geographic area and bathymetric range (40–360 m) encompassing the continental shelf and upper slope. ers, policy makers and society for the sustainable management and protection of these vulnerable deep-sea
habitats.
Quantitative analysis of 85 video-transects (corresponding to a total length of 64 km), plus collection of repre-
sentative samples to confirm identifications, allowed us differentiating six assemblages, mainly segregated by Financial support by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to the SponG-
substrate type, depth and species composition. On the continental shelf, a semi-sciaphilous axinellid assem- ES project (grant agreement 679849) is gratefully acknowledged.
blage dominated shallow rocky outcrops. Shallow maërl beds were predominantly dominated by Haliclona
mediterranea, whereas the horny sponge Aplysina cavernicola and several haliclonids mostly dominated deep Aspects of the ecology of Pheronema carpenteri aggregations
maërl beds and rocky substrates. Soft sediments in the shelf edge hosted a monospecific Thenea muricata
assemblage. Incrusting, columnar and fan-shaped sponges dominated in rocky substrates of the shelf edge. Kerry Howell1, Amelia Bridges1, Christopher Babey1, Nils Piechaud1
Finally, the upper slope area was dominated by Hamacantha falcula and the hexactinellid Tretodyctium cf. 1
Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK. kerry.howell@plymouth.ac.uk
tubulosum. Overall, sponge diversity increased towards the end of the continental shelf, with a peak at 70–90 Sponge aggregations are widely recognised as an important habitat. They increase the physical heterogene-
m depth, followed by a severe plummet at the shelf break. The observed assemblages were highly diverse (> ity of the local area and number of available microhabitats, support high biodiversity, act as a refuge for fish,
100 identified species), and reached high density values (> 70 ind/m2) over vast extensions. and are a storehouse for novel chemical compounds. Yet despite this recognised importance there has been
Due to their exceptional conservation status, these sponge assemblages might give an approximate idea of very little research conducted on deep-sea sponge aggregations. We investigated various aspects of the ecol-
how sponge grounds might have looked like in the Mediterranean Sea before decades of impacts from bottom ogy of aggregations of Pheronema carpernteri. Specifically we tested the following hypotheses: 1) areas of
trawling fishing. high density of P. carpernteri support higher species richness, 2) communities associated with P. carpernteri
aggregations are distinct from communities of comparable depths and substrate type, 3) populations of P.
This work was funded by the European project LIFE + INDEMARES ‘‘Inventario y designación de la red na-
carpernteri are size structured with depth. Three video transects in areas of sponge aggregation presence and
tura 2000 en áreas marinas del estado español” (LIFE07/NAT/E/000732) and the EU-ENPI CBC-Med project
three transects in comparable areas of sponge aggregation absence were conducted using the ROV Holland I
ECOSAFIMED (2014-15).
aboard RV Celtic Explorer in 2015. Video was analysed and all taxa counted and identified to the lowest pos-
sible taxonomic level. Community data were analysed using standard multivariate and univariate statistics.
The sizes of observed individual P. carpenteri were measured from video data using laser scaling. In addition
preliminary observations were conducted to investigate sponge pumping rates. For the epibenthic megafauna
90 91
there is no statistically significant difference in community composition between sponge and non-sponge to the material by other screening programs. Secondly, the economic potential of deep-sea Irish waters in rela-
transects. The highest species richness occurs at intermediate sponge densities, but there is no statistically sig- tion to Porifera and Cnidaria bioactive compound production will be analysed. This analysis requires the: 1)
nificant difference in species richness between sponge and comparable non-sponge sites. The highest sponge development of a method to define the bioactivity of natural products, a critical step as few natural products
density observed is 499 sponges per 1500m2 transect (maximum of 28 sponges m-2 at smaller spatial scales). have been tested in a comprehensive series of bioassays, but rather too often limited to a particular group of
The largest individuals are of ~20cm diameter, the smallest observed on video footage is 3.44cm, with mean diseases; 2) prediction on the likelihood of families and genera of Cnidaria and Porifera of producing bioactive
11cm and mode 10cm. There is a weak but statistically significant relationship between sponge size and depth, / drug-like marine natural products knowing the bioactivity of natural products found in these phyla (MarinLit
with smaller individuals found at shallower depths. Qualitative observations suggest sponge pumping rates are database) and phylogenetic relationships between species; 3) estimation of the economic potential of Irish At-
extremely low in comparison to shallow water species. lantic margin using the above and records of both Phyla in the North East Atlantic (OBIS database). Thirdly,
predictive maps of biodiscovery potential in Irish offshore waters will be created based on georeferenced re-
Financial support from the EUROFLEETS2 programme and Plymouth University is gratefully acknowledged.
cords of species obtained from ROV video annotation, predictive modelling and the above economic studies.
Results will inform conservation planning software to determine biodiscovery hotspot clusters. Overall, the
Sponge communities from the mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cadiz project will develop informed bioprospecting approaches to maximise the chance of finding pharmaceutical
Cèlia Sitjà1, Manuel Maldonado1, José Luis Rueda2 & Carlos Farias2 active natural products in difficult environments to sample such as deep-sea ecosystems.
1
Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Girona, Spain. csitja@ceab.csic.es Financial support by the Science Foundation Ireland is gratefully acknowledged.
2
Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
The Ibero-Moroccan Gulf (Eastern North Atlantic) hosts several fields of mud volcanoes. In these environ- The “vicious circle” hypothesis: Sponges and reduced resilience of Caribbean coral
ments, the carbonate precipitation, derived from the microbial anaerobic metabolization of seeping hydrocar- reefs
bons, provides new hard substrates that persist available for colonization once methane seeping is exhausted.
Joseph R. Pawlik
Thus, mud volcano fields may be relevant areas regarding benthic fauna occurrence. The present work pro-
vides a first evaluation of the composition of the sponge fauna associated to the mud volcanoes from the Span- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA. paw-
likj@uncw.edu
ish margin of the deep bottoms of the Gulf of Cadiz (422 - 1138 m). A total of 84 species have been recorded
at the studied mud volcanoes, mostly belonging in the Class Demospongiae and two in the Class Hexactinel- Coral reefs have suffered unprecedented losses of corals in the recent past. Why have Caribbean reefs in par-
lida. Two of them are new (Jaspis sinuosa nov. sp.; Myrmekioderma volcana nov.sp.). Two other species are ticular transitioned to coral-depleted systems and exhibited less coral resilience? A synthesis of recent research
recorded for the first time from the Atlantic Ocean, being so far known from the Mediterranean Sea (Coelos- from diverse sources provides novel insights into the reciprocal interactions among sponges, seaweeds, and
phaera (Histodermion) cryosi and Petrosia (Petrosia) raphida. Another remarkable finding was an aggrega- microbes. The vicious circle hypothesis1 proposes that coral loss resulted in more abundant seaweeds that
tion of 71 specimens of the carnivorous sponge Lycopodina hypogea living together on a small boulder at 495 release dissolved organic carbon (DOC), which is consumed by sponges. Sponges return carbon to the reef,
- 483 m deep. The studied field of volcanoes, nearby the Gibraltar Strait, makes an interesting area in terms but also release nutrients that further enhance seaweed growth. Both seaweeds and sponges compete for space
of assessing possible faunal transfers between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Although previous work with the remaining corals, and the cycling of carbon and nutrients alters microbial activity, with negative con-
has shown that the North Atlantic Surface Water inflow imports shallow- water species to the Alboran Sea sequences for the coral microbiome. Adding to these interactions are geographic factors that enhance nutrients
and other zones of the Western Mediterranean, the effects of the Mediterranean Intermediate Water outflow on and DOC on Caribbean reefs, such as river discharge and windblown dust. Relatively higher abundances of
the Atlantic deep fauna communities have seldom been evaluated. In this study, we are examining the level at sponges and the absence of phototrophic species suggest that sponge communities on Caribbean reefs have
which the sponge fauna from several deep-water Mediterranean communities relates to that from seeping and adapted to a different nutritional environment than is present on reefs elsewhere in the tropics.
non-seeping North Atlantic mud volcanoes, in an attempt to assess the effect of the Mediterranean outflow on References
the adjacent deep-sea North Atlantic communities. 1. J.R. Pawlik, D.E. Burkepile, R. Vega Thurber. BioScience, 66 (2016): 470- 476 doi:10.1093/biosci/biw047
Financial support by E.C. LIFE+INDEMARES/CHICA (LIFE07/NAT/E/000732), E.C. SponGES (679848-2) Financial support from UNCW’s College of Arts and Sciences and Office of International Programs and the
and Spanish MINECO Por-Si (CTM2012-37787) grants is gratefully acknowledged. US National Science Foundation, Biological Oceanography Program (OCE – 1029515, 1558580) is gratefully
acknowledged.
Exploiting And Conserving Deep-Sea Genetic Resources
, Nutrient Fluxes and Ecological Functions of Coral Reef Sponges in a Changing Ocean
Claire Laguionie Marchais1, 2, Ryan Young1, 2, 3, Robert Nesbitt3, Olivier Thomas3, Mark Johnson1 2,
, ,
Bill Baker3 4, A. Louise Allcock1 2 Jasper M. de Goeij1, Michael P. Lesser2, Joseph R. Pawlik3
1
1
Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam,
2 PO Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands. j.m.degoeij@uva.nl
School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland claire.laguionie-maarchais@nuigalway.ie
2
3 School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
School of Chemistry, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
3
4 Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilming-
Department of Chemistry and Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation, University of South Florida, Tampa, Fl., USA ton, NC 28409, USA
Started in September 2016, the 5-year Science Foundation Ireland project “exploiting and conserving deep- Coral reefs are iconic examples of biological hotspots, highly appreciated because of their ecosystem services.
sea genetic resources” focuses on biodiscovery research in Irish deep-sea Cnidaria and Porifera. The aims are Yet, they are threatened by human impact and climate change, highlighting the need to develop tools and strat-
three-fold. Firstly, previously and newly collected samples of these two Phyla will be analysed to characterise egies to curtail changes in these ecosystems. Remarkably, ever since Darwin’s descriptions of coral reefs, it
their chemical diversity. Crude chemical extracts will be used in various biological screenings such as anti- has been a mystery how one of Earth’s most productive and diverse ecosystems thrives in oligotrophic seas, as
biotic or cancer assays to identify new chemical compounds and/or new activity in known compounds with an oasis in a marine desert. Sponges are now increasingly recognized as key ecosystem engineers, efficiently
pharmacological potential. Libraries of crude extracts and isolated compounds will be built to facilitate access retaining and transferring energy and nutrients on the reef. As a result, current reef food web models, lacking
92 93
sponge-driven resource cycling, are incomplete and need to be redeveloped. However, mechanisms that deter- ton abundance are proposed to drive patterns of sponge diversity, with experimental evidence supporting both
mine the capacity of sponge ‘engines’, how they are fuelled, and drive communities are unknown. viewpoints. However, these studies have neglected to investigate the role that microbial symbionts play in host
sponge fitness, obscuring their ability to interpret the strength of these trophic mechanisms. Many dominant
Here we will discuss how sponges integrate within the novel reef food web framework. To this end, sponges
Caribbean sponges, for instance, utilize symbiotic cyanobacteria as a source of supplemental nutrition while
will be evaluated on functional traits (morphology, associated microbes, pumping rate) in the processing of
also maintaining varying levels of chemical defenses. The presence of such species, with characteristics inher-
dissolved and particulate food. At the community level, we discuss to what extent these different traits are
ently linked to processes of top-down and bottom-up regulation, highlight the need for further investigations
a driving force in structuring shallow- to deep-sea reef ecosystems, from fuel input (primary producers), to
addressing the interactive effects of these processes across a greater breadth of ecologically diverse sponges.
engine output (driving and modulating the consumer food web). Finally, as climate change causes the onset of
In this study, we conducted an in situ factorial experiment that manipulated irradiance and predator abundance
alterations in the community structure and food web of reef ecosystems, there is evidence accumulating that
over a six-week period to investigate potential interactive effects of spongivory and photosymbiont-derived
certain biological pathways are triggered, such as the sponge loop and the microbial loop, that may shift reef
nutrition on the growth of six ecologically diverse sponge species. We characterized sponge community struc-
ecosystems faster than their original stressors (e.g., warming oceans and ocean acidification). Unfortunately,
ture on neighboring reefs and quantified spongivore abundance alongside in situ observations of active spon-
these biological pathways receive much less attention at present, which seriously hampers our ability to pre-
givory. Three sponge species hosting high photosymbiont densities exhibited significantly lower growth under
dict future changes within reef ecosystems.
low irradiance conditions irrespective of predator abundance, demonstrating bottom-up regulation. Alterna-
Financial support by the European Research Council (ERC-stg-715513 JM de Goeij) and the National Science tively, sponges lacking photosymbionts exhibited significant top-down control by predators. Interestingly,
Foundation (NSF OCE 1632348 ML Lesser and NSF OCE 1558580 JR Pawlik) is gratefully acknowledged. one photosymbiont-hosting species demonstrated higher growth rates under shaded conditions but only when
predators were excluded, verifying the existence of interactive effects between irradiance and predation. Our
A Decadal Analysis Of Bioeroding Sponge Cover On The Inshore Great Barrier Reef results demonstrate that sponge photosymbionts serve as an alternative source of bottom-up regulation for
some species, with these symbioses providing resources that are critical for host survival, especially under
Blake D. Ramsby1, 2, 3, Mia O. Hoogenboom1, Steve Whalan4, Angus Thompson2 & Nicole S. Webster2 increased spongivory. More broadly, our results suggest that microbial symbionts likely influence sponge
1 College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia community structure to a greater extent than previously recognized and highlight the necessity of accounting
2 Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia for microbial partnerships when examining the forces that structure communities.
3 AIMS@JCU, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia blake.
ramsby@my.jcu.edu.au
4 School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Lismore, New South Wales Combined effects of ocean acidification and eutrophication on reef sponge bioerosion
Decreasing coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) may provide opportunities for rapid growth and Lennart J. de Noojer, Alice E. Webb, Steven M.A.C. van Heuven, Didier M. de Bakker, Fleur C. van
expansion of other taxa. The bioeroding sponges Cliona spp. are strong competitors for space and have been Duyl, Gert-Jan Reichart
hypothesized to take advantage of coral bleaching, damage, and mortality. Benthic surveys of the inshore
The health of tropical coral reefs depends largely on the balance between constructive (calcification and ce-
GBR (2005-2014) revealed that the percent cover of the most abundant bioeroding sponge species, Cliona
mentation) and destructive forces (mechanical-chemical degradation). The ongoing gradual increase in dis-
orientalis, has not increased. However, considerable variation in C. orientalis cover, and change in cover over
solved CO2 and the resulting decrease in carbonate ion concentration (‘ocean acidification’) in ocean surface
time, was evident between survey locations. This study assessed whether the percent cover of other benthic
water may tip the balance towards net mass loss for many reefs. Increased organic loading in surface waters
groups, and the environmental characteristics at each location, were associated with variation in C. orientalis
(‘eutrophication’), may increase the susceptibility of coral reef and near shore environments to ocean acidifi-
distribution and abundance. The proportion of fine particles in the sediments was negatively-associated with
cation (Cai et al., 2011; Cyronak et al., 2014; Yeakel et al., 2015). The negative impacts of these environmen-
the presence-absence and the percent cover of C. orientalis, indicating that the sponge requires exposed habi-
tal changes on coral calcification have been recorded, however, their (separate as well as synergetic) effect
tat. The cover of other benthic taxa explained little variation in C. orientalis cover or distribution. The fastest
on bioerosion rates by excavating sponges is poorly studied. Cliona caribbaea, a photosymbiont- bearing
increases in C. orientalis cover occurred at sites with low macroalgal cover and the lowest mean chlorophyll
excavating sponge widely distributed in Caribbean reef habitats, was exposed to a range of CO2 concentra-
a concentration (see Figure), highlighting the importance of macroalgal competition and local environmental
tions, in combination with different eutrophication levels. Results showed that chemical bioerosion rates were
conditions for this bioeroding sponge. Given the observed distribution of C. orientalis and habitat preferences,
positively affected by both pCO2 and eutrophication levels, but these effects did not enhance each other. The
bioeroding sponges such as C. orientalis likely represent site-specific – rather than regional – threats to corals
increase in organic loading made the sponges less dependend on primary production of their symbionts, which
and reef accretion.
beneficiated day chemical bioerosion rates. These were found to be ~50% higher than those during the incuba-
We acknowledge financial support from AIMS@JCU (BDR) and an Australian Research Council Future Fel- tions at night. However, at higher pCO2 levels, night rates of bioerosion become comparable, or even higher
lowship (NSW). than day ones.
Ecological Interactions Between Photosymbionts And Spongivores Reveal Complex Better Estimates Of Chemical And Mechenical Excavating Rates Of Coral Boring
Interplay Between Bottom-Up And Top-Down Controls On Caribbean Sponges Sponges In The Caribbean
Kenan O. Matterson1 Cole G. Easson2, Christopher J. Freeman3, Robert W. Thacker4, Didier M de Bakker1, 2, Alice E Webb2, Steven MAC van Heuven2, Erik HWG Meesters1and Fleur C
1
Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA MattersonK@si.edu
van Duyl2
1
2
Nova Southeastern Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Dania Beach, Florida, USA Wageningen University and Marine Research, P.O. Box 57, 1780 AB Den Helder, The Netherlands
2
3
Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA. NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, the Nether-
4 lands
Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
Excavating sponges are among the most efficient bioeroders (chemical and mechanical) found on coral reefs.
Sponge populations have increased in abundance in many areas of the Caribbean, generating renewed interest
Multiple studies found excavating sponge biomass and activity to have increased considerably in the past de-
in the principles structuring these natural communities. Trophic factors like spongivore density and picoplank-
cades and continue to do so under increased human impact.
94 95
Currently, the most conventional way to estimate chemical boring rates is by placing sponge infested coral studied the feeding biology of Aphrocallistes vastus, from particle capture to excretion. We also used stable
cores in incubation chambers (ex situ) for several hours and measuring the change in alkalinity over the course isotope signatures of sponges and surrounding water and sediments to understand where the carbon that feeds
of the incubation. Our preliminary results, however, indicate that sponges can remove both the particulate the reefs comes from and what its fate is after digestion – whether assimilated or excreted. We found that
(e.g. bacteria) and dissolved food sources within minutes. The depletion of food and the subsequent recycling particle uptake occurred in flagellated chambers while digestion occurs elsewhere in the tissue. Carbon-13
of waste water likely negatively affects the sponge metabolism when kept in a limited amount of incubation labeled bacteria were assimilated into and remained in tissue for at least 14 days. Following digestion, sponges
water. Indeed, we found that boring rates of sponge infested coral cores (25 cm3) decreased by 55% as a func- released fecal pellets as aggregates that were 100 to 1000 times larger than the particles they consumed, mov-
tion of time spent (2 h compared to 6 h) in the incubation chamber (500 mL). ing microbial carbon into the benthic food web. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures showed that reef
We describe a flow-through incubation chamber that allows for continuous refreshing of the water inside the sponges relied on bacterioplankton from both terrestrial and oceanic sources. Isotope signatures also indicated
incubation chamber, therewith ensuring a continuous replenishment of food and removal of waste water. This that reef sponge tissues have different carbon and nitrogen isotope signatures than if feeding on bacterioplank-
novel incubation method combined with accurate optical alkalinity titration was used to provide better chemi- ton alone, suggesting that the sponges may also feed on bacteria and detritus resuspended from the sediments.
cal erosion rate estimates for sponge species commonly found on Caribbean coral reefs (Cliona caribbaea, The species that form reefs can be found elsewhere in the oceans but their efficient feeding from large volumes
C. aprica, C. delitrix, Cliona spp. and Siphonodictyon spp.). In addition, we present an improved method to of water suggest that they are only able to grow into dense reefs in locations with several sources of food. By
estimate mechanical erosion (carbonate chip removal) by these species using scanning-electron microscopy. accessing bacterial carbon from the microbial loop and converting it into biomass and large fecal pellets, reef
The accurate species specific rates (combined estimates of chemical and mechanical erosion) can be used to sponges also enrich their surroundings in their food-poor environment. Other deep and shallow sponges may
obtain better estimates of reef erosion, e.g. within the ReefBudget method. likewise serve as oases of food energy in their ecosystems.
Financial support by NSERC Discovery and Ship Time grants to SPL is gratefully acknowledged.
Increase Of Excavating Sponges After Coral Bleaching Events
Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Bernhard Riegl2, Sven Zea3, Jose V. Lopez2, Tyler Smith1, Marilyn Brandt1, Initial report on nine newly discovered glass sponge reefs in British Columbia, Canada
David S. Gilliam2 Stephanie K. Archer1, Glenn Denison2 & Anya Dunham1
1 1
Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, #2 John Brewers Bay, St Thomas, US Virgin Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N7, Canada
Islands, USA. andiachaves@gmail.com 2
Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of British Columbia, PO Box 54193, Lonsdale West, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3L5
2
Halmos College of Natural Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, 8000 North Ocean Drive, Dania Beach, Florida, USA. Stephanie.Archer@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
3
Instituto de Estudios en Ciencias del Mar—CECIMAR, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Sede Caribe, Santa Marta, Colom- Glass sponge reefs are built by dictyonine hexactinellid sponges. These sponges are characterized by fused
bia. spicules that result in the persistence of skeletal structural integrity after the sponges’ death. This property al-
Subtle changes in coral-sponge interactions can alter reef balance and are important to predict trends on cur- lows for reef formation as larval sponges settle on the structure provided by previous generations of sponges.
rent algal-dominated Caribbean reefs. Although sponges are increasing on coral reefs, we lack information on Glass sponge reefs have only been documented in shelf habitats in the North East Pacific from Portland Canal
how shifts from corals to bioeroding sponges occur, and how environmental factors such as anomalous seawa- to the Strait of Georgia. Recently nine small reefs in Howe Sound, British Columbia, Canada, were discovered
ter temperatures and consequent coral bleaching and mortality are influencing these shifts. A state transition by a citizen science group using a drop camera. Here we present the results of a survey of these nine reefs
model (Markov chain) was developed to evaluate the response of coral excavating sponges (Cliona delitrix) using Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s ROV. A total of 19 transects (1-3 per reef) were conducted between
to after coral bleaching events. The model was based on observations of 217 coral colonies over 10 years September 29 and October 2, 2016. A forward facing high-definition video camera collected continuous video
(2000-2010) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and validated with data from 2011 to 2015. To compare and test its used to assess megafauna community structure. A downward facing still camera automatically took a photo
scalability, the model was also run with data from reef sites in St Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (2005-2015) and every 15 seconds. The still photos were used to assess percent cover of live and standing dead sponge. These
Bocas del Toro, Panama (2010-2011). Projections and sensitivity analyses confirmed coral recruitment to be reefs, similar to others in the Strait of Georgia, are constructed by Aphrocallistes vastus and Heterochone
key for coral persistence. Excavating sponges increased in both Florida and St. Croix reefs after the bleaching calyx. They are the shallowest known glass sponge reefs, with some reef pinnacles as shallow as 20 m. The
event in 2005, and in Bocas del Toro after the 2010 bleaching event. The increase was more drastic in St. Croix reefs have high live sponge cover ranging from 4 to 25%. Standing dead sponge cover was also high ranging
and Bocas del Toro than in Florida, where 30% to 35% of the healthy corals that died shifted into excavating from 5 to 42%. We documented a diverse megafaunal community associated with the reefs including several
sponges. Projections over 100 years suggest successive events of moderate coral mortality could shift most species of sponges, fish, crabs, and other crustaceans. Overall these newly discovered reefs appear healthy and
live coral colonies into excavating sponges in specific reef areas. The success of excavating sponges depends represent a substantial increase in the number of known glass sponge reefs, an ecosystem that, until recently,
of the intensity of coral bleaching and consequent coral mortality. Thus, the proportion of excavating sponges was thought to be extinct.
is a sensitive indicator for the intensity and frequency of recent disturbance on Caribbean coral reefs.
Defense By Association: Sponge-Eating Fishes Alter The Small-Scale Distribution Of
How Do Glass Sponge Reefs Get Enough Food? Feeding And Excretion By The Glass Caribbean Reef Sponges
Sponge Aphrocallistes vastus
Michael K. Wooster, Micah J Marty & Joseph R. Pawlik
Amanda S. Kahn1, Sally P. Leys1
Center for Marine Science and Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 5600 Mar-
1
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. kahn@ualberta.ca vin K Moss Lane, Wilmington NC 28409
Glass sponge reefs on the continental shelf of western Canada have the highest grazing rate of any benthic Sponge-eating fishes have recently been shown to control Caribbean sponge community composition through
suspension feeding community measured to date, consuming seven times more carbon than can be supplied predation. Palatable sponges—in contrast to those that use secondary chemistry to deter predation (i.e., de-
by vertical flux alone. The reefs function as a sink for bacterial carbon and a source of labile nitrogen to the fended sponges)—are typically grazed off the reef by spongivores, but can sometimes be found in close as-
water column as ammonium. Glass sponges live in water that is bacteria-poor and with little dissolved organic sociation to sea whips, fire-corals, stony corals, and defended sponges. In the absence of sponge predators
carbon available for uptake. How then do reef sponges get enough food to sustain such high grazing rates? We we would not expect this pattern of association with refuge organisms because palatable sponges would be
96 97
relieved of top-down control and allowed to persist wherever they settle. We conducted 30m belt transect sur- upwelling of nutrient rich waters, which enhance productivity, leading to an Oxygen Minimum Zone (OMZ).
veys of sponge abundance in relation to refuge organisms on the overfished reefs in Bocas del Toro, Panama Even though oxygen levels in the OMZ are extremely low, rich communities of cold-water corals and sponges
and reefs in the Florida Keys where spongivores are common. Palatable sponge species in Panama were were found. Communities differed a lot in the two areas; The Namibia margin is characterized by fossil cor-
randomly distributed and none exhibited a significant trend of association to refuge organisms. In Florida we als overgrown by bryozoans and sponges, while on the Angolan margin thriving cold-water coral reefs with a
found the opposite trend where the palatable sponges exhibited a significant trend of association with refuge high diversity were found. Differences are caused by extreme low oxygen concentrations in the OMZ at the
organisms. While previous studies demonstrated that predation alters sponge community structure between Namibian margin. In both areas we found that the expanding and retracting of the OMZ border due to internal
sites across the Caribbean, these data show that predation alters the meter-scale pattern of sponge distribution waves define the depth distribution of the reefs, which is linked to temporary increased oxygen concentrations.
on reefs where spongivores are present. Furthermore, we assume that the appearance of corals and sponges is connected to the high availability of the
fresh particulate organic matter, diminishing stress on organisms caused by the oxygen limitation. The lack of
living cold-water corals at the Namibian margin additionally implicates a specific ecological role of sponges
Bleaching recovery of a phototrophic bioeroding sponge
in extreme environments. This could be important for future climate scenarios, since it is expected that OMZ’s
Joe Marlow1, Jamaluddin Jompa2, James Bell1 will be more widespread.
1
Victoria University of Wellington, School of Biological Sciences, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
Joe.marlow@vuw.ac.nz Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of coral-eroding sponges
2
Research and Development Centre on Marine, Coastal and Small Islands, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
Christine H.L. Schönberg1, James K.-H. Fang2, José-Luis Carballo3, Max Wisshak4 & Lydia Beuck4
Despite coral reef health deteriorating globally, bioeroding sponges are thought to be a comparatively resil-
1
ient group to the factors that stress and kill corals, and are increasing in abundance at many locations. Many School of Earth and Environment and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
of these bioeroding sponge species harbour endosymbiotic Symbiodinium dinoflagellates, an association that christine.schonberg@uwa.edu.au
2
aids bioerosion rates and sponge growth and has been considered more resilient than in cnidarian hosts. Benthic Resources and Processes Research Group, Institute of Marine Research, 5005 Bergen, Norway
3
Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán 82040, México
The El Niño event that saw corals bleach across the planet in 2015/16 also resulted in a rare mass bleaching
4
of Indonesian Cliona. cf. orientalis and provided an opportunity to assess their ability to recovery from these Senckenberg am Meer, Marine Research Department, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
events. Surveys of bleaching prevalence and severity in C. cf. orientalis were conducted six weeks apart Environmental change is progressing at an alarming rate and leads to widespread coral demise. Bioeroding
across two Wakatobi reef sites July and August 2016, coinciding with a 2oC drop in water temperature. Over sponges have been called bioindicators of environmental change on coral reefs, they are thought to be compar-
this period bleaching prevalence dropped from 73.9% (± 9.9 SE) to 25.7% (± 5.8 SE) of surveyed sponges atively resistant to environmental stress, and they can potentially drive reef carbonate budgets further towards
and bleaching severity dropped from 18.3% (± 3.5 SE) to 3.1% (± 0.8 SE) of sponge tissue. An additional as- net erosion. Some species of bioeroding sponges received much attention, but others have not been mentioned
sessment over the same period of rates of recovery/mortality using a weekly assessment of tagged bleached in the literature since their original description. This situation obstructs our progress in research. We therefore
sponges found a 90% drop in bleaching severity but also a 20.6% drop in overall sponge size. Our results dem- synthesized available published data across all 260 accepted and 13 presently undescribed species, generating
onstrate that this host-symbiont relationship is susceptible to breakdown under conditions of thermal stress. annotated faunistic checklists per bioregion and presenting global distribution patterns (Schönberg et al. in
As this stressor diminishes, a relatively rapid recovery does occur but can incur substantial partial mortalities. press). We strongly suggest that ‘cosmopolitan’ species are usually species complexes that need to be resolved
Proliferation of these sponges on reefs affected by bleaching is likely dependent upon their ability to recover with molecular means. The best-studied area in shallow waters is the Caribbean, harbouring one fourth of all
faster than their scleractinian competitors. known species, but global patterns are more strongly influenced by Indo-Pacific species. We have inadequate
knowledge on the species from shallow depths in the NE Indic, of the central Pacific and Japan. Along a
Financial support by Victoria University of Wellington and Operation Wallacea is gratefully acknowledged.
bathymetric gradient the composition of taxa changes, favouring clionaids in depths less than 100 m, while
Spiroxya, Alectona, Delectona and small species of Siphonodictyon become dominant at greater depth. Over-
Environmental drivers of deep-sea reefs all, bioeroding sponges in deep water are much less well studied (18% of the evaluated species, see below)
Ulrike Hanz1, Marc Lavaleye1, Gerard Duineveld1, Claudia Wienberg3, Dierk Hebbeln3, Christian than in shallow and warm waters (77%). At many locations bioeroding sponges have not been studied since
Dullo4, Andre Freiwald5, Gert-Jan Reichart1, 2, Furu Mienis1 the 1800s, and it would be desirable to conduct new surveys that involve morphological as well as molecular
species identification.
1
NIOZ-Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Ocean Systems and Utrecht University, Den Burg, Texel,
Netherlands. ulrike.hanz@nioz.nl Reference
2 C. H. L. Schönberg, J. K.-H. Fang, J.-L. Carballo. Bioeroding sponges and the future of coral reefs. In: J. J. Bell, J.-L. Carballo
Faculty of Geosciences, Earth Sciences Department, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
(eds) Climate change, ocean acidification and sponges. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (in press).
3
MARUM–Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
4
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany Changes in a Mediterranean coralligenous sponge assemblage at a pluri-millennial
5
Department for Marine Research, Senckenberg Institute, Wilhelmshaven, Germany temporal scale
Deep-sea reefs are found worldwide in various areas. Their appearance is remarkable since the deep-sea is an
in general food-limited environment where the input of particulate organic matter decreases with increasing Gabriele Costa1, Riccardo Cattaneo-Vietti2, Maurizio Pansini1, Simonetta Fraschetti3 Giorgio
depth. Nevertheless, deep-sea reefs feature high biodiversity and biomass. In this study, we present spatial and Bavestrello1 & Marco Bertolino1
temporal variations of biological and physical properties in deep-sea reefs along the southwestern coast of 1
DiSTAV, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy marco.bertolino75@gmail.com
Africa, to define the forcing factors for reef development. Characteristics of the overlying water column were 2
DiSVA, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
measured by hydrocast transects and lander deployments in two areas on the Namibian and Angolan margin. 3
Department of Biological and Environmental Science and Technology, University of Salento, Provinciale Lecce-Monteroni,
This area is the most productive coastal upwelling system in the modern ocean, where food export to deeper 73100 Lecce, Italy
waters is enhanced. The high productivity is driven by the prevailing water circulation and winds causing The changes occurred over a pluri-millennial span of time (6200-2000 YBP) in the sponge assemblages pres-
98 99
ent in two 60 cm high coralligenous pillars, at 20 m depth in the Marine Protected Area of Porto Cesareo (Io- References
nian Sea), have been studied. The sponge diversity has been analyzed at generic level, thanks to the study of 1. C. Richter, M. Wunsch, M. Rasheed, et al., Nature 413 (2001) 726-730.
the siliceous spicules embedded in the sediment trapped into the crevices of these bio-concretions. In total, 41 2. J.M. de Goeij, D. van Ovelen, M.J.A Vermeij, et al., Science (2013) 108-110.
genera were identified. The actual sponge fauna of these build-ups totals 27 genera, 15 of them are shared with 3. J.M. de Goeij, A. de Kluijver, F.C. van Duyl et al. J. Exp. Biol. 212 (2009) 3892-3900.
the ancient assemblages. The species richness during the considered span of time showed significant changes, Financial support by the Ecology Fund of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences is gratefully
with remarkably similar trends in both the considered pillars. acknowledged.
Tentatively, the observed changes in richness, may be attributed to different climatic events affecting the
Mediterranean area within the considered time span. The number of genera was low 6000 YBP and increased Increase in light intensity: a threat or not for calcareous sponges survival?
between 5500 and 4000 YBP. During the Late Bronze Age Collapse (4000-3000 YBP), a new decrease was
recorded, followed by a further increase during the Little Climate Optimum (around 2000 YBP). Afterwards, Bárbara Ribeiro1, André Rossi2, Flávio da Costa3 & Michelle Klautau1
the bio-concretions stopped growing and no more siliceous spicules were trapped. The progressive increase of 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
the spicular abundance, particularly evident in the last period of observation, was mainly due to the expansion Conference Presenter: barbara.pitt@gmail.com
of the boring genus Cliona to which one third of the recorded spicules belong. At the same time of the Cliona 2
Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
increasing, a progressive reduction of other boring genera (Spiroxya, Dotona, Delectona, Thoosa and Alec- 3
Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira, Marinha do Brasil, Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brasil.
tona) was evident. It is suggestive that the stop of the carbonate biodeposition coincides with the increaseg of
Calcareous sponges are commonly found in sciaphilous habitats, such as caves and under rocks, protected
the sponge boring activity. However, analysing the temporal trends of the spicule number for each recognized
from the direct action of sunlight [1]. The preference of some sponges for this kind of environment can be
genus, a continuous decrease in terms of abundance can be observed for the most common genera (Petrosia,
explained by substrate competition, predation, and intolerance to sedimentation and light intensity [e.g. 2, 3,
Tethya, Geodia, Spirastrella, Chondrilla).
4]. However, the real cause for this habitat preference was never tested. Thereby, our aim was to investigate if
From a biogeographic point of view, the wide presence of spiny microrhabdose microscleres belonging to the light intensity is a threat for the survival of calcareous sponges. An in situ experiment was done in Arraial do
genus Alveospongia (Heteroxyidae), recently described from the tropical Atlantic and still unknown in the Cabo, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Recruitment plates were placed in the seawater (~1 m depth) beside a float-
Mediterranean Sea, has to be underlined. Finally, it is remarkable that the trends recorded in the Ionian Sea ing mussel farm, which already had calcareous sponges attached to its structure. After four months, the species
match with those observed in the Ligurian Sea. In particular, in both these Mediterranean regions, the recorded Paraleucilla magna Klautau et al., 2004 recruited under the plates (sciaphilous part) and when they achieved
loss in genus richness along the time could be related to a sharp decrease of the seawater temperature. More- ~1 cm2, the experiment started. Three plates (control replicates) were kept with the sponges in the sciaphilous
over, comparing the past periods with the present, significant changes in biodiversity have been recorded in side, while other three plates (treatment replicates) were turned into the light and the sponges were exposed to
both the areas. direct sunlight during five days (Fig. 1). Observations and photos were taken daily. By the end of the experi-
ment, the specimens (control and treatment) were still alive and showed no changes in colour or any appar-
Coral cavities – Stable habitats with zero growth? Assessing potential growth rates and ent damage. Our results suggest that light is not a threat for the survival of calcareous sponges, at least for a
short period of time. As vulnerability to predators and wave action were the same in both sides of the plates
community changes in cryptic sponges (photophilous x sciaphilous), these factors do not seem to be responsible for the shaded environment prefer-
Benjamin Mueller1, 2, Jasper M. de Goeij 1, 2 ence. Comparing both shaded and light exposed sides of the plates, the major difference was the amount of
1
Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands muellerb@ymail.com
macro algae, which were present principally in the photophilous side. This may suggest that the preference of
2
calcareous sponges for shaded habitats is due competition with macro algae. Reduction of sponge populations
Carmabi Foundation, Willemstad, Curaçao.
and even their exclusion from natural habitats by competition with macro algae has already been reported for
Coral cavities constitute up to two-thirds of a reef’s volume and the surface exceeds that of the open reef 1. some Demospongiae [e.g. 5]. To confirm our hypothesis, a longer experiment will be conducted to verify if the
Encrusting sponges which dominate these cryptic habitats have been identified to play a key role in the energy increase of macro algae will exclude the calcareous sponges from the light exposed side of the plate.
and nutrient cycling of coral reefs 2. Those sponges assimilate large amounts of dissolved organic matter,
rapidly form new cells to rejuvenate their existing structures, and shed and expel old cells 3. This sponge loop References
1. M. Manuel et al., Systema Porifera (2002) 1103-1116.
pathway is based on the assumption that the somatic growth of these sponges is close to zero, as newly formed
cells are foremost shunted to higher trophic levels as detritus. This is in marked contrast to the majority of 2. J.L. Wulff, Can. J. Zool. 84 (2006) 146-166.
open reef sponges, which display substantial somatic growth. We therefore investigated the potential growth 3. M. Maldonado et al., Marine Biology 154 (2008) 631-641.
rates (specimen growing on coral rock cleared of epibionts; Fig. A) of three common Caribbean cavity sponges 4. P.L. Jokiel, Science 207 (1980) 1069-1071.
Haliclona vansoesti, Halisarca caerulea, and Scopalina ruetzleri over a period of six weeks on Curaçao. Ad- 5. R. Baldacconi and G. Corriero, Marine Ecology 30 (2009) 337-345.
ditionally, the growth rates and community changes of cryptic sponges were followed in 11 permanent photo Financial support by CAPES and CNPq is gratefully acknowledged.
quadrats (50 x 50 cm; Fig. B) in an overhang at a vertical wall at a depth of 30 m for six weeks. Preliminary
data suggests a potential growth rate of 1.3 ± 0.5% (mean ± SD) surface area increase per day for H. caerulea.
Moreover, out of 175 individuals of S. ruetzleri followed, 94 increased in size (1.1 ± 0.8% per day), whereas
12 merged with other individuals and 42 did not change in size. Merely 27 individuals decreased in size (-0.8
± 0.3% per day) over the six weeks. Interestingly, the potential growth rate for specimens on cleared coral rock
is comparable to the observed growth of increasing individuals under natural conditions. This suggests that
under favourable conditions cavity sponges exhibit considerable growth and may even increase their body size
five times per year. However, for H. caerulea this increase in biomass only represents a minor portion of the
total assimilated carbon budget (2.2%), leaving detritus production (58%), by far the largest excretion product.
100 101
Sacoleve - Spatial And Temporal Adaptation Of A Traditional Mediterranean Fishery of mortality and changes in pigmentation when compared to A. cauliformis and C. delitrix. However, a dis-
Facing Regional Change: Combining History And Ecology To Study Past, Present And ease affected more fragments of A. cauliformis and C. delitrix under stress temperature. Tissue regeneration
Future Of Sponge Harvesting occurred for all three species under both treatments. This experimental study shows that temperature affects
sponge species differently, and suggests that C. delitrix and A. cauliformis fragments better tolerate short fluc-
Maïa Fourt1, Daniel Faget2, Thierry Pérez1 tuations in seawater temperature than D. anchorata.
1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, UMR CNRS 7263 / IRD 237 / Aix Marseille Univer-
sité / Université d’Avignon. Station Marine d’Endoume, rue de la batterie des lions 13007 Marseille, France Geographic Variability in Antibacterial Chemical Defenses Among Branching
2
Temps, Espaces, Langage, Europe Méridionale et Méditerranée, UMR CNRS 7303 / Aix Marseille
Morphotypes of Caribbean Aplysina
Université. Maison Méditerranéenne des Sciences de l’Homme, 5 rue du Château de l’Horloge, BP 647, 13094 Aix-en-Provence
Cedex 2, France Deborah Gochfeld1, 4, Savannah Stockton2, Claire Vickers2, Cole Easson3 & Marc Slattery4
The production of Mediterranean bath sponges collapsed during the past century as it is shown by Tunisian 1 National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
catches which fell from 108 tons in 1920 down to 9 tons in 1988. Another example is given by the well-known gochfeld@olemiss.edu
sponge fishing island of Kalymnos which lost about 90% of its active fishermen population in a century be- 2 Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
tween 1858 and 1967. For what reasons a Mediterranean traditional fishery once prosperous has dramatically 3 Halmos College of Natural Sciences & Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
declined? What part of the decline can be attributed to the lessening of the bath sponge stock and what to a de- 4 Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS USA
creasing number of fishermen? How can this sponge fishery collapse be related to changes in uses, overfishing, Sponges are susceptible to a diversity of abiotic and biotic stressors that may affect their ability to perform
disease outbreaks triggered by climate events? How did sponge fishermen adapt to Regional Changes in the essential metabolic functions. Among these, the production of chemical defenses may be particularly affected.
past? What is the future of such a fishery? What kind of guidelines can we provide for this fishery facing the Chemical defenses provide protection against pathogens, predators and competitors, and qualitative or quan-
on-going Regional Change? To answer these questions, SACOLEVE looks through ecological and historical titative changes in the production of the secondary metabolites associated with these defenses may dramati-
windows into past evolution of the sponge fishery, chosen here as a model of traditional fishery which suffered cally affect their efficacy and thus, the sponge’s survival. Branching sponges of the genus Aplysina are among
good number of upheavals over the last three centuries. The overreaching aim of this program is to propose the most abundant sponges on Caribbean reefs, where they are susceptible to Aplysina Red Band Syndrome,
a management strategy for traditional fisheries that will allow attaining eco- durable practices in the current a disease that differs in prevalence among Aplysina morphotypes and geographic locations, suggesting vari-
environmental, socio-economic and geopolitical contexts. ability in resistance. This study assessed the chemical variability among healthy individuals of three distinct
References sponge morphotypes (“Aplysina fulva”, “Aplysina cauliformis” thick, “Aplysina cauliformis” thin) across
É. Carroll, D. Faget, HISTOSPONGIA: A database on the Mediterranean sponge (18th century). Cahiers de Biologie Marine 57 geographic regions in the Caribbean, including pristine sites in the Bahamas and four sites in St. Thomas that
(2016) 317–321. vary in their relative exposure to human impacts. Distinct chemical profiles were observed among the three
T. Pérez, J. Vacelet, Effect of Climatic and Anthropogenic Disturbances on Sponge Fisheries, in: The Mediterranean Sea: Its His- morphotypes. Within morphotypes, there was overlap in chemical profiles of sponges from the Bahamas and
tory and Present Challenges. Goffredo Stefano, Dubinsky Zvy, (2014) 577–587. St. Thomas, but there were significant differences among sites within St. Thomas, indicating finer-scale geo-
M. Valla, La pêche aux éponges: la puissance économique de Kalymnos. (Σπογγαλεία: η οικονομική δύναμη της Καλύμνου) graphic variability in secondary metabolite production. Site-specific differences in chemical profiles varied
Dodecanisiaka chronika (2012) 823-838. among the three morphotypes. To determine whether morphotype- or site-specific variability in chemical pro-
H. Josupeit, Sponges: world production and markets (No. 90/8). Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome, Italy (1990). files was associated with variability in antibacterial activity, extracts were tested against a panel of marine and
H.R. Bernard, Kalymnian sponge diving. Human biology (1967) 103–130. Station Océanographique de Salammbô, Tableaux human pathogens. The extracts showed selective activity against the test strains, resulting in variability among
statistiques des pêches maritimes en Tunisie. Année 1932. Direction générale des travaux publics. Régence de Tunis. Protec- morphotypes, sites and bacterial strains. Differences in chemical profiles were associated with variability in
torat français, Bulletins de la Station océanographique de Salammbô 33 (1933).
antimicrobial activity, which may play a role in protection from disease. This study identified clear chemo-
Financial support by the Labex “Objectif Terre - Bassin Méditerranéen (OT-Med)”, the National Center for taxonomic differences associated with branching morphotypes of Aplysina in the Caribbean, and supports
Scientific Research through the “Mistral/Biodivmex program” and the “Projet Exploratoire Premier Soutien the contention that anthropogenic stressors affect the production of chemical defenses by sponges. Although
(PEPS) blanc 2016”. Aplysina- specific pathogens were not tested, this study identifies potential sources of variability in disease
prevalence among sponge populations.
Effects of temperature stress on survival, pigmentation and regeneration of three Financial support by the National Science Foundation, National Institute of Undersea Science and Technol-
Caribbean sponges ogy, and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is gratefully acknowledged.
Juliet Rugiero1, Marilyn Brandt1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1
1
Center for Marine and Environmental Studies, University of the Virgin Islands, #2 John Brewers Bay, St Thomas, USA-Virgin Assessing the regional conservation status of sponges: the case of the Aegean ecoregion
Islands. julietann66@gmail.com Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Maria Sini2, Thanos Dailianis1, Maria del Mar Otero3, Catherine Numa3, Stelios
One threat of climate change to coral reefs is the increase of ocean temperatures, which can produce coral Katsanevakis2, Eleni Voultsiadou4
bleaching and mortality. While coral abundances have declined, marine sponges have become abundant and 1
Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece. vgero-
are becoming increasingly important habitat-forming animals on Caribbean coral reefs. This study evaluated vas@hcmr.gr;
if anomalous water temperatures affect the survival, pigmentation and regeneration of three common Ca- 2 Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, Lesvos, Greece.
ribbean sponges. Fragments of sponges (Aplysina cauliformis, Cliona delitrix and Desmapsama anchorata) 3 IUCN-Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Campanillas, Málaga, Spain.
were collected from a reef in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and placed at two experimental temperatures 4 Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
for seven days. For control tanks, temperature was maintained at a constant similar to that of local reef con-
Despite their key role in marine ecosystems, sponges are among the less studied animal groups concerning
ditions (27.0±0.32°C), whereas for the stress tanks two peaks of high (31.1±0.58°C) and low (26.5±0.21°C)
their extinction risk and conservation status. This is because of the scarce and scattered information on their
temperatures were simulated. Our results showed that under temperature stress D. anchorata had higher levels
species populations and their distribution, which inhibits the application of IUCN criteria. Herein, an at-
102 103
tempt is made to provide a baseline for evaluating the regional conservation status of sponges in the Aegean in the chemical components present in the extracts obtained from WPS and CS were also observed. Results in
ecoregion (eastern Mediterranean), one of the best studied for its sponge fauna in the Mediterranean. For this exploring the influence of ecological parameters on microbial and chemical diversity provide further impetus
purpose, we compiled detailed distribution maps for 22 sponge species falling in three categories: i) species in pursuing studies into patterns and processes of the chemical diversity of the Philippine blue sponge, Xesto-
included in the list of endangered and threatened species (Annex II) of the Barcelona Convention, ii) species spongia sp. and the chemical ecological significance of the coral triangle.
endemic in this ecoregion and iii) harvested bath sponge species. Different sources for potential data on the This research study is part of Discovery and Development of Health Products (DDHP- Marine) funded by the
population trends of these species through time were examined. As a result, a total of 1551 species occurrences Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (DOST-
were collected, including unpublished observations made by the authors within the last decade (48%), data PCHRD).
from scientific literature sources (43%), citizen science records (7%) and web sources (2%).
The most numerous occurrence data were available for the demosponge species Sarcotragus foetidus (436),
Sponges in Space: Spiculous skeleton formation in Ephydatia fluviatilis under
Aplysina aerophoba (431) and Axinella cannabina (213), which are protected under the Barcelona Conven-
tion. All other species had less than 100 occurrence records with 10 endemic and rare species presenting less hypergravity conditions
than 10 records. The assessment of the regional conservation status of the examined sponge species according Martijn C. Bart1, Sebastiaan de Vet1, Desiderius M. de Bakker2, Brittany E. Alexander1, Emiel van
to the IUCN Red List criteria, gave the following results: i) 10 of the examined species were assigned to the Loon3, Dick van Oevelen4, Jack J.W.A van Loon5, Jasper M. de Goeij1
‘Least Concern (LC)’ category under the broad geographical range criterion; ii) the limited information on 1
Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam,
the 8 endemic/rare species indicated their assessment status as ‘Data Deficient (DD)’; iii) the 4 harvested bath Post Office Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands m.c.bart@uva.nl
sponge species were evaluated as belonging to the Threatened Category of the IUCN Red List, having suffered 2
Wageningen Marine Research, Wageningen UR, Den Helder, The Netherlands
a massive population decline according to historical data on sponge fisheries. The present evaluation, besides 3
Department of Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Am-
providing scientific data for the regional protection and management of sponge populations, can form a basis sterdam, The Netherlands
for a wider assessment towards the conservation of Porifera. 4
Ecosystem studies, Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, the Netherlands
5
Dutch Experiment Support Center (DESC), Dept. Oral Cell Biology, ACTA-Vrije Universiteit, van der Boechorststraat 7, 1081
Spatial variation in chemistry and microbial diversity of Philippine blue sponge, BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Xestospongia sp. in relation to some ecological factors Successful dispersal of freshwater sponges depends on the formation of degenerative sponge bodies (gem-
Geminne Manzano1, Clairecynth Yu1, Viviene Santiago2, Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes2, Brian Carlmichael mules) in adverse conditions. This allows the sponge to overcome critical environmental conditions, for ex-
Torres3, Arturo O. Lluisma3 & Porfirio Aliño1 ample during wintertime, and to re-establish an active sponge when conditions are more favourable in spring.
A key step in the construction of a fully-developed sponge from a gemmule is the formation of the spiculous
1
Community Ecology Laboratory, The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines skeleton1. Silica spicules form the structural support for the three-dimensional filtration system the sponge
1101. geminnemanzano@msi.upd.edu.ph
uses to filter food particles from ambient water. We studied spiculous skeleton formation of both fed (i.e.
2
Marine Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines providing additional 13C- and 15N-labeled amino acids) and non-fed developing Ephydatia fluviatilis exposed
1101
to environmental stress, using different hypergravity forces (1, 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 g for 48 h) as stressor. Re-
3
Marine Genomics and Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, University of the sults show that freshwater sponges can withstand these prolonged periods of hypergravity and successfully
Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1101 construct their skeleton, even up to 20 g. Developing sponges take up and assimilate dissolved food before
Recent studies in the Philippines focus on the potential role of sponge-associated microorganism on sponge forming a functional filtering system, but the gemmule’s intrinsic is responsible for skeleton construction. Ad-
chemistry. Yet, few studies of sponge holobiont at ecosystems level given that ecological processes may play ditionally, non-fed sponges formed active filtration systems significantly more often than fed sponges, espe-
an important role on shaping sponge microbial communities and the secondary metabolites it produces. In this cially under higher g-force, suggesting that the formation of an active filtration system might be stimulated by
study, the renieramycin-producing Philippine blue sponge, Xestospongia sp were used to investigate the ex- food deprivation in environmentally stressful conditions. These findings indicate that the process of spiculous
tent of variation in sponge-associated microbial community; its secondary metabolite production in relation to skeleton formation is very energy-efficient and highly flexible, and demonstrate that it plays an important role
some biological and environmental factors. Biological samples were collected using SCUBA, and were trans- in how sponges can adapt their size and shape required for indeterminate growth and successful dispersal.
ported to the laboratory for morphological and molecular (CO1 sequence) identification, chemical analysis
References
and endosymbiotic community profiling. The diversity of microbial symbionts in the blue sponge Xestospon-
1. F. Nakayama, S., Arima, K., Kawai, et al. Curr Biol. 25 (2015) 2549-2554.
gia sp. were initially investigated using a 16s rRNA gene-targeted metagenomic approach. Ecological surveys
were performed on two collection sites, representing two Philippine marine biogeographic regions – in Orien- Financial support by the ESA-ESTEC Spin Your Thesis program (ESA-DGC-DET-2014-1218) is gratefully
tal Mindoro located on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and in Zamboanga del Sur located at Celebes Sea (CS). acknowledged.
Ethyl acetate extracts were subjected to thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chroma-
tography (HPLC) and MTT-based antiproliferative assay to confirm the presence of renieramycin M. Chemi- Past and present scenario of the Western Atlantic sponge Clathrina aurea (Porifera,
cal profiling using HPLC was performed to compare renieramycin M content among samples obtained from Calcarea)
different biogeographic regions. The blue sponges were found to be more abundant on the WPS than in CS Pedro Leocorny1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, André Padua1, Thierry Pérez2 & Michelle Klautau1
sites. Both the benthic community and the fish community in Oriental Mindoro, WPS and Zamboanga del Sur, 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia. Avenida
CS sites are characterized by high species diversity and abundance and very high biomass category. Environ-
Carlos Chagas Filho, 373. CEP 21941-902. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. pedro.leocorny@ufrj.br
mental factors like depth and monsoonal exposure were also compared showing that wave exposure and depth
2
are associated with the abundance and distribution of the sponges. Initial results showed a high microbial Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ. Sta-
tion Marine d’Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille.
diversity and that significant numbers of taxa are considered to be unidentified. TLC and HPLC profiles of the
extracts from WPS and from CS showed differences in the amount of Renieramycin M present. Differences Sponges are known for their low dispersal capability and population studies have shown high levels of genetic
104 105
structure for different species in both historical (e.g. Woerheide et al., 2008; DeBiasse et al., 2010) and recent References
(e.g. Chaves-Fonnegra et al., 2015; Riesgo et al., 2016) time scales. Nevertheless, Clathrina aurea (Porifera, 1. Van Soest, R.W.M; Boury-Esnault, N.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Rützler, K.; de Voogd, N.J.; Alvarez de Glasby, B.; Hajdu, E.;
Calcarea) is a widespread species in the Western Tropical Atlantic with structured populations and evidence of Pisera, A.B.; Manconi, R.; Schoenberg, C.; Klautau, M.; Picton, B.; Kelly, M.; Vacelet, J.; Dohrmann, M.; Díaz, M.-C.;
Cárdenas, P.; Carballo, J. L. (2016). World Porifera database. Accessed at http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.
long-distance dispersal in the Brazilian coast. Its presence in Brazil and the Caribbean turns this species into php?p=taxdetails&id=168950 on 2017-01-20]
an interesting model organism to evaluate its capacity of maintaining gene flow across large distances and the
role of possible barriers for dispersal in the studied region. Therefore, the present work aims to determine the Financial support by ArcticNet, a Network of Centres of Excellence Canada and NSERC Discovery Grant
structuring pattern and dispersal capability of C. aurea across its wide distribution range in historical (rDNA (SPL) is gratefully acknowledged.
ITS) and recent (microsatellites) time scale analyses.
Studied localities included individuals from the Lesser Antilles, NE, SE and S Brazilian coast. Bayesian infer- Functional Redundancy in Tropical Marine Sponge Communities
ences for structure analyses using ITS marker suggested three different populations, also supported by Φst M.M. Valentine & Mark Butler
values: (i) Caribbean; (ii) Brazil, except for its south region; (iii) S Brazilian, with almost no exchange of mi- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529
grants between them. Using loci of microsatellites, however, structure analyses revealed a strong connectivity
The functional diversity of marine communities is thought to influence community processes; sponge commu-
between Caribbean and Brazilian populations with high genetic similarity between specimens from the Lesser
nities should, theoretically, be no exception unless functional redundancy among sponges is so great that their
Antilles and the NE Brazilian coast. Our results infer a strong influence of the Amazon River shaping the dy-
“ecological value” as independent species is diminished. Large expanses of hard-bottom habitat in Florida Bay,
namic of connectivity among populations of C. aurea through time, being a permeable barrier to connectivity
just north of the Florida Keys (USA), was once populated by a diverse community of sponges before harmful
during periods of high sea level, as proposed by Rocha (2003). Migrant analyses show a dispersal capability
algal blooms substantially reduced their density and diversity. Given the impressive filtration rates of sponges
for C. aurea much higher than what is expected to marine sponges and maintenance of gene flow between
and their role in nitrogen cycling, among other ecological processes, the effects of sponge loss on community
NE Brazilian coast and Lesser Antilles may occur through the sponge corridor connecting these two regions.
function are potentially great. To date, most studies of the effects of sponges on water column constituents
References have focused on measurements of individuals in enclosures or of water entering and exiting sponges. No study
1. A. Chaves‐Fonnegra, K.A Feldheim, K. Secord, J.V. Lopez. Molecular Ecology. 24 (2015) 1447–1466. has yet tested how changes in sponge community diversity and biomass affects planktonic communities and
2. A. Riesgo, R. Pérez-Portela, L. Pita, G. Blasco, P.M. Erwin, S. López-Legentil. Heredity. 117 (2016) 427–439. water column chemistry, in conjunction with current speed. We manipulated species composition and biomass
3. G. Woerheide, L.S. Epp, L. Macis. BMC Evolutionary Biology; 8 (2008) 24–29. of experimental sponge communities in flow-through mesocosms to determine the effect of water speed on
4. L.A. Rocha. Journal of Biogeography. 30 (2003) 1161–1171. sponge filtration efficiency and nutrient conversion, measured as changes in the concentrations of nutrients
5. M.B. DeBiasse, V.P. Richards, M.S Shivji. Coral Reefs. 29 (2010) 47–55. (nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus), chl A, bacteria, and viruses. Sponges at high density and when exposed
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq and CNRS to low current speeds typically had the largest effect on nutrient concentrations. As the number of species in-
creased in our mesocosms, so did the strength of ecosystem effects, peaking at four-species mixtures with an
asymptote approaching 10-species. Generally, species rich sponge assemblages had a larger ecosystem effect
New Species Records for Sponges of the Eastern Canadian Arctic and Subarctic (e.g., greater bacterial removal) than the equivalent biomass of species in monoculture. However, this varied
Curtis Dinn1, Evan Edinger2, Bárbara de Moura Neves2, Vonda E. Wareham3 & Sally Leys1 among species and by response variables, because the filtration effects of some sponges were greater in mono-
1 cultures than in high diversity combinations. These strong species-specific effects on water column properties
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. Dinn@ualberta.ca
2
emphasizes the importance of sponge community biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem function.
Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John’s, NL, Canada
3
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Ecological Sciences Section, St. John’s, NL, Canada
Financial support by the E.P.A. is gratefully acknowledged.
The diversity of deep-water sponges in the Canadian Arctic has historically been overlooked, in part because
of difficulties associated with sampling deep hard bottom environments. As part of the ArcticNet HiBio (Hid-
den biodiversity and vulnerability of hard-bottom environments in the Canadian Arctic) project, regions of
reported coral and sponge bycatch in Baffin Bay and the North Labrador Sea were targeted for extensive
sampling using remotely operated vehicle (ROV), box core, and Agassiz trawl operations aboard the CCGS
Amundsen. During expeditions in October 2015 and July 2016, 114 sponge specimens were retrieved from
depths ranging from 72 to 1148 m and encompassing latitudes 60°18N to 68°15N. Morphology-based identi-
fications indicate the presence of at least 28 species from 19 different sponge families, several of which may
be new species records for the region according to the World Porifera Database. Sponges hitherto known only
from the Northeast Atlantic and higher Arctic (Axinella arctica, Janulum spinispiculum, and Tetilla siberica)
are here reported for the first time from the Labrador Sea and Davis Strait. This work spans three marine bio-
regions, which are thought to contain few (< 35) known sponge taxa (Van Soest et al., 2017). Current results
notably increase our present knowledge of sponge species richness on the Northeast Canadian shelf. Sponges
are also being quantified from ROV video to give an indication of species richness and biodiversity at some
of the sampled sites. Video annotation will also facilitate species identification for specimens collected during
ROV surveys and quantify sponge distributions by habitat and substrate type. Additional sampling is planned
near Lancaster Sound in northern Baffin Bay. This comprehensive taxonomic study has revealed wider distri-
bution ranges and enhanced our knowledge of the richness of sponge species in the eastern Canadian Arctic.
106 107
10th World Sponge Conference Cell & Molecular Biology
Cell & Molecular Biology Toward the Development of a Marine Sponge Cell Line: a Sponge- Specific Vector for
Introduction and Expression of Foreign DNA
Origin of Animal Cells Kylie Hesp1, Dirk E. Martens1, Rene H. Wijffels1 & Shirley A. Pomponi1, 2
Shunsuke Sogabe, William L Hatleberg, Daniel Stoupin, Kerry E Roper, Sandie M Degnan & Bernard 1
Department of Bioprocess Engineering, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Droevendaalsesteeg, Wageningen, the Nether-
M Degnan lands. kylie.hesp@wur.nl
2
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane QLD 4072, Australia b.degnan@uq.edu.au Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States of America.
All animal cells ultimately evolved from a single ancestral cell. It is widely held that this cell was similar to Since marine sponge-derived chemicals with pharmaceutical and commercial potential were discovered, many
a choanoflagellate, based on the close relationship of these unicellular holozoans to animals and the putative attempts have been made to create a stable or immortalized marine sponge cell line to produce these com-
homology of sponge choanocytes and choanoflagellates. From this ancestral cell evolved the first simple mul- pounds. New opportunities to tackle this bottleneck are enabled by molecular tools that allow precise control
ticellular animal, a clonal hollow ball of identical flagellated cells. In this scenario, cell differentiation evolved over genes and their expression. However, many of these techniques require introduction and expression of
later. In this presentation, we place this enduring view of animal origins in the context of recent insights into foreign DNA. Expression is dependent upon many factors, including promoter recognition, ribosome binding,
the molecular cell biology of non-eumetazoan basal animals - with a particular emphasis on sponges - and transcription termination and codon usage. In this study, all these factors were taken into account to develop an
holozoan protists. expression vector specifically for sponges. This vector is currently being assayed for its capability to express
a fluorescent marker gene in cells of the Caribbean sponge Dysidea etheria. Preliminary results indicate that
Financial support by the Australian Research Council is gratefully acknowledged.
some sponge cells express the marker gene; research is in progress to optimize expression and increase trans-
fection efficiency. The presence of the gene product is confirmed using fluorescence microscopy.
Sponge cell reaggregation: inter-and intraspecific variations Financial support by the EU Horizon 2020 SponGES project is gratefully acknowledged.
Andrey Lavrov 1, 2, Igor Kosevich1
1
Dept. Invertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, Moscow Characterisation of mucus and mucus producing cells in haplosclerid sponges.
2
Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia, Moscow Maria Vittoria Marra 1, Caroline Ridley 2, Pierce Lalor 3, Shirley Hanley 4, Peter Owens 3, David J.
Despite overall simple body organization sponges possess unique features in their organization not found Thornton 2 & Grace P. McCormack 1
in other multicellular animals. The plasticity of sponge body both at anatomical and cellular levels is one of 1
Molecular Evolution and Systematics Laboratory, Zoology Department, Martin Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland
such features. Virtually all cells in sponge body constantly moving and the majority of them have ability for
Galway, Galway, Ireland, m.marra1@nuigalway.ie
transdifferentiation. Continuous tissue reorganization allows adjusting the aquiferous system to certain hy- 2
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manches-
drodynamic conditions, reconstructing somatic tissue after degradation during sexual reproduction, asexual ter, United Kingdom
reproduction and movement. 3
Centre for Microscopy and Imaging, Anatomy Department, National University of Ireland Galway, Galway, Ireland
Plasticity of sponge tissues and cells is the most evident during the process of sponge cell reaggregation after 4
Flow Cytometry Core Facility, National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland Galway,
tissue dissociation. In the course of reaggregation multicellular aggregates differing in structure form, ending Galway, Ireland
in certain cases in the reconstruction of intact sponge. Sponge species from the Order Haplosclerida produce mucus with different physical properties; some species
We studied cell reaggregation of three demosponge (Halisarca dujardinii, Halichondria panicea, Haliclona produce a thick sticky form, others a slimy stringy mucus and yet other species appear to produce little or no
aquaeductus) and one calcarean (Leucosolenia complicata) species. Cell reaggregation of H. dujardinii and mucus. Members of this group of sponges also produce a large array of bioactive compounds including those
H. panicea was studied at the different stages of sexual reproduction cycles of these species. with antimicrobial properties. Focusing on species currently placed in the genus Haliclona Grant, 1841 we are
investigating the nature of the mucus produced and relating it both to bioactivity potential and to microbial
In general the cell reaggregation of all studied species have the same common pattern. During this process diversity in the same sponges. In H. indistincta, H. viscosa and H. sarai we identified a novel sponge cell type
multicellular aggregates pass the same developmental stages: with inclusions that has a similar morphology to mucus producing cells in other animals. The three sponge
1) primary multicellular aggregates, 2) early primmorphs, 3) primmorphs, 4) progressively developing prim- species produce a similar ‘tacky’ mucus and for H. sarai the bioactive compounds produced by the sponge
morphs, 5) reconstructed sponge. Nevertheless, each species shows some species-specific features of cell have already been shown to be present in the mucus. Conversely, H. cinerea produces a ‘slimy’ mucus clearly
reaggregation which appear as differences in rate and final stage of the process. Halisarca dujardinii cell reag- visible as mucus strands when the sponge is pulled apart and no putative mucous cells have yet been observed
gregation proceeds much quicker comparing to other species and always ends with the reconstruction of intact by TEM (transmission electron microscopy) analysis of this species. We are currently characterising the mol-
sponge. Cell reaggregation of other species ends at early primmorph or primmorph stages. ecules responsible for the physical properties of the mucus from these different sponges. The four species also
show a variable level of association with bacteria, which we have investigated using microscopy and micro-
Studies of H. dujardinii and H. panicea cell reaggregation at the different stages of sexual reproduction cycles
shows intraspecific variations of the process. In both species, cell reaggregation is most successful in cultures biome approaches. Understanding the composition of mucus is of great interest for sponge biology in order to
understand if mucus is involved in defence and/or symbiotic interactions with microbes. Using an integrative
obtained from non-reproducing individuals. After beginning of sexual reproduction and appearance of gam-
etes and/or embryos in the sponge tissues the rate of cell reaggregation decrease and the development of mul- approach that involves transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry, histochemistry, immunohistochem-
ticellular aggregates stops at earlier stages. The probable reason is an alteration of the physiological condition istry, mass spectrometry and transcriptomics, here we present data on the differences between mucus produced
by H. indistincta and H. cinerea including insight into their microbial diversity and bioactivity potential in an
of somatic tissue of sponge at the different stages of sexual reproduction cycle.
evolutionary framework. Furthermore, for the first time in sponge biology, we describe the mucus producing
Collected data allow to propose the upgraded general scheme of sponge cell reaggregation considering both cells in H. indistincta and their ultrastructure.
inter- and intraspecific variation of this process.
Keywords: Haliclona sponges, mucus, mucous cells, antimicrobial properties, integrative approach.
The study was supported by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (project no. 16-34-00145).
108 109
10th World Sponge Conference Cell & Molecular Biology
Cell dynamic during ectosomal and endosomal regeneration on an organotipic culture as an antagonist of Wnt signaling in E. muelleri and that the regulation of the Wnt pathway by the Pax/Six
of Hymeniacidon heliophila. network as well as the role of Wnt signaling in body plan morphogenesis was established before sponges di-
verged from the rest of the metazoans.
Cristiano Carvalho Coutinho1, Ivone de Andrade Rosa1, John Douglas de Oliveira Teixeira1,
Leonardo Rodrigues Andrade1, Manoel Luis Costa1 & Claudia Mermelstein1 References
1. P.J. Windor, S.P. Leys, Evol Dev. 12 (2010) 484-493.
1
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Ilha do Fundão, Av. Brg. Trompow- 2. A. Rivera, I. Winters, A. Rued, S. Ding, D. Posfai, B. Cieniewicz, K. Cameron, L. Gentile, A. Hill, Evol Dev. 15 (2014)186-
ski, s/n, ccoutinho@histo.ufrj.br 196.
Sponges have high capacity for regeneration, with extreme ability to generate adult individual from dissoci- 3. Q. Schenkelaars, O. Quintero, C. Hall, L. Fierro-Constain, E. Renard, C. Borchiellini, A.L. Hill, Dev Bio. 412 (2016) 298-
ated cells. Sponge ectosomal regeneration after superficial ablation has been currently investigated (Borisenko 310.
et al., 2015). The authors suggested migration, epithelial conversion and blastea formation as the initial step Financial support by HHMI and NSF is gratefully acknowledged.
before epithelization and complete recovery. In the present study, we analyzed the endossomal and ectos-
somal regeneration dynamic of Hymeniacidon heliophila sponge cells into a new whole organism by video
microscopy, bright field, confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The coordination of distinct Differential expression analysis of RNAseq data during the formation of the aquiferous
cell processes during H. heliophila regeneration was investigated to address basic knowledge on sponge tissue system in Halichondria panicea (Suberitida, Demospongiae)
formation in vitro. We focused on the first 20 hours regeneration with blastea formation and epithelium initial- Nadia Santodomingo1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Sergio Taboada1, Nathan J. Kenny1, Lars Kumala2, 3, 4,
ization. An innovative organotypic culture of the endosome was recorded under confocal video microscopy, Peter Funch5 & Ana Riesgo1
with or without cell transplantation and vital staining. Three types of migration over the basoephitelial layer 1
Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK
were observed, and cell density is likely to be determinant: I) at low density, when filopodia rich mesenchymal
2
cells are dispersed, initial stochastic migration was followed by migration to the nearest cell cluster; II) small Max-Planck Odense Center on the Biodemography of Aging, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230
Odense M, Denmark
group of cells flowing, including basopinachocytes, toward the nearby more dense tissue; III) all sponge cell
3
mass from a tissue specific region undergo entire tissue displacement toward a specific direction, like a blastea Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, 18057 Rostock, Germany
4
movement, with filopodia guiding cells at the front, like cytonemes, and predominance of oriented fusiform Nordic Center for Earth Evolution, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense M, Denmark
cells, spicules and collagen bundles. Cell-cell interaction and cell density was here shown affecting morpho- 5
Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 116, DK-8000 Aarhus C - Denmark
genesis, such as epithelial/mesenchymal and mesenchymal/epithelial conversions. Extracellular matrix was Most sponges rely on a complex aquiferous system that enables their pumping and filter-feeding activities for
organized according the morphogenetic process observed, with evidences for cell signaling instructions and food capture, oxygen supply, excretion, etc. The formation of the aquiferous system begins a few hours after
remodeling. The present data and the here-described method of organotypic culture will further support the larval settlement hatching of the gemmule, or within the first week in primmorphs and explants [1]. Although
development of viable sponge biomass production to solve the supply problem. The identification of signaling previous studies have found several genes to be expressed during canal formation [e.g., 2-6], the complete
mechanisms promoting tissue growth is now under investigation. expression profile during formation of the aquiferous system remains unknown. Here, we constructed RNA-
References seq libraries using four samples of explants without pumping activity (= no-filter feeding) and four samples
1. I.E. Borisenko, M. Adamska, D.B. Tokina, A.V. Ereskovsky. PeerJ 3: e1211 (2015) 1–23. of explants with pumping activity (= filter feeding) and pooled them to build a reference transcriptome. Then,
Financial support by Brazilian grants from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico they were mapped and aligned to the reference transcriptome to perform a differential expression analysis with
(CNPq) and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ). DESeq2. We found genes differentially expressed between no-filter-feeding vs. filter-feeding (most upregu-
lated in no-filter- feeding) mostly involved in formation of choanocytes (e.g., tubulins, dyneins, outer dense
fiber 3, rootletin), extracellular matrix (e.g., mucin-4, several creatine kinases), cation channels (e.g., adenyl-
A novel secreted frizzled related protein is a downstream target of PAXB and a ate cyclase, cation channel sperm-associated 1, HCN- gated cation channels), and maintenance of totipotency
regulator of aquiferous system development in the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia (piwi). Interestingly, the gene MOB kinase activator 1B, which was upregulated in the condition no-filter-
muelleri feeding, plays a pivotal role in restricting proliferation and promoting apoptosis. Similarly, genes upregulated
in the filter-feeding samples were related to apoptosis (e.g., caspase-8), cell growth (e.g., abl interactor 2), and
April Hill 1, Chelsea Hall 1, Dora Posfai 3, Eric Wictor 2, Melanie Rodriguez 1, Rachel Dumez 1,
the development of the immune system (e.g., TNF receptor-associated factor 3). Our results indicate that the
Josephine Garcia 1, Aheema Gazi 1, Rachel Dumez 1 & Ajna Rivera 2
main activities carried out during the formation of the aquiferous system are the assembly of choanocytes for
1
Department of Biology, University of Richmond, Richmond, Virginia. Ahill2@richmond.edu pumping, the arrangement of the extracellular matrix necessary for the establishment of the body plan, and the
2
Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California development of cation channels to coordinate cellular responses. In addition, we corroborate the concomitant
3
Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina occurrence of cell proliferation and apoptosis during aquiferous system development reported in primmorphs
The Wnt Signaling pathway and the Pax/Six gene network both play important roles in establishing the fresh- [2, 7] and provide a comprehensive resource for future investigations.
water sponge body plan and aquiferous system [1-3]. Using computational approaches to identify transcrip- References
tion factor binding motifs in sponge genomes, we located putative PaxB binding sites upstream of a novel Se- 1. D. Sipkema et al. J. Biotech. 100(2003) 127-139.
creted Frizzled Related Protein (SFRP) gene in Ephydatia muelleri. The EmSFRP contains a Frizzled domain 2. A. Krasko et al. J. Biol. Chem. 274(1999) 31524-30.
with predicted glycosylation site as well as a Netrin domain. EmSFRP is expressed throughout development, 3. S. Perović et al. Evol. & Dev. 5 (2003) 240-250.
but with highest levels in juvenile sponges. In situ hybridization and antibody staining show expression of 4. W.E. Müller et al. J. Cell. Sci. 117(2004) 2579-90.
EmSFRP in the basal pinacoderm in archeocytes with filipodia. Knockdown of EmPaxB expression results 5. P. Lapébie et al. PLoS One. 4(2009) e5823.
in decreased expression of EmSFRP, supporting that PaxB directly or indirectly regulates SFRP in sponges. 6. P.J. Windsor, S.P. Leys. Evol. & Dev. 12(2010) 484-93.
Interestingly, knockdown of EmSFRP leads to ectopic oscula formation during development, as has been 7. C. Koziol et al. Mechanisms Ageing Dev. 100(1998) 107-20.
reported when GSK3 is inhibited in this species [1]. These data supports a hypothesis that EmSFRP may act
110 111
10th World Sponge Conference Sponges & their Environment
Financial support from the Villum Foundation and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research is Sponges & their Environment
gratefully acknowledged.
Metabolic plasticity of HMA sponges allows them to completely oxidize all reduced
Expansion of oxygen-associated pathways at the dawn of animals sources in the water: an energetic view
Warren R. Francis 1, Sergio Vargas 1, Michael Eitel 1, Dirk Erpenbeck 1, Stefan Krebs 2, Helmut Blum 2, Marta Ribes1, Rafel Coma2, Sally P. Leys3, Teresa Morganti1, 2, Gitai Yahel4
Marcin Adamski 3, Steven H.D. Haddock 4 & Gert Wörheide 1, 5 1
Institut de Ciències del Mar, ICM-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
1
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität München, 2
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC Girona, Catalonia, Spain
Munich, Germany 3
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,
wrf@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
2
4
The School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel mribes@icm.csic.es
Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
The contribution of DOM to sponge feeding is now well documented1, 2 and uptake of labile DOC occurs in
München, Munich, Germany
3
both high (HMA) and low (LMA) microbial abundance sponge3. In contrast, considerable DON uptake and
Research School of Biology, College of Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
nitrate excretion are observed only in HMA species. We used in situ and laboratory techniques to measure the
4
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Moss Landing, CA, USA dissolved and particulate nitrogen fluxes mediated by HMA and LMA sponges and constructed a partial ni-
5
Bavarian State Collection for Palaeontology and Geology, Munich, Germany trogen budget for 14 sponges species from four different oceanic areas: North-East Pacific, North Sea, North-
Animals are thought to have evolved during the neoproterozoic in an environment of relatively low oxygen. West Mediterranean Sea, and the Red-Sea. Regardless of the oceanographic settings, HMA sponges exhibited
Precisely how and when this occurred is unknown, but information about the metabolism of extant animals high plasticity in their ability to use the available dissolved nitrogen compounds. Under normal oxygenated
would give insight into the gene set and capabilities of the last common ancestor of all animals. Here we pres- conditions, NH4+ levels are low and most of nitrate excreted by HMA sponges is derived from full oxidation
ent the 125- megabase draft genome of the contractile laboratory demosponge, Tethya wilhelma, sequenced to of DON; when NH4+ concentrations are high, its uptake represent an addition to the nitrification rates. The
almost 150x coverage. We examined pathways involved in sponge contraction behaviour, oxygen regulation ubiquity of nitrification among the different geographical zones and the high rates of nitrate production as-
and utilization, neural-related receptors, and neurotransmitter biosynthesis across all early-branching phyla sociated with HMA sponges suggest that it represents a relevant process for energy income and potentially
of metazoans, all of which show lineage-specific gene family expansions. Sponges and ctenophores lack microbial production within these sponges. We discuss the energetic consequences of these results considering
true orthologs in the HIFa oxygen-sensing pathway and other related proteins involved in circadian rhythms, the contribution of full oxidation of the organic matter for the sponge holobionts and the consequences for
suggesting these proteins became specialized following a duplication that occurred after separation of both nutrient cycling. Our data suggest that the HMA sponges are unique among the metazoans in their nutritional
sponges and ctenophores from the rest animals. Other key proteins involved in both oxygen sensing and cir- plasticity and their ability to take advantage of the entire range of reduced compounds available in the water,
cadian rhythms are absent in sponges and ctenophores but found in all other animals, indicating that sponges provide them with a relevant additional energy source.
and ctenophores must detect oxygen through other mechanisms, possibly involving sulfide. The absence of References
these pathways is consistent with the view that these two phyla are the earliest-branching metazoan lineages 1
Rix, L., de Goeij, J. M., van Oevelen, D., Struck, U., Al-Horani, F. A., Wild, C. and Naumann, M. S. (2016), Differential recy-
and provide additional support for the proposed parahoxazoa clade. cling of coral and algal dissolved organic matter via the sponge loop. Funct Ecol. doi:10.1111/1365-2435.12758
2
This work was supported by a LMUexcellent grant (Project MODELSPONGE) to G.W. as part of the German Maldonado, M., M. Ribes, and F. C. van Duyl. 2012. Nutrient fluxes through sponges: Biology, budgets, and ecological
Excellence Initiative. implications. Advances in Marine Biology 62:113-182.
3
de Goeij, J.M., Moodley, L., Houtekamer, M., Caballeira, N.M., and van Duyl, F.C. 2008. Tracing 13C-enriched dissolved
and particulate organic carbon in the bacteria-containing oral reef sponge Halisarca caerulea: Evidence for DOM feed-
ing. Limnology and Oceanography 53:1376-1386.
This work was supported by the Spanish Government project CGL2013-43106-R and the Marine Biogeo-
chemistry and Global Change research group funded by the Catalan Government [2014SGR1029]
Differential gene expression analysis in the threatened sponge Spongia officinalis

following exposure to different temperature conditions
Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, 2, Tereza Manousaki1, Jacques Lagnel1, Spyros Kollias3, Costas Tsigenopoulos1,
Christos Arvanitidis1, Costas Dounas1, Antonios Magoulas1 Ana Riesgo2 & Thanos Dailianis1
1
Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece
2
Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum of London V.Koutsouveli@nhm.ac.uk.
3
Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Norway
During the past decades Spongia officinalis, the common Mediterranean bath sponge, is being threatened due
to intensive unregulated harvesting and outbreaks of mass mortality events. Temperature was shown to be a
limiting factor for the survival of this and other species in the western Mediterranean [1] and other oceans,
but the molecular responses of sponges to thermal stress have been rarely studied [2]. In our experiment, we
tested the effect of three phases of temperature increase (gradual increase, acute heat shock and long-term heat
shock) on the molecular response of Spongia officinalis.
112 113
The trial experiment was conducted in treatment tanks, in which the temperature was gradually increased from the stimulatory effect of CO2, may facilitate this resistance of phototrophic sponges to OW through increased
24oC to 27oC for 3 days (27oC+3d) and then immediately raised to 30oC (30oC+2hr) and maintained constant membrane lipid and FA biosynthesis. Additional innate tolerance mechanisms were also revealed whereby
for 2 more days (30oC+2d). A control tank maintained a constant temperature of 24oC during the entire experi- sponges with a higher proportion of phospholipids, sterols, and polyunsaturated FA, the main constituents of
ment. De novo transcriptome assembly was performed on data produced by Illumina HiSeq next- generation the cell membrane lipid bilayer, are more resistant to OW and OA. These lipids are likely to contribute to the
sequencing platform (see Manousaki et al., this volume) and differential expression analysis was conducted ability of these sponges to maintain appropriate membrane function and subsequent cell homeostasis in the
among the different experimental conditions. Interestingly, we found that mild thermal changes (27oC+3d) face of environmental change. Overall this research gives a holistic view of OW and OA impacts on tropical
produced major shifts in the gene expression profile compared to the control, although this temperature is sponges and provides the basis from which to explore the potential for a sponge-coral regime shift in a high
within the natural range of the habitat of S. officinalis, including the upregulation of genes related with the CO2 world.
activation of the immune system and apoptotic signaling. Following the acute heat-shock (30oC+2hr), genes
related to the inflammatory response, negative regulation of cell proliferation, heat shock (HSP90) and other Pressure-response relationships of sponges to dredge pressures – a laboratory approach
stress responses were overexpressed. Finally, prolonged exposure of S. officinalis to a higher temperature
(30oC+2d) triggered the differential expression of genes related to the activation of the inflammasome poly- Mari-Carmen Pineda1, 2, Brian Strehlow3, Alan Duckworth1, 2, Ross Jones1, 2, Miriam Sternel4, Jasmine
meric complex, which is naturally formatted in response to pathogens and other damage-associated signals Kamp5 & Nicole S. Webster1, 2
and genes linked with lipid metabolism and calcium signaling, while genes connected with heat acclimation 1
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia mcarmen.pineda@gmail.com
were downregulated in this last condition. 2
Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Perth, Australia
Our study provides the first approach to understand the response and tolerance to changing temperatures of the 3
Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis, School of Plant Biology and Ocean Institute, University of Western Aus-
economically and ecologically important sponge Spongia officinalis using transcriptome analysis. tralia, Crawley, Australia
4
References University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
5
1. J. Garrabou, R. Coma, N. Bensoussan, et al., Glob. Chang. Biol. 15 (2009) 1090-1103. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
2. C. Guzman, C. Conaco. PLoS One 11 (2016) e0165368. Dredging activity poses an environmental risk to filter feeders as sediments may smother the animal surface,
This work has been financially supported by the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (MIS 384676) and clog the aquiferous system or reduce light penetration required for photosynthesizing symbionts. Despite
the Action «Proposals for Development of Research Bodies-KRIPIS», both funded by the Greek Govern- the abundance and ecological importance of sponges, our understanding of how they respond to dredging
ment under the General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT) and the National Strategic Reference pressures is limited. To address this knowledge gap, we undertook experimental research in the National Sea
Framework (NSRF). Simulator at the Australian Institute of Marine Science to test pressure: response relationships and determine
thresholds for sponges and their microbial symbionts. Experiments incorporated a selection of representative
sponge species, comprising different morphologies and nutritional strategies (phototrophs vs. heterotrophs).
Sponges in a high CO2 world: a mechanistic understanding of sponge tolerance to A suite of response variables were assessed, with a particular focus on sponge health (i.e. growth, bleaching,
elevated pCO2 and temperature. mortality), feeding strategies (i.e. respiration, energetic reserves) and changes in microbial symbiosis (i.e.
Holly Bennett1,3, David Francis2, Simon K. Davy1, Nicole Webster3, James Bell1 maximum quantum yields, chlorophyll concentrations, composition of the microbial community).
1
Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand Independent cause/effect experiments teased apart the effects of light reduction, elevated suspended sediments
2
Deakin University, Warrnambool, VIC 2180, Australia and sedimentation associated with dredging activity, and a final experiment assessed the effect of combined
3 stressors using simulated dredging scenarios. Results revealed that i) light attenuation can adversely impact
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville 4810, Queensland, Australia
phototrophic species, with low light levels (<0.8 mol photons m-2 d-1 for >7 d) causing irreversible damage
As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, associated ocean warming (OW) and ocean acidification (OA) are
to Carteriospongia foliascens, ii) high suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) can adversely impact the
predicted to cause declines in reef-building corals globally, shifting reefs from coral-dominated systems to filter-feeding mode of nutrition, compromising energy stores in the long term, although SSCs of <10 mg L-1
those dominated by less sensitive species. Sponges are important structural and functional components of could be easily tolerated by most species, and iii) sediment smothering for up to 30 d does not affect adult
coral reef ecosystems, but despite increasing field-based evidence that sponges may be ‘winners’ in response sponge holobionts as most species possess active and/or passive self-cleaning strategies that enable them to
to environmental degradation, our understanding of how they respond to the combined effects of OW and continue feeding. However, the response of some species to the combined effects of all three dredging-related
OA is limited. To address such gaps in our knowledge we explored the response of four Great Barrier Reef pressures was more immediate and severe than when stressors were applied in isolation. Our results indicate
sponge species experimentally exposed to OW and OA levels predicted for 2100, under two CO2 Representa- that, although sponges have mechanisms or adaptations to cope with dredging-related pressures in the short
tive Concentration Pathways (RCPs). The response of the sponge holobiont to these conditions was examined
term, sponge health can be negatively affected by realistic moderate to high turbidity scenarios (≥10 mg L-1,
over multiple scales, from survival to sponge function, in which physiological processes including growth and ≤0.8 mol photons m-2 d-1). The sub-lethal stress and mortality thresholds derived from this research will assist
metabolism were measured. Biochemical responses were also assessed to determine the effect of these stress- regulators and environmental managers in reducing risks from dredging development for this ecologically
ors on sponge energy stores and membrane functioning, with the aim to understand mechanisms that underpin important group of filter-feeders.
sponge tolerance to OW and OA.
All species were generally unaffected by conditions predicted under RCP6.0, although environmental condi-
tions projected under RCP8.5 caused significant adverse effects: with elevated temperature decreasing the sur-
vival of all species, increasing levels of tissue necrosis and bleaching, elevating respiration rates and decreas-
ing photosynthetic rates. OA alone had little adverse effect, even under RCP8.5 concentrations. Importantly,
the interactive effect of OW and OA varied between species with different nutritional modes, with elevated
pCO2 exacerbating temperature stress in heterotrophic species but mitigating temperature stress in phototroph-
ic species. Lipid class and fatty acid (FA) analysis revealed that additional energy available under OA, due to
114 115
Glass Sponge Pump Rates and their Role in Biogeochemical Cycles in the Weddell Sea, 2. I.V. Hansen, J.M. Weeks, M.H. Depledge. Accumulation of copper, zinc, cadmium and chromium by the marine sponge Hali-
chondria panicea Pallas and the implications for biomonitoring. Mar Pollut Bull 31 (1995) 133–138.
Antarctica
3. M. Mysing-Gubala, M.A. Poirrier. The effects of cadmium and mercury on gemmule formation and gemmosclere morphology
Luisa Federwisch1, 2, Moritz Holtappels1, Emil Andersson3, Roger Johansson3 & Claudio Richter1, 2 in Ephydatia fluviatilis (Porifera: Spongillidae). Hydrobiologia 76 (1981) 145–148.
1
Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany luisa.federwisch@awi.de Financial support by FACEPE (Fundação de Âmparo a Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco) and CNPq (Na-
2
University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
tional Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development) is gratefully acknowledged.
3
Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Infrastructure, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
Glass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida) are an important part of epibenthic communities in the shelf areas Sub-lethal stress responses of sponges to dredging pressures
of Antarctica. They can grow to considerable sizes of up to 2 m height and form vast sponge beds which pro- Brian Strehlow1, 2, 3, 4, Mari-Carmen Pineda3, 4, Alan Duckworth3, 4, Peta Clode2 & Nicole Webster3, 4
vide habitat for various other animals. Despite continuous research on Antarctic benthic community structure 1
School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia brian.strehlow@research.uwa.
and distribution and the obvious dominance of glass sponges in some shelf communities, very little is known edu.au
about their physiology and their role in biogeochemical cycles. While past studies hypothesized that they 2
Centre for Microscopy Characterisation and Analysis and Oceans Institute, University of Western
have a significant impact on carbon and silicon cycling, this had so far not been investigated in Antarctic glass
Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia
sponges in situ. During a recent expedition with RV Polarstern to the south-eastern Weddell Sea in 2015/16, 3
we conducted a first in-situ study of pump rates and metabolism in Antarctic hexactinellids. Using a remotely Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
4
operated vehicle (ROV), we investigated 27 sponges of various sizes (15-65 cm height) belonging to several Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland Australia
common species (Rossella sp. and Anoxycalyx joubini) at four stations between 210 m and 420 m water depth. Dredging of the seafloor could affect sponges by raising suspended sediment concentrations (SSC), reducing
light intensity, and smothering sponges with sediment. Experimental sediment exposures, using six abundant
We applied a fluorescent dye at the outside wall of the sponges to measure their pump rates. 63% of the spong-
and broadly distributed Indo- Pacific sponge species, revealed that stress responses are highly species spe-
es were found to be actively pumping. Furthermore, we sampled the exhalant current and the corresponding
cific. To gain insights into sub-lethal sediment stress we developed X-ray microscopy (microCT) protocols
ambient water of 22 individuals with a new custom-made water sampling system. The samples were analysed
to visualise and quantify internal sediment management strategies in 3 dimensions, as well as thermistor
for dissolved silicon, ammonium and picoplankton and the differences between ambient water and exhalant
flowmeters, integrated with time-lapse cameras, to measure changes in sponge pumping rates and osculum
current were calculated for each sponge. In addition to that, we measured oxygen consumption in 10 sponges
behaviour. Ianthella basta explants were treated with acute (48 h) exposure to high SSC and chronic (4 w)
using an oxygen optode. Here, we relate the measured pump rates to sponge size, and present biomass-specific
exposure to SSC, light attenuation and sediment deposition, and examined by microCT. In acute treatments,
fluxes of carbon, nitrogen, and silicon, as well as clearance and respiration rates for these important foundation
I. basta accumulated high concentrations of sediments in its aquiferous system, and sediment concentrations
species. Extrapolation of our findings to larger spatial scales will help to better estimate the role of Antarctic
decreased after dosing ceased, with all sediment eliminated within 72 h (Figure 1A). In chronic treatments, I.
glass sponges on carbon and silicon cycling.
basta accumulated sediment internally, but the majority of sediment was expelled from the aquiferous system
within two weeks of recovery. The flowmeter was used to assess pumping activity and osculum contraction in
Effects of copper on early development of the freshwater sponge Radiospongilla inesi Cliona orientalis. Short-term elevation of SSC decreased pumping rates by up to 90%, ultimately resulting in
Ludimila Calheira1, Emilio Lanna2, Paulo Sérgio Martins de Carvalho1 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 closure of the oscula (Figure 1B) and cessation of pumping (Figure 1C). These experiments provide essential
information to better understand and predict the effects of dredging stressors on sponges.
1
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Zoologia, Recife, Brazil. uspinheiro@hotmail.com
2
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Departamento de Biologia Geral, Salvador, Brazil.
Aquatic environments have long been used as disposal areas for domestic and industrial wastes contaminated
by metals, which produce harmful effects in aquatics organisms due to their bioaccumulation and toxicity
(Cebrian & Uriz 2007). Sponges are possibly vulnerable to waterborne metals due their high filtering capac-
ity (Hansen et al., 1995), and there is little information about the effects of pollutants on freshwater sponges.
Mysing-Gubala & Poirrier (1981) verified that cadmium and mercury could cause malformations on spicules
of Ephydatia fluviatilis (Linnaeus, I759), and to our knowledge there is no information about the sensitivity of
early stages of development of freshwater sponges to metals. The purpose of this study was to test the effects
of waterborne copper in hatchability and early development of Radiospongilla inesi gemmules. Gemmules
were manually separated from adult sponges and exposed to copper in six concentrations (1 µg/L, 10 µg/L,
50 µg/L, 100 µg/L, 500 µg/L and 1000 µg/L) plus controls in 24 well plates. For each treatment, three repli-
cates with eight gemmules were used. The gemmules were observed daily during 30 days to evaluate death or
hatching and early development until osculum formation. No hatching was detected at the highest concentra-
tion (1000 µg/L), while the percent of hatched gemmules decreased at concentrations 50 µg/L, 100 µg/L, 500
µg/L (Anova, p < 0.001). Regarding sponge development, there was a decrease in the percent of individuals
and forming an osculum in all concentrations (Anova, p < 0.05). These results show that copper exposure can
affect not only hatching, but also the development of fundamental structures in early stages of juvenile Radio-
spongilla inesi sponges, and subsequent colonization of new habitats.
References
1. E. Cebrian, M.J. Uriz. Contrasting Effects of Heavy Metals on Sponge Cell Behavior. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 53
(2007) 552–558.
116 117
10th World Sponge Conference Organismal Biology
Organismal Biology tored for an additional five months. Preliminary data from the surveys and experiment suggest the competitive
system is hierarchical across both local and community scales, contrary to the hypothesis that non-hierarchical
competition exists and promotes coexistence between the three groups. Moreover, experimental results sug-
Rising of the Porifera: Are sponges becoming the dominant sessile benthic organisms in
gest that D. anchorata may grow more rapidly when directly competing with L. variegata and P. asteroides,
certain habitats? compared to when it is only competing with P. asteroides. Contact with algae may confer a competitive edge
Schupp, P.J. to the sponge, allowing it to more rapidly overtake living corals. Data on growth of each competitor will be
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany used to generate transition matrices to demonstrate how corals may change size classes when competing with
different combinations of sponges and macroalgae. The results of this research may shed light on the fate of
corals in the presence of growing populations of aggressive macroalgae and sponge competitors.
In recent years there has been an increasing number of reports that sponges are becoming more abundant and
in some regions the dominating benthic organisms on coral reefs. Some locations in the Caribbean provide in-
creasing evidence that coral reefs are shifting from coral dominated to sponge dominated reefs1. For the Indo-
Specificity of predator defenses of tropical marine sponges
Pacific there are also a number of reports which suggest that sponge biomass and abundance are increasingly Janie Wulff
correlating with a decline in coral cover caused by anthropogenic effects, such as overfishing, sedimentation, Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
eutrophication as well as climate change2. To assess if sponges are indeed becoming the dominant benthic wulff@bio, fsu.edu
organisms we conducted a meta-analysis of available benthic monitoring data from various biogeographic Specificity of prey defenses against predators influences prey species diversity and habitat distribution pat-
regions. Preliminary results will be presented. terns, and can illuminate evolutionary arms races and canalization of biochemical pathways. A strong phy-
One possible mechanism why sponges are successful competitors is the production of bioactive compounds. logenetic signal in specificity of defenses against consumers might be predicted in sponges and other sessile
It has been well established that sponges use secondary metabolites to defend themselves against predatory animals, as that is the consistent pattern for defenses of terrestrial plants and marine algae. But the lack of
fish and invertebrate predators. Studies on sponge allelopathic compounds are however largely lacking. We sufficiently comprehensive data sets has impeded testing of this prediction, and it is not known if theories built
investigated crude extracts from 10 sponges collected from Bawe Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania to study the anti- on evidence from well-studied plant-herbivore and algae-herbivore systems are generally applicable. Recent
predatory effects of the sponges and tested also if sponges produced alleopathic compounds to overcome coral compilations of data on sponge defenses, from a variety of sources, have made possible the disentangling of
competitors. In addition to evaluating various reef sponges in Zanzibar, we investigated in detail the chemical patterns in defense specificity that are due to history from those correlated with ecological circumstances, with
ecology of a particularly dominating sponge (Pseudoceratina sp.), which we first sighted at Koh Phangan surprising results.
in the Gulf of Thailand. This sponge was covering large areas of the benthic substrate and overgrew various Specificity is asymmetric for predators and their sponge prey, and predictions about specificity of defenses that
other invertebrate species including corals. Results from both the feeding and allelopathic experiments will are based on habitat are more reliable than those based on history. One ecological result of this pattern is that
be presented. strict habitat boundaries are enforced by predation for many sponge species. Apparent trade-offs in defenses
Peter J Schupp acknowledges funding of the SUTAS project by the German Leibniz Association (WGL). against predators vs. defenses against competitors maintain divergent species diversity patterns among habi-
tats, specifically mangrove prop roots, seagrass meadows, and coral reefs.
References
1
Pawlik, J.R., 2011. The chemical ecology of sponges on Caribbean reefs: natural products shape natural systems. BioScience Financial support by the National Science Foundation, the Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Program, and
61: 888- 898. the Smithsonian Tropical Reseach Institute is gratefully acknowledged.
2
Bell, J. J. & D. Smith, 2004. Ecology of sponge assemblages (Porifera) in the Wakatobi Region, south-east Sulawesi, Indonesia:
richness and abundance. Journal of the Marine Biological Associaion of the United Kingdom 84: 581- 591
Sponges produces a chemical seascape acting on benthic ecosystem functioning
,
Multispecies competitive interactions among coral, sponges and macroalgae in St. Thierry Pérez 1, Mathieu Santonja 1 2, Stéphane Greff 1, Olivier P. Thomas 3
Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ. Sta-
tion Marine d’Endoume, chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France.
Lauren Olinger1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Ian Enochs2, Marilyn Brandt1
2
Université Rennes 1 - UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, Avenue du Général Leclerc, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes, France.
1
University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, USA 3
Marine Biodiscovery, National University of Ireland Galway, School of chemistry, college of science, University road, Galway,
lauren.olinger@students.uvi.edu Ireland.
2
University of Miami/CIMAS-NOAA/AOML Sponges are benthic organisms, dominant in several ecosystems, and known to produce a high chemical di-
Competition is an important structuring process on coral reefs, yet most studies focus only on two-way com- versity. The release of some specialized metabolites in the surrounding seawater has been demonstrated in
petition between corals and either algae or sponges. Better understanding multispecies interactions among some rare cases. The occurrence of such molecules into the seawater might constitute a true chemical seascape
these groups, which dominate the reef benthos, may help disentangle the drivers of benthic community change influencing the behaviour of various mobile organisms and therefore contributing to benthic ecosystem struc-
in nearshore Caribbean ecosystems. The objective of this study was to examine coral-sponge- macroalgae turing and functioning. In this case study, underwater Mediterranean caves were chosen as models as they are
competition across local and community scales. Interactions between individual corals (Porites asteroides), characterized by stable environmental conditions and sessile species assemblages dominated by sponges.
macroalgae (Lobophora variegata), and sponges (Desmapsamma anchorata and Aplysina cauliformis) were
examined in situ on two reefs located south of St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. Overgrowth and standoff inter- A two-choice tests system was developed to assess the response of two cave-dwelling crustaceans, (Hemimy-
actions were surveyed to evaluate the most frequent outcomes among competing pairs of each target species. sis margalefi and Palaemon serratus) against two other species living in shallow water environments, (Lepto-
Additionally, an experiment was designed to compare each competitor’s growth under simulated direct com- mysis sp. and Palaemon elegans) to the surrounding seawater of four Mediterranean sponges commonly found
petition with a combination of other competitors. Close-range photogrammetry was used to evaluate the three- at the entrance of underwater cave: Aplysina cavernicola, Haliclona fulva, Oscarella tuberculata and Spongia
dimensional growth of each competitor during a three-month period, and two-dimensional growth was moni- officinalis. We experienced the swimming behaviour of these crustacean species subjected to control seawater
vs. (i) seawater conditioned with the community of sponges or (ii) seawater containing chemical extracts of
118 119
10th World Sponge Conference Organismal Biology
this community. Funding: This study is part of the SponGES project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research
and innovation programme (grant agreement 679849).
Both cave-dwelling crustaceans were significantly attracted by the seawater conditioned with the sponge com-
munity, while Leptomysis sp. spent more time in the control seawater and P. elegans exhibited indifferent re-
sponses. In addition, the attractive effect was affected by the daytime. With the aim to decipher the metabolite Taxonomic, phylogenetic, microbial and ecological assessment of two coral-killing
composition of the conditioned seawaters, a metabolomics fingerprinting approach revealed the presence of cyanobacteriosponges in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia
chemical markers likely belonging to the oxylipin family.
Esther van der Ent1, Nicole J. de Voogd1
This work takes place in the framework of the LIA MARRIO, and is funded by the CNRS and the TOTAL 1
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. esther.vanderent@naturalis.nl
Foundation.
Sponges are very successful competitors for space on coral reefs, and some species present a significant threat
to corals. The encrusting ‘cyanobacteriosponge’ Terpios hoshinota is notorious in Indo-pacific reefs as it occa-
Using 3D photogrammetry to model sponge morphological plasticity sionally undergoes massive outbreaks, actively overgrowing and smothering live corals. This sponge is aided
Amy Scott-Murray1, Marie-Lise Schläppy2 by unusually high numbers of cyanobacteria in an endosymbiotic relationship. Once it invades a new area it
1. Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD
can occupy substrates for several years, preventing coral larvae settlement and hindering reef recovery, and re-
2. University of the Highlands and Islands, Thurso KW14 7EE main in the region permanently (Reimer et al., 2011). We report on two other encrusting coral-killing sponges
in the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia, which also host high abundances of endosymbiotic cyanobacteria.
Sponges (Porifera) modify their morphology in response to environmental changes and in response to injury.
These species are easily misidentified as T. hoshinota, because they share some distinct morphological char-
Existing methods for assessing morphological change do not address changes in volume or do so only crudely.
acteristics. There are similarities in coloration, shape and most notably in their aggressive growth strategy. It
Plasticity behaviour of sponges has therefore been very difficult to measure and hence is poorly understood
is therefore possible that some T. hoshinota recordings are actually one of these species, which could lead to
at present. In this study, the acquisition of digital sponge models using 3D photogrammetry is described and
an overestimation of the expansion of T. hoshinota in the Pacific. We present a taxonomic, phylogenetic, mi-
a novel technique is showcased for extracting high resolution quantitative data describing morphological
crobial and ecologic assessment of the cyanobacteriosponges Haliclona sp. nov. and Chalinula milnei. In ad-
plasticity over time. This method permits surface displacements of <1mm to be mapped across the organ-
dition to presenting classical morphological characters, we present data from two partitions of a mitochondrial
ism’s surface, and visualised clearly. The techniques described here provide an accessible method for studying
marker (CO1), which are also used by the Sponge Barcoding Project. Both species were widely distributed
sponge morphological plasticity and ability to heal after damage, and is anticipated to permit great benefits to
throughout the Spermonde Archipelago, and their abundances were vastly higher than the recorded abundance
sponge research.
of T. hoshinota in this region (Van der Ent et al., 2016). Haliclona sp. nov. and C. milnei were most abundant
on intermediate reefs, respectively covering up to max. 41.56 (0.42%) and 143.82 (1.44%) cm2 per m2 reef
Diversity in Epibenthic Megafauna Associated with a Unique Vase Glass Sponge surface. Both species were not recorded on the most turbid inner reefs, within 7 km of the coast. Also, they
Ground in the Emerald Basin were rarely observed on the outer reefs, which have pronounced oceanic influences. Interestingly, our results
showed that Haliclona sp. nov. has a substrate preference for live branching coral, similar to T. hoshinota (El-
Nickolas J. Hawkes 1, Michelle Korabik 2, Hans Tore Rapp 1, 3, Joana R Xavier 1, Ellen Kenchington 2 &
liott et al., 2016), while C. milnei showed a preference for live encrusting and massive corals. For C. milnei,
Lindsay Beazley 2
preliminary results suggest its dominant endosymbiont is Oscillatoria spongeliae (relative abundance 50.8%).
1
Department of Biology and KG Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, This presentation will contribute to the knowledge on these morphologically similar aggressive cyanobacte-
Norway riosponges and prevent future misidentification of the notorious T. hoshinota.
2
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 1 Challenger Drive, Dartmouth B2Y 4A2,
Canada
References
3
J.D. Reimer, M. Mizuyama, M. Nakano, T. FUJII, E. Hirose (2011). Current status of the distribution of the coral-encrusting
Uni Environment, Thormøhlensgate 49B, N-5006 Bergen, Norway cyanobacteriosponge Terpios hoshinota in southern Japan. Galaxea, Journal of Coral Reef Studies, 13(1), 35-44.
Deep-sea sponge-dominated communities, often referred to as sponge grounds are ecologically important in sev- E. van der Ent, B.W. Hoeksema, N.J. de Voogd (2016). Abundance and genetic variation of the coral- killing cyanobacterio-
eral ways: In bentho-pelagic coupling, in structuring adjacent substrate, and not least, in the provision of habitat sponge Terpios hoshinota in the Spermonde Archipelago, SW Sulawesi, Indonesia. Journal of the Marine Biological Associa-
for associated fauna. The slow growth and low recovery potential of some deep-sea sponges, combined with tion of the United Kingdom, 96(02), 453-463.
fragile morphologies, contributes to the vulnerability of sponges to fishing gear, particularly to bottom trawling. J. Elliott, M. Patterson, N. Summers, C. Miternique, E. Montocchio, E. Vitry (2016). How does the proliferation of the coral-
Sponges of the Class Hexactinellida, more commonly known as “glass sponges”, form sponge grounds worldwide, killing sponge Terpios hoshinota affect benthic community structure on coral reefs?. Coral Reefs, 35(3), 1083-1095.
and damage from fishing gear has been found in several grounds. A unique population of Vazella pourtalesi, also
known as the “Russian Hat” was recently found in the Emerald Basin, off the Scotian shelf, between 75-275 m
depth and extending over 8, 500 km2. In this study, 5 transects containing more than 450 photos have been anal-
ysed to (i) describe and compare the epibenthic megafauna in areas with and without Vazella pourtalesi; and, (ii)
to test if the condition (live, dead, damaged or mixed) of Vazella pourtalesi assemblages affects the composition of
the epibenthic megafaunal communities. Preliminary results suggest that communities outside of sponge grounds
have significantly lower average species richness and Shannon (H’) diversity, and consist mostly of Meganycti-
phanes norvegica, one zoanthid species, pandalid shrimps, actiniarian species and serpulids; whilst communities
within sponge grounds are significantly higher in average species richness and Shannon (H’) diversity, featuring
the organisms previously mentioned as well as encrusting sponges (e.g. Hymedesmiidae), a bryozoan species, and
various encrusting organisms. A deeper understanding of the drivers and patterns of these sponge grounds will
help establish a scientific basis for their importance to local biodiversity, and in turn, aid policy-makers in future
conservation efforts.
120 121
10th World Sponge Conference Molecular, Cell and Organismal Speed Talks
Molecular, Cell and Organismal Speed Talks Regeneration in sponges
Alexander Ereskovsky1, 2, Borisenko Ilya2, Andrey Lavrov3, Maja Adamska4
A molecular approach to understanding the resurrected order Axinellida 1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Mar-
Jane Fromont , Belinda Alvarez , Oliver Gomez , Nerida Wilson
1 1 1 1, 2 seille, France
2
1 Dept. Embryology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Western Australia, Aus-
3
tralia. jane fromont@museum.wa.gov.au Dept. Invertebrate Zoology, Biological Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia, Moscow
4
2
Molecular Systematics Unit, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Western Australia, Austra- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
lia. The ability to regenerate is widespread in the animal kingdom, but the regenerative capacities and mechanisms
The axinellids have a dynamic taxonomy, historically located in various orders and subclasses. Most recently, the vary widely. Sponges are known to possess remarkable reconstitutive and regenerative abilities ranging from
order Axinellida Levi 1953 was resurrected (Morrow and Cardenas, 2015) based on molecular data (COl and 28S), wound healing or body part regeneration to the impressive re-building of a functional body from dissociated
since the type species of the genus, Axinella polypoides, clusters in this group. In addition, the Raspailidae, previ- cells. Sponges, as an ancient animal lineage, are important models in studies aimed at understanding of the
ously assigned to Poecilosclerida, are now also located in this order according to molecular results (Morrow and evolutionary history of animal regeneration mechanisms, including relationships between regeneration and
Cardenas, 2015). This reassignment of taxa is now accepted in the World Porifera Database (van Soest et al. 2016). development. Because of diversity of developmental mechanisms found among sponges, we have combined
However, relationships among the higher taxa in Axinellida are not yet completely stable, and have not been fully several microscopy techniques to study cellular mechanisms of reparative regeneration in four sponge species
explored with broad taxon sampling. Our study includes a range of tropical Australian sponges in the Axinellida, from different clades: Oscarella lobularis (Homoscleromorpha), Halisarca dujardini (Demospongiae), Sycon
and uses a molecular phylogenetic approach to test the recently proposed relationships. We utilise three fragments ciliatum and Leucosolenia complicata (Calcarea).
of the nuclear 28S gene, as well as 18S, ITS2, and mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I and ATP Synthase 8, to
build a phylogeny. We discuss our results in light of some of the challenges facing sponge taxonomists. Wound healing followed by complete restoration of lost body parts have been observed in all four species,
although the cellular mechanisms varied. Epithelial morphogenesis, mainly spreading (flattening) and fusion
References
of epithelial sheets was found to be the key morphogenetic process during regeneration for O. lobularis, S.
1. Morrow, C and Cardenas, P. (2015). Proposal for a revised classification of the Demospongiae (Porifera). Frontiers in Zoology
12:7
ciliatum and L. complicata; while mesenchymal morphogenesis by mesenchymal-epithelial transformations
2. Van Soest, R.W.M; Boury-Esnault, N.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Riitzler, K.; de Voogd, N.J.; Alvarez de Glasby, B.; Hajdu, E.; Pisera,
is the main mechanism active during H. dujardini regeneration. In addition, formation of blastema (accumula-
A.B.; Manconi, R.; Schoenberg, C.; Klautau, M.; Picton, B.; Kelly, M.; Vacelet, J.; Dohrmann, M.; Diaz, M.-C.; Cardenas, P.; tion of pluripotent cells and the dedifferentiated cells - choanocytes, pinacocytes beneath the wound surface)
Carballo, J. L. (2016). World Porifera database. Accessed at http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera on 2016-11-29 was observed in this species. Notably, transdifferentiation of choanocytes to pinacocytes accompanied the
This work is funded by Gorgon Project’s Barrow Island Net Conservation Benefits Fund, which is adminis- regeneration in all investigated sponges.
tered by the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Altogether, we demonstrate that regeneration in sponges involves a variety of processes utilized during regen-
eration in other animals (e.g., cell migration, dedifferentiation, blastema formation) and points to the particular
Mitochondrial basic leucine zipper (bZIP) regulatory domain from freshwater sponges importance of transdifferentiation in this process. While further studies will be needed to uncover the molecu-
lar mechanisms governing regeneration in sponges, Wnt and Tgf-beta pathways appear to play important roles
conserved across animals
in this process as they do in other metazoans.
Pleše Bruna1, Dorić Semir2, Ćetković Helena1, Lukić-Bilela Lada3
Financial support by RFBR n° 16-04-00084 is gratefully acknowledged.
1
Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia bplese@irb.hr
2
Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (INGEB), University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 8 Kampus, 71 000 Sara-
jevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Spatially and temporally variable oxygen conditions as determinant of microbial
3
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, 71 000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herze-
processes in and around Irish sponges
govina Marie-Lise Schläppy1
Mitochondria contain their own genome, mitochondrial DNA, which carries genes needed for oxidative phos- 1
Environmental Research Institute, University of the Highlands and Islands – marie-lise.schlappy@uhi.ac.uk
phorylation. Mitochondrial DNA has an established place in studing the genetic variability and evolutionary
Sponges are an ubiquitous component of marine communities and make pelagic nitrogen available to other
relationships. Though biological functions of mitochondrial genes are well known, our knowledge of their
benthic community organisms through the “sponge loop”. The fate of sponge-produced ammonium will de-
gene regulatory networks is scarce. The majority of research is focused on human mitochondria where a single
pend on the activity of sponge-associated microbes1. Under well-aerated conditions sponge-associated mi-
major non-coding region contains the main regulatory sequences for transcription and replication initiation. In
crobes have been shown to produce nitrogen through nitrification. Under anoxic conditions within the sponge,
sponges no such regulatory region has been found. To gain insights into gene regulatory networks we identi-
sponge-associated microbes have been shown, in some species, to produce N2 gas, through anammox thereby
fied the Basic Leucine Zipper Domain (bZIP) in mitochondrial DNA of freshwater sponges. The bZIP family
creating a loss of nitrogen for that system. The level of oxygenation in and around sponges can also determine
is a set of transcription factors involved in gene expression in the nucleus and mitochondria. Here we report
the level of sulfate reduction, a microbial process that happens in oxygen-depleted conditions. In corals, sedi-
the bZIP binding domain in the mitochondrial Nad4Lprotein. Protein modelling and protein-protein interac-
ments residing on the coral surface were shown to lead to an decrease in oxygen at the coral surface, which
tions provided in silico evidence of biological function. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis revealed that
led to subsequent sulfate reduction between the sediment layer and the coral tissue, and ultimately to tissue
the bZIP domain found in Nad4L is highly conserved, with orthologues identified in species ranging from
lesions.2
sponges to humans. Further experimental studies are necessary in order to confirm these in silico results.
To investigate oxygen concentrations as precursor of microbial processes in 2 species of Irish sponges (Dysi-
Financial support by the Federal Ministry of Education and Science (Bosnia and Herzegovina) grant 04-14-
dea fragilis and Pachymatisma johnstonii) oxygen micro-electrodes were used in laboratory conditions to
3684-7-1/08 and the Croatian National Science Foundation (Project No. 6400) are gratefully acknowledged.
measure oxygen concentrations in and around sponges covered with or devoid of sediments. Oxygen concen-
trations varied strongly spatially and temporally. Oxygen depletion was a common occurrence and occurred
122 123
more readily at the surface of sediment-covered sponges than of those devoid of sediments. Sulfate reduction Financial support from the Natural History Museum of London (DIF SDF14032 to AR) and the Horizon 2020
was below detection level when measured with a microsensor and no sponge tissue lesions were noted in program (MSCA IF to NJK) is gratefully acknowledged.
sponges exposed to sediments naturally present in the unfiltered aquarium system for 3 weeks. The highly
variable oxygen concentrations within and around Dysidea fragilis and Pachymatisma johnstonii indicate that
Osculum dynamics and filtration activity studied in small single-osculum demosponge
microbial processes occurring under oxic and oxygen depletion are possible, (e.g. nitrification, anammox,
sulphate reduction) and that they are likely to be driven by sponge oxygenation. Further investigations using (Halichondria panicea) explants
an alternative method to H2S microsensors is necessary to determine the presence/level of sulfate reduction at Lars Kumala1, 2, 3, 4*, Hans Ulrik Riisgård1 & Donald Eugene Canfield4
the surface of sponges that have been exposed to natural levels of sediments for several weeks. 1
Marine Biological Research Centre, University of Southern Denmark, Kerteminde, Denmark
Acknowledgements 2
Max-Planck Odense Center on the Biodemography of Aging & Department of Biology, University of
The staff of the Carna research station of the Martin Ryan Institute, NUI-Galway is recognized for its signifi- Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
3
cant contribution to the logistical aspects of this project. Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
4
Nordic Center for Earth Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
References *
E-mail: kumala@biology.sdu.dk
1 Schläppy M-L; Schöttner, S; Hoffmann F.; Lavik, G.; de Beer, D. 2010. Microbial abundances and processes in three Mediter-
ranean sponges. Marine Biology, 157:593-602 Contraction-inflation behavior, including the closing and opening of the exhalant opening (osculum), is com-
2. M. Weber, D. de Beer, C. Lott, L. Polerecky, K. Kohls, R.M.M. Abed, T. Ferdelman, K. Fabricius (2012) Mechanism of dam- mon among sponges. This behavior may temporally affect filtration activity, making it difficult to study and
age to corals by sedimentation. PNAS, (109) 24 understand sponge feeding biology. To examine the interplay between osculum dynamics and filtration activity
small (18 mm3) single-osculum explants of the demosponge Halichondria panicea were studied. Time-lapse
Evolution on Ice: Molecular Adaptation to Temperature in Antarctic Sponge Species video stereo-microscope recordings of the osculum cross-sectional area (OSA) were made simultaneously
with measurements of the filtration rate (~15 ºC, ~20 PSU) using the clearance method. Osculum dynamics,
Nathan J Kenny1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Carlos Leiva1, 2, Nadia Santodomingo1, Sergio Taboada1 &
as expressed in temporal variation in OSA, including osculum contraction and expansion, correlated with
Ana Riesgo1
variability in explant filtration rate and no water pumping was observed during periods of osculum closure. A
1
Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK linear relationship between filtration rate (F) and OSA revealed a constant exhalant jet velocity: F (mL s-1) =
n.kenny@nhm.ac.uk 2.3 ± CI95% 0.13 (cm s-1) × OSA (cm2). The mean filtration rate of explants was 0.28 ± CI95% 0.06 mL min-1,
2
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, and Environmental Science, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain corresponding to a volume-specific filtration rate of 15 mL min-1 (cm3 sponge)-1, which is 2 to 3 times higher
Animals in the Antarctic seas have adapted to some of the most challenging conditions found anywhere on than reported for larger H. panicea sponges with multiple oscula. This is the first demonstration of a direct
Earth. Temperatures generally ranging between 0 and -1.8°C and a food supply which fluctuates widely from relationship between filter-feeding and osculum dynamics in a sponge.
summer to winter render their survival difficult. Nevertheless, sponge species have found the means to live This work was supported by a research grant (9278) from VILLUM FONDEN and a scholarship from the Max
and thrive in such conditions. We aim to find the molecular mechanisms that have evolved to allow this, utilis- Planck Institute for Demographic Research is gratefully acknowledged.
ing next generation sequencing and comparative analyses.
Sponges of the genera Axinella, Mycale and Phorbas have been selected as model systems, due to their wide Plastic additive changes contraction patterns in Hymeniacidon heliophila: a
distribution and prevalence in these habitats (1). We have generated a range of genomic and transcriptomic changepoint analysis.
resources from warm and cold water- derived samples, and are using comparative techniques to investigate
molecular adaptation in these, building on previous physiological and structural work in sponges (e.g. 2, 3). Liv Goldstein Ascer1, Márcio Reis Custódio1, 2
These are deep and well assembled (e.g. Phorbas areolatus transcriptome, 146, 359 contigs, N50 1, 050 bp, 1
Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
93, 500, 065 total bp, Phorbas sp. nov. transcriptome 148, 693/988 bp/93, 330, 104 bp), and as such represent NP-BioMar, University of São Paulo, São Sebastião (SP), Brazil. liv.ascer@gmail.com
2
an excellent basis for future work in all these species.
Microplastics are a well-known threat to the environment. For years, the lack of policies and inadequate
These novel genomic resources will be of wide utility to the sponge community in a range of contexts. Further, waste management allowed these particles to end in the oceans, leading researchers to estimate that there
a number of specific pathways have been targeted for investigation, including those related to energy metabo- will be more microplastic than fishes in the sea by 2050(1). Not only they are a physical threat to organisms,
lism/storage, vitellogenesis and skeletal synthesis, which have been implicated as adaptive in a range of organ- but plastics contain additives such as phthalates which are not physically bounded to the polymer and can be
isms (2, 4). We have also begun to use hypothesis-free methods to assay for gene duplication, upregulation and transferred (leached) to seawater or to organisms after the particles are ingested(2). Di(2- ethylhexyl) phthal-
signatures of positive selection to identify novel genes with a potential role in cold adaptation. ate (DEHP) is the most common compound used as plasticizers, classified as a High Production Volume
This work will allow us to understand the mechanisms by which sponge species can adapt to vastly different Chemical and known as an ubiquitous environmental pollutant. Marine invertebrates have been widely used
climatic conditions. By comparing the molecular repertoire of several species of demosponge we will be able as bioindicators of water contamination. Among them, sponges are the most abundant benthic organisms
to determine exact mechanisms of evolution to these conditions, and discern whether the adaptive strategies colonizing rocking shores in tropical areas(3). Their highly efficient filtration process and their ability to ingest
of these species to cold conditions are convergent, are based on ancestrally shared traits, or differ widely, al- micro-particles (<50µm) make them excellent indicators of water quality. Our work aimed to identify possible
lowing us to speculate more broadly about the evolution of cold- dwelling species. DEHP effects in sponges, using the contraction patterns as parameter. To do so, we registered the contractions
of Hymeniacidon heliophila, a common sponge from polluted areas of the Brazilian coast before and after the
References introduction of DEHP (80 µg.L in seawater), and analyzed their rhythm during 24 hours. Data were analyzed
1. P. Dayton, G. Robilliard, R. Paine, L. Dayton, Ecol. Monogr. 44 (1974) 105-128. by the R package Changepoint(4) to identify statistically changes in contraction patterns. The results showed
2. A. Riesgo, S. Taboada, L. Sánchez-Vila, J. Solà, A. Bertran, C. Avila, PLoS One. 10 (2015) e0118805. that sponges change their contraction rhythm shortly after DEHP introduction in the aquarium, maintaining
3. S. Morley, J. Berman, D. Barnes, C. de Juan Carbonell, R. Downey, L. Peck, Front. Ecol. Evol. 3 (2016) 157. their aquiferous system functional. Just before 24 hours of exposure they seem to start recovering the normal
4. P. Hu, M. Liu, Y. Liu, J. Wang, D. Zhang, H. Niu, S. Jiang, J. Wang, D. Zhang, B. Han, Q. Xu. Sci Rep. 6 (2016) 28952.
124 125
pattern, with a new visible changepoint at the end of the experiment. Control organisms received the same Spatiotemporal Variation and the Invasibility of Mesofaunal Communities Associated
volume of seawater without DEHP and maintained a constant pattern, without changepoints. Cellular and with Tedania ignis
molecular responses for the DEHP introduction and a possible full recovery of contractions are being investi-
gated, as well as other effects of microplastics in the organisms. Kate Hill
References Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
1. World Economic Forum, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company, The New Plastics Economy – Rethinking kmhill@bio.fsu.edu
the future of plastics (2016), www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications Tedania ignis is the iconic sponge of Caribbean mangrove root communities and it hosts a wide array of me-
2. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2002. Toxicological profile for Di(2- ethylhexyl)phthalate sofauna including polychaetes, crustaceans, and brittle stars. T. ignis is a massive sponge that is abundant with
(DEHP). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service respect to percent cover and total sponge volume and, as a result, it is a valuable host for mesofaunal com-
3. Diaz, M.C.; Rützler, K. 2001. Sponges: an essential component of Caribbean coral reefs. Bull Mar Sci 69(2): 535-546 munities by providing food, shelter, and a refuge for reproductive individuals. In the Florida Keys, T. ignis
4. Killick, R., & Eckley, I. (2014). Changepoint: An R package for changepoint analysis. J Stat Software 58(3), 1-19 is abundant in both mangroves and seagrass. I investigated the spatiotemporal variation of mesofaunal com-
Financial support by CAPES and FAPESP is gratefully acknowledged. munity composition by sampling T. ignis from mangroves and seagrass in June 2014, March 2015, and March
2016. I found that mesofaunal community composition is strongly influenced by habitat and that community
composition varies temporally, such that mesofaunal community composition from a previous year cannot
In vitro formation of chimaeric individuals after cell dissociation in a calcareous sponge predict mesofaunal community composition in the current year.
André Padua1, Bernard M. Degnan2, Márcio R. Custódio3 & Michelle Klautau1 I investigated the invasibility of mesofaunal communities by performing a reciprocal transplant of T. ignis be-
1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. tween mangroves and seagrass in 2014, 2015, and 2016. I found that both the native site and the transplant site
2
The University of Queensland, School of Biological Sciences, Brisbane, Australia. influenced mesofaunal community composition. Mesofaunal species that were lost from the sponge follow-
3
Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Biociências, São Paulo, Brazil. ing the transplant were often replaced by taxonomically similar species that inhabit a similar location in the
sponge host. Furthermore, mesofauna that are sensitive to environmental factors (e.g. brittle stars) were lost
One of the most striking characteristics of sponges is their capacity to re-aggregate isolated cells after dis-
when transplanted to a novel habitat (seagrass) or gained when transplanted to a native habitat (mangroves).
sociation, reconstituting a complete and functional individual in vitro. Such process is highly specific in both
The reciprocal transplant also revealed that T. ignis had an extremely high mortality rate (75%) when moved
species and individual levels, usually with an initial mixture followed by sorting and specific aggregation of
from seagrass to mangroves, but a much lower mortality rate (10%) when moved from mangroves to seagrass.
cell lineages (1). Previous studies observed strong cytotoxic reactions in allogeneic (different individuals of
This difference in mortality suggests there may be subpopulations of T. ignis in the Florida Keys, and that
the same species) cell mixtures followed by death of both lineages in Demospongiae (2; 3), evidencing an al-
not all T. ignis hosts are of equal value to their associated mesofauna. Theories of the evolution of mutualism
lorecognition system in adult sponges even after total cell dissociation and body structures disorganization. In
suggest that mutualisms are more likely to evolve in long-lived and reliable hosts; therefore, if T. ignis from
the class Calcarea there are few allorecognition studies with adults (4; 5), and scarce observations concerning
seagrass populations are ephemeral hosts that offer an unreliable source of food and protection, we may expect
this issue with dissociated cells (6). In the present work we investigated the allorecognition capacity of dis-
exploitative relationships to evolve between the seagrass T. ignis subpopulation and its mesofauna.
sociated cells in the calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna, using specific microsatellite loci for individual
genotypic identity and two fluorescent dyes for cell labelling. Isogeneic labelled and unlabelled cell mixtures Financial support by Florida State University, the Jack Winn Gramling Endowed Scholarship, and the Horace
were undertaken as controls, and all developed into functional sponges in vitro. In allogeneic experiments, Loftin Endowment Scholarship is gratefully acknowledged.
early cell aggregates and primmorphs originated from two genetically different individuals were observed
within 24 hours. Chimaeric primmorphs of P. magna were able to built spicules and successfully adhere to the Getting started with the whole genome sequencing project of the demosponge Geodia
substrate initiating its body reorganization. The formation of choanocyte chambers and the initial organization
of the skeleton were observed, but adhered individuals never reached the state of fully functional sponges,
barretti
which terminates in the formation of the oscule. Such results suggest that, after dissociation, cells of P. magna Karin Steffen1, NGI-Uppsala2 & Paco Cárdenas1
may turn into an undifferentiated state, losing their capacity of self-recognition, resulting in chimaeric prim- 1
Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Sweden. Karin.steffen@fkog.uu.se
morphs, but that do not turn into completely viable individuals. Future studies will allow the understanding of 2
National Genomics Infrastructure hosted by SciLifeLab, Uppsala, Sweden.
the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the recognition system in the class Calcarea. In theory, that is from an economical and technological point of view, whole genome de novo sequencing proj-
References ects are feasible for an ever-increasing number of organisms. However, one of the key difficulties when work-
1. AI. Lavrov, I.A. Kosevich, Rus. J. Develop. Biol. 45 (2014) 205-233. ing with non-model organisms is obtaining high-quality DNA. Long-read sequencing technology requires
2. I.S. Johnston, New perspectives in sponge biology (1990) 91-95 large amounts of pure/contaminant-free high molecular weight DNA as library input. The use of readymade
3. C. Yin, T. Humphreys, Biol. Bull. 191 (1996) 159-167. kits to extract this DNA presents a static solution amenable for many standard tissues and model organisms but
4. S. Amano, Biol. Bull. 179 (1990) 272-278. allows for little to no adaptation for systems containing degrading enzymes, inhibitory chemical compounds
5. A. Padua, P. Leocorny, M.R. Custódio, M. Klautau, J. Exp. Zool A 325 (2016) 294-303. or particularly fragile DNA.
6. M. Sarà, L. Liaci, N. Melone, Nature 210 (1966) 1167-1168. Revisiting the early extraction protocols and techniques allows for individual assessment, adaptation and opti-
Financial support by FAPERJ and FAPESPis gratefully acknowledged. mization of DNA extraction and storage. Here, we use a pre-treatment of frozen tissue with EDTA to inactivate
DNA degrading enzymes, centrifugation to roughly separate host and bacterial cells followed by a traditional
Chloroform fractionation to obtain high quality genomic host DNA. Thereby, we present a strategy for isolat-
ing selected, chemically pure, high-molecular weight DNA from the deep-sea north Atlantic sponge Geodia
barretti. The procedure yields DNA conforming to high-quality standards required for long-read sequencing
(library input >20 ng; purity, measured by absorbance 260/280: 1, 8–2, 0; 260/230: 2, 0–2, 2; DNA fragment
size > 40 kb) enabling de novo whole genome sequencing in the marine animal. Individual adaptation of clas-
126 127
sical DNA extraction protocols thus yields high-quality DNA for organisms posing challenges in the molecu- During 9-day contact experiments with healthy-diseased and healthy-healthy control treatments conducted in
lar genetics workflow. the Bahamas in January and July, we compared individual sponges sampled initially and at successive time
References points to characterize short-term temporal changes in concentrations of chlorophyll a (associated with the loss
1. Cárdenas, P. et al. Taxonomy, biogeography and DNA barcodes of Geodia species (Porifera, Demospongiae, Tetractinellida) in of cyanobacterial symbionts), total protein, heat shock protein 70, and major secondary metabolites, as well
the Atlantic boreo-arctic region. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 169, 251–311 (2013). as bacterial assemblages. All healthy sponges in contact with diseased sponges developed ARBS by day 9 in
2. Green, M. R. & Sambrook, J. Molecular Cloning A laboratory manual. 3, (CHS Press, 2012). January and by day 6 in July, suggesting that observed changes correspond with the development of ARBS.
3. Gordon, D. et al. Long-read sequence assembly of the gorilla genome. Science 352, aae0344 (2016). Several major secondary metabolites, chlorophyll a and heat shock protein 70 concentrations changed signifi-
Financial support by EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849 is gratefully cantly, as did the composition of the associated bacterial community in initially healthy sponges that became
acknowledged. diseased, while total protein concentrations were unchanged during these short-term experiments. These re-
sults suggest that infection with ARBS elicits responses by the sponge holobiont, providing a model system in
which to investigate immune responses in an early metazoan.
The mechanisms underlying carbonate dissolution by excavating sponges: pH reduction
Financial support by the National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.
and cell differentiation
Alice E. Webb1, Shirley A. Pomponi2, Gert-Jan Reichart1, Lennart J. de Nooijer1
1
NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel, the Nether-
lands
2
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Inc., Division of Biomedical Marine Research, 5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL
34946, USA
Excavating sponges bore and grow into calcium carbonate substrates. In coral reef environments, their activity
leads to significant loss of reef structures and can tip the balance between production and erosion in favour of
the latter. Despite their ecological relevance, the underlying mechanisms adopted by these sponges to dissolve
aragonite remains essentially unknown.
Erosion by excavating sponges is achieved by a combination of chemical dissolution and mechanical chip re-
moval. It is hypothesised that specialised cells are able to lower the pH at the sponge-coral interface to promote
controlled aragonite dissolution. Since this interface is not directly accessible, it remains to be investigated
what the exact chemical conditions are during aragonite dissolution. Recent results showed that boring rates
increase with increasing pCO2, suggesting that reduced ambient saturation state directly lowers the energetic
costs for the sponge to lower the saturation state in which the aragonite skeleton is dissolved.
Using fluorescent confocal microscopy and the sponges Cliona delitrix (Pang, 1973) and C. varians (Duch-
assaing & Michelotti, 1864) grown on calcite (Icelandic spar), we show that extracellular pH is reduced at
etching sites compared to ambient seawater and the sponge’s tissue. This suggests that protons are actively
transported into this microenvironment to lower the saturation state and hence promote CaCO3 dissolution.
Our observations also show fusiform cells forming fibre-like pathways localised at the interface between cal-
cite and sponge and may indicate that the excess in Ca2+ resulting from the dissolution of CaCO3 is used by
sponges to contract a conductive pathway. Together, these results show insight in the potential role excavating
sponges will play on coral reefs in the face of ongoing global climate change.
Infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome results in biochemical and bacterial
community changes to the holobiont
Julie B. Olson1, Deborah J. Gochfeld2, Cole G. Easson3
1
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
jolson@ua.edu
2
National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA
3
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL, USA
Sponges are essential ecological components of coral reefs, and like corals, sponge diseases have been reported
with increasing frequency worldwide. Aplysina Red Band Syndrome (ARBS) is a disease that affects Aplysina
cauliformis, one of the most common members of the Caribbean sponge community. ARBS is characterized
by expanding red lesions with necrotic centers that causes significant impacts on sponge physiology, and ul-
timately impacts sponge growth, survival and population dynamics. Due to the transmissible nature of ARBS
via sponge-to-sponge contact, biochemical and bacterial community changes can be identified with infection.
128 129
10th World Sponge Conference Ecosystems & Environment
Ecosystems & Environment while F-collagen increase was detected at longer times (48 h-7 days) from the quartz stimulation. Hence, in
order to investigate the role of C. reniformis TNF in the quartz-induced collagen biosynthesis, the expression
level of this cytokine was quantified in quartz-treated fragmorphs too, and by means of specific inhibitors, its
The marine silicon cycle in the light of sponge silica: a global review
involvement in the upregulation of the fibrogenic genes, was assessed as well. Indeed, sponge TNF resulted
Manuel Maldonado1, Maria López-Acosta1, Marta García-Puig1, Cèlia Sitjà1 Gemma Ercilla2 early upregulated after quartz dust fragmorph treatment respect to controls (18 h) and more importantly,
1
Department of Marine Ecology, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the use of two specific TNF inhibitors pointed out that both the P4H and the NF-collagen overexpression in
Blanes, Girona, Spain. maldonado@ceab.csic.es quartz-treated fragmorphs depended on TNF signaling. These results suggest that in C. reniformis TNF is
2
Department of Marine Geology, Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM) Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, important in the initial phase of the quartz erosion process, especially upregulating the two genes, P4H and
Spain. NF-collagen, that seem involved in the first stages of collagen deposition.
The cycling of silicon (Si) in the ocean interacts with many relevant chemical, biological and ecological pro- In conclusion, quartz engulfment and erosion in C. reniformis seems to stimulate a physiological process of
cesses, including control of primary production1 and removal of atmospheric CO2. It also intertwines with collagen deposition probably due to the necessity of this sponge to strengthen the body structure since the
the cycling of other relevant elements, such as carbon (C), nitrogen, phosphorus, iron, etc. Because of this animal does not produce spicules by itself. We speculate that this primitive process could be the cause of the
importance, there is wide interest in quantifying the “journey of Si” through the world’s oceans. The classi- subsequent abnormal, pathological response to quartz in higher Metazoa, namely Mammals, which retain the
cal biogeochemical model proposed to this aim rests on two major assumptions: 1) Si circulates in the ocean ability to interact and engulf the quartz particles through macrophage activation but have lost the ability to
under the biological control of planktonic diatoms that use it to elaborate their skeletons of biogenic silica dissolve them. This unresolved process leads then to a chronic inflammation which finally causes the develop-
(BSi), with other Si- using organisms (sponges, radiolarians, silicoflagellates, choanoflagellates, etc) making ment of silicosis.
negligible contributions to the global fluxes; and 2) the marine Si cycle is under steady state, being the Si an-
Research supported by EU (FP7 grant agreement n: 266033 SPonge Enzyme End Cell for Innovative AppLi-
nually leaving the ocean —by burial of BSi in sediments— compensated by an equivalent Si flux entering the
cation-SPECIAL).
ocean in the form of dissolved silica (DSi). However, these two basic assumptions of the cycle have recently
been challenged, with evidence suggesting that the equilibrium between Si inputs and outputs in the current References
cycle model is lost and that Si users other than diatoms could be responsible for such a situation. Our study 1. Bavestrello G, Arillo A, Benatti U, Cerrano C, Cattaneo-Vietti R, Cortesogno L, Gaggero L, Giovine M, Tonetti M Sarà M
reveals that the classical view of a Si cycle revolving exclusively around diatoms and their biological features (1995). Nature 378: 374-376.
has led to an oversimplification of the biological circuitry, failing to notice a secondary - but relevant - circuit
fueled by siliceous sponges. The accommodation of the sponge circuit into the global marine Si cycle causes Silicon consumption kinetics in demosponges
a major disruption of its classical diatom-biased conceptual frame. Unlike diatoms, sponges occur only in the María López-Acosta1, Aude Leynaert2, Manuel Maldonado1
benthic compartment, have life spans that extend from decades to centuries or even millennia, produce BSi
1
skeletons without connection to the phototrophic production of organic C, and their BSi dissolves at much Department of Marine Ecology, Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Girona, Blanes, Spain. lopezacosta@
ceab.csic.es
slower rates than that of diatoms. As a consequence, sponges slow down current diatom-based estimates of Si
2
recycling rates and residence times, favor Si burial, and decouple predicted connections between the Si and C Laboratoire des Sciences de l’Environnement Marin, UMR CNRS 6539, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer, Technopôle
Brest-Iroise, Plouzané, France
cycles. Importantly, the quantified deposition rate of sponge spicules to the marine sediments and their subse-
quent burial increase the Si outflux from the ocean up to a value in which the equilibrium between Si inputs The silicic acid (DSi) is a key marine nutrient modulating ocean primary productivity. Despite marine sili-
and outputs in the global ocean budget is restituted, a steadiness broken if the global model accommodates ceous sponges being organisms with potential to impact on the local and regional biogeochemical balances
exclusively diatom-based fluxes. of DSi, little is known about their DSi consumption kinetics, with information available for only two sponge
genera. That scarcity of experimental data makes complicate to derive reliable estimates of field DSi demands
Financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through two research grants from sponge communities. Herein we present DSi consumption kinetics of four demosponges from different
(CTM2015-67221-R; CTM2012-37787 ) to MM is gratefully acknowledged. families, Hymeniacidon perlevis, Tethya citrina, Haliclona simulans, and Suberites ficus, attempting to both
reveal common trends and identify major sources of variability in this physiological variable. A shared trait is
Silica-induced fibrosis: an ancient response from the early metazoan that silicon consumption increases with increasing DSi availability following a Michaelis- Menten kinetics.
Likewise, all studied species attain saturation at DSi concentrations one order of magnitude higher than DSi
Marina Pozzolini1, Sonia Scarfì1, Lorenzo Gallus1, Carlo Cerrano2 & Marco Giovine1
availability at their natural habitats. Regarding variability, important between-species differences have been
1
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DiSTAV), University of Genova, Genova, Italy noticed in the rate of maximum DSi consumption and the saturating DSi concentration, for species that occur
2
Department of Life and Environment Sciences (DiSVA), Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy sharing habitat. Within species, there is also substantial between-individual and seasonal variability in the DSi
Exposure to fine crystalline silica particles (quartz) causes silicosis, an occupational disease leading to an consumption dynamics. All these natural sources of variability make complicate to obtain an accurate estimate
overproduction of collagen in the lung. The first step of this pathology is characterized by the release of of the DSi consumption by the global sponge standing stock.
inflammatory mediators. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine directly involved in This research was funded by two grants of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (CTM2012-
quartz- induced pulmonary fibrosis. On the other hand, in the Invertebrate world, the marine demosponge 37787 and CTM2015-67221) awarded to MM and an associated FPI fellowship to ML-A.
Chondrosia reniformis is able to incorporate and partially dissolve crystalline silica grains without toxic ef-
fects [1]. To investigate a possible connection between the physiological behavior of quartz incorporation in
C. reniformis marine sponge and the pathological outcome of quartz inhalation in Mammals, sponge tissue
explants (fragmorphs) were treated with fine quartz dusts and the expression level of fibrogenic genes were
assayed by quantitative PCR. Both prolyl-4-hydroxylase (P4H), an enzyme involved in collagen maturation,
as well as a fibrillar and a non fibrillar collagen gene (F- and NF-collagen, respectively) were upregulated in
quartz-treated fragmorphs compared to controls. P4H and NF-collagen resulted early upregulated (18-48 h)
130 131
Effects of dredging on benthic filter feeding communities What dictates sponge distribution patterns: use of freshwater sponges to assess species
Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab 1, 2, Jane Fromont2, 3, Oliver Gomez2, 3, Rebecca Fisher1, Ross Jones1, 2 requirements
1
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, The University of Western Australia (MO96) 35 Karen L. Evans1 & David J.S. Montagnes1
Stirling Hwy, Crawley WA 6009, Australia m.abdulwahab@aims.gov.au Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. kevans@liverpool.ac.uk
2
Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Entrance 2 Brockway Road, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia Establishing patterns of sponge biodiversity assists in both quantifying this ecologically important phylum,
3
Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Australia and in recognising species’ habitat requirements. The use of freshwater sponge taxa provides an opportunity
Changes in turbidity, sedimentation and light over a two year large scale capital dredging program at On- to assess the influences of habitat parameters on biodiversity, and reveals important principles that can also ap-
slow, northwestern Australia, were quantified to assess their effects on filter feeder communities, in particular ply to marine environments. Problems resulting from fragmentary records of freshwater species were resolved
sponges. Community functional morphological composition was quantified using towed video surveys, while following rigorous sampling across a range of U.K. habitats, and were supplemented with data from additional
dive surveys allowed for assessments of species composition and chlorophyll content. Onslow is relatively sources. Species richness was established using both morphological identification and by sequencing the D3
diverse recording 150 sponge species. The area was naturally turbid (1.1 mean P80 NTU), with inshore sites re- domain of 28S subunit. We noted the first record of Trochospongilla horrida, and established distributions of
cording 6.5× higher turbidity than offshore localities, likely influenced by the Ashburton River discharge. Tur- Spongilla lacustris, Ephydatia fluviatilis, E. mülleri, Eunapius fragilis, and Racekiela ryderii. Widely distrib-
bidity and sedimentation increased by up to 146% and 240% through dredging respectively, with correspond- uted, Ephydatia fluviatilis and S. lacustris were the most common species; while R. ryderii and T. horrida were
ing decreases in light levels. The effects of dredging was variable, and despite existing caveats (i.e. bleaching rare. Eunapius fragilis and Ephydatia mülleri most frequently co-existed, and exhibited a patchy distribution.
event and passing of a cyclone), the persistence of sponges and the absence of a pronounced negative response To assess factors governing distribution patterns, we considered the hypothesis that these species are general-
post-dredging suggest environmental filtering (i.e. selective survival of species having stress-tolerant traits) or ists, and examined sponge presence with similar classic factors to Minna Jewell. Our data support the predic-
passive adaptation acquired pre-dredging may have benefited these communities. tion that sponge distributions are driven by environmental tolerance ranges. For instance, sponge colonies
This research was funded by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) as part of a Dredg- tended to be located at sites with lower salinity (= 0.15 ppt, S.E. ± 0.02), and displayed interspecific differ-
ing Science Program, and made possible through investment from Chevron Australia, Woodside Energy Lim- ences linked with positive/negative oxidation reduction potential. We conclude that species display morpho-
ited and BHP Billiton as environmental offsets, and by co-investment from WAMSI Joint Venture partners. logical and genetic differences; and increased biodiversity may occur due to both invasive European species,
This research was also enabled by data and information provided by Chevron Australia. The commercial enti- and from past inabilities to recognise taxa. Critically, we provide baseline information on sponge distribution
ties had no role in data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the presentation. The views expressed that is a prerequisite for future monitoring, and go onto discuss current work identifying drivers of abundance.
herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of WAMSI. With our guidance, studies may now explore how the distribution of sponge species is regulated by environ-
mental parameters.
Spatiotemporal variations in stable isotope signatures (δ13C and δ15N) of sponges on the
Saba Bank, Caribbean Sea Evaluating the influence of abiotic factors on the recruitment rate of Calcareous
Sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) in Salvador, Bahia State, Tropical Brazilian Coast.
Fleur C. van Duyl1, Benjamin Mueller2, 3, Erik H. Meesters4
1
Cleslei Chagas & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti
Department of Marine Microbiology and Biogeochemistry, NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and Utrecht Uni-
versity, Texel, The Netherlands. Fleur.van.Duyl@nioz.nl Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia. Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador – Bahia, Brazil.
2 40170-115. fernanda.cavalcanti@ufba.br
Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
3 The recruitment of sessile invertebrates is an important process that provides a better comprehension on
Carmabi Foundation, Piscaderbaai z/n., Willemstad, Curaçao
4
the population dynamics and community structure. Although sponges are commonly found among the most
Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder, The Netherlands
abundant benthic organisms, there are several gaps on knowledge about their recruitment patterns and on the
Sponges are ubiquitous on coral reefs, mostly long-lived and therefore adaptive to changing environmental factors regulating recruitment rates. In the present work, we analyzed the temporal recruitment of calcareous
conditions. They feed on organic matter withdrawn from the passing water and they derive food from their sponges in a tropical portion of the Brazilian coast, and checked if it was influenced by seawater temperature
endosymbionts. Diet and stable isotope (SI) fractionation determine the SI signature of the sponge holobiont. and precipitation. The study was developed in Salvador, Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil, from August 2015
We investigated the SI signatures of δ13C and δ15N of seven commonly occurring sponge species and potential to October 2016. Fragments of nautical cables were kept together by cables ties, forming plates with 150 cm².
food sources at up to 11 stations between 15 and 32 m depth on coral reefs along the S-SE and E-NE side of They were submerged at one meter depth and substituted each two months by new plates (10 replicates). In
the Saba Bank in October 2011 and October 2013. SI signatures differed significantly between sponge species, the laboratory, calcareous sponges were removed from the plates and standard protocols were applied for the
both in mean values and in variation, indicating different food preferences and/or fractionation. Interestingly, taxonomic identification. For the abiotic factors, seawater temperature was measured using a datalogger close
significant differences in the δ13C signatures of sponges were found between stations at the E-NE side and to the recruitment plates. Data on the precipitation were obtained from the CPTEC/National Institute for Space
the S-SE side of the bank. It shows that the nutrition differed in SI composition between sides. Consistently Research website. A total of 510 specimens were found, belonging to the following species: Sycon sp. nov.
elevated nitrate concentrations and δ15N enriched particulate organic nitrogen in reef bottom water, and a rela- 1, Sycon sp. nov. 2, Sycon sp., Leucilla sp. nov., Leucilla sp., Heteropia sp. nov. and Leucandra serrata. The
tive increase in δ15N in sponges with depth at the S-SE side compared to the E-NE side, suggest that the S-SE former species was rare along the experiment, while Sycon sp. nov. 2 was the most frequent and abundant.
side is more frequently exposed to upwelling than the E-NE side. Moreover, the species-specific effect on δ13C Recruitment rates of this Calcarea assemblage varied along the year, with a significant difference between
and δ15N and the spatial effect on the δ13C in sponges differed between years indicating inter-annual variabil- December 2015 – February 2016/ February 2016 – April 2016 (higher number of recruits) and August 2015
ity. From 2011 to 2013 the δ13C ratio in six of seven sponge species and in the plankton dropped. This drop is – October 2015/ October 2015 – December 2015/ August 2015 – October 2015 (fewer number of recruits on
likely related to the anthropogenic input of radiocarbon-dead, 13C depleted CO2 from fossil fuel combustion, the plates) (F = 5.750; P = 0.0001). In addition, a significant and positive correlation was observed between
which entered surface waters and is reflected in the food web. We show that SI signatures of tropical sponges seawater temperature and larval recruitment rates (r²= 0.9076; P<0.05), although analysis including precipita-
on the Saba Bank reflect environmental variability in time and space. tion data was not significant (r²= 0.0128; P> 0.05). The correlation between temperature and the number of
recruits may be possibly due to the reproductive cycle of the species found on the plates, as increasing sea-
132 133
water temperature commonly triggers the beginning of reproduction in several species of calcareous sponges. markedly differed between the two groups: plankton was the main source of nitrogen for LMAs that excreted
Patterns observed by the present work corroborate those found by Zea1. In that work, demosponges from the DON and ammonium. The nitrogenous waste products of LMAs were found to be the major source of nitrogen
Colombian Caribbean was studied and their recruitment rates varied according to seawater temperature fluc- (up to 97%) for HMAs that efficiently removed DON and ammonium and excreted nitrate. The estimated areal
tuations. It suggests that recruitment of sponges from both Demospongiae and Calcarea classes may follow fluxes indicated that the N excreted by LMAs might potentially account for N needs of coexistence HMAs.
the same pattern when occurring in tropical areas around the world. This illustrates a phenomenon in which a metabolic end-product of the LMA species become a resource for
References the HMA species. The different capacity of both sponge strategies to use dissolved resources suggests a partial
1. S. Zea, Mar. Ecol. 14(1) (1993) 1-21. trophic niche separation related to HMA-LMA dichotomy as a mechanism facilitating their dense coexistence
in the community. Our findings suggest that a mixed assemblage of sponges (and their associated microbes) is
Financial supports by FAPESB, CNPq, PRODOC-PROPCI/ UFBA are gratefully acknowledged. able to utilize the suspended particulate and dissolved material more efficiently than a single species popula-
tion and may contribute to the understanding of the phenomena of the stability and diversity of dense sponge
Deep-sea sponges under stress: from nutrient sources to nutrient sinks? assemblages in oligotrophic habitats.
Christine Rooks1, James Fang2, Pål Tore Mørkved1, Rui Zhao1, Friederike Hoffmann1, Hans Tore Financial support by Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (MECD) of Spain is gratefully acknowl-
Rapp1 & Raymond Bannister2 edged.
1
Centre of Geobiology, Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, 5020 Bergen, Norway.
Christine.Rooks@uib.no Sponge science culture and demography
2
Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway. Christine H.L. Schönberg
Sponges are considered major sources of bio-available nitrogen (ammonium, nitrate and nitrite) in marine School of Earth and Environment and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. chris-
ecosystems. Under exposure to high sediment loads, however, we found that boreal sponges from Norwegian tine.schonberg@uwa.edu.au
Fjord ecosystems, serve as sinks rather than sources of bio-available nitrogen. Sponges cease pumping in The science environment is changing over time, creating different challenges to conduct research that may
response to environmental stressors such as sedimentation. In turn, this reduces oxygen availability within have effects on the scientists themselves. The sponge science community is comparatively small, has a tradi-
the sponge tissue, enabling microbially mediated denitrification which transfers bio- available nitrogen into tion of being interactive and supportive, and is presently used as a case example to assess developments over
di-nitrogen gas. time by accessing materials relating to international conferences. An email survey in 2015 also provided de-
Our first experiments with sponges from the North Atlantic open ocean deep-sea ecosystems (June 2016), mographic data based on 377 replies.
indicate that these sponges also perform denitrification – releasing di-nitrogen gas rather than bio-available The selection of published topics in proceedings of international sponge conferences changed. Contributions
nitrogen when no oxygen is available. Our studies show that environmental stressors may dramatically change on fossil and freshwater sponges and temperate environments decreased, as well as review papers and data
the quality of goods and services provided by deep-sea sponge communities. syntheses, frequency of aquarium studies, and number of species investigated per publication. Publications
This work was carried out within the EU project SponGES and SedEx Sponge, funded by the Norwegian on recent sponges, hexactinellids, calcareans, marine, Indo-Pacific and warm-water sponges increased along
Research Council. with number of authors per publication and the proportion of field studies. Historically strong interests in ul-
trastructure were gradually replaced by molecular approaches, but studies at the community level remained
stable. The five sub-disciplines morphology/taxonomy, phylogeny/evolution, physiology, ecology and faunis-
A trophic niche separation may explain the tight coexistence of high (HMA) and low
tics retained about equal proportions over time. Contributions related to taxonomy, phylogeny and biodiver-
(LMA) microbial-abundance sponges sity always represented a large part of sponge science published in proceedings, while those on management
Teresa Maria Morganti1, 2, Rafel Coma1, Gitai Yahel3, Marta Ribes2 and conservation were rare.
1
Department of Marine Ecology, Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes, Spain. tmorganti@icm.csic.es The community of sponge scientists has grown and became more diverse over time, now representing over 70
2
Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), nations. Since the first sponge conference the gender distribution evened out to nearly 50 : 50% and presently
Barcelona, Spain favours women early and men at late career stages. While stated research interests are generally dominated by
3
The School of Marine Sciences, Ruppin Academic Center, Michmoret, Israel physiology and ecology, taxonomy and evolution prevail after retirement. Sponge science has become more
dynamic, but maybe also more competitive and less inclusive. Early career scientists have a high turnover
Sponges are commonly divided into High (HMA) and Low (LMA) Microbial-Abundance species according
rate, and a proportion of about 50% of once-only attendances at later sponge conferences suggests that people
to the bacterial biomass in their tissue. These two groups reflect distinct aquiferous structures and feeding
may frequently move into other disciplines or out of science. We now face the dual challenge of safeguarding
strategies. In the NW Mediterranean coralligenous community HMA and LMA sponges are often packed in
against the loss of some sub-disciplines and young scientists, and fostering the collaborative, helpful culture
dense, multispecies assemblages that cover many pinnacles and overhangs. This dense packing together with
characteristic of our community.
a developed concentration boundary layer with near-bottom plankton depletion suggests that competition for
space and access to unfiltered water should be intense among these closely related suspension feeders. We Reference
investigated the metabolism of three HMA (Chondrosia reniformis, Agelas oroides, Petrosia ficiformis) and C. H. L. Schönberg. Culture, demography and biogeography of sponge science: from past conferences to strategic research? Mar
two LMA (Dysidea avara and Crambe crambe) species that cohabitate the coralligenous community by using Ecol DO:10.111/maec.12416 (in press)
a direct in situ technique (VacuSIP). Simultaneous sampling of the water inhaled and exhaled by undisturbed
animals sharing the same rocky wall in the NW Mediterranean allowed us to measure plankton uptake and the Sponge Genomics Forum
fluxes of dissolved organic (DON and DOC) and inorganics (NH4+, NOx-) mediated by the sponges. Sponges Similar to recent sponge conferences, we offer our scientific community an informal forum to discuss the lat-
consumed plankton, DOC, and ammonium in relation to their abundance in ambient water. The plankton re- est genomic initiatives and opportunities as they relate to poriferan biology.
tention efficiency was high for all species. When DOC concentration was high (>80 µmol L-1), it accounted for
~90% of carbon intake from the examined sources for the three HMA sponges and D. avara. Nitrogen fluxes Genomics, transcriptomics and specifically comparative approaches, fueled by technological advances in
134 135
10th World Sponge Conference Posters Evolution & Systematics
massive parallel sequencing, continue to attract attention, and provide a platform for stimulating scientific Posters Evolution & Systematics
enquiry and continued advances.
As a diverse and early-branching metazoan phylum, Porifera remains central to efforts of the Global Inverte- Two new species of Hemimycale (Hymedesmiidae: Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae)
brate Genome Alliance (GIGA; http://GIGA-cos.org), a collaborative network aiming to promote standards from Southeastern Brazil
that will facilitate comparative approaches to invertebrate genomics and collaborations across the interna-
tional scientific community. The significance of sponges in this context is exemplified by the recent debate Larissa Huguenin1, Sula Salani Mota2, Eduardo Hajdu2, Eduardo Leal Esteves1
on which taxon is the sister group to all other animals, sponges (“Porifera-sister” hypothesis) or Ctenophora 1
Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São
(“Ctenophora-sister” hypothesis). Prioritization and increasing urgency of genome projects may also stem Francisco Xavier, 524, PHLC, Sala 520, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, 20550-013.
from increasing threats to habitats (e.g., coral reefs) and their resident biological diversity. edleaalesteves@yahoo.com.br
2
Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio
The sponge community is welcome to contribute to GIGA by adding data to public databases, supporting and Hemimycale Burton, 1934 is a genus of shallow water marine sponges composed by four species distributed
highlighting new efforts to increase data sharing capacities, coordination or avoidance of duplicate projects, worldwide, of which, one is known from Brazil, i.e. H. insularis Moraes, 2011 (van Soest et al., 2017). The
assist in the sampling and taxonomic inventories, expanding international outreach to developing countries genus is characterized by the presence of strongyles and styles as megascleres and by the lack of acanthostyles
and investing in extensive computational biology and bioinformatics training of young scientists and their and microscleres. In addition, it has characteristic areolated pore sieves (van Soest, 2002). In the present study
ability to interpret sequence data. we describe two new species of Hemimycale from the Southeastern Brazil Ecoregion, in the Warm Temperate
In this framework, the recently funded EU Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Net- Southwestern Atlantic Province. Specimens were collected by SCUBA diving in June and September 2013, at
work (ITN) “Comparative Genomics of Non-Model Invertebrates” (IGNITE; www.itn-ignite.eu), in which Guriri and Jorge Grego islands (Ilha Grande Bay, southern Rio de Janeiro state). Specimens were deposited in
several projects will work on sponge-related topics, will provide a new platform to advance comparative ge- the Porifera collection of Rio de Janeiro state University (UERJPOR). Additional material of Hemimycale sp.
nome analyses and develop new approaches. nov. 1 from Cabo Frio (northern Rio de Janeiro state), and Arvoredo island (Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil),
deposited in the Porifera collection of Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ),
were also examined. Hemimycale sp. nov. 1 is thinly encrusting, salmon pink colored and have rounded to
Hexactinellida Identification Workshop
irregular pore sieves (2 – 12 mm wide) and circular oscula (1.2 – 3.7 mm wide). Ectosomal skeleton absent.
Henry M. Reiswig Choanosomal skeleton formed by strongyles and oxeote tornotes vaguely strewn towards the ectosome, and
arranged in subectosomal tufts next to surface. Megascleres: (sub)(tylo)strongyles, straight or slightly curved
and smooth (171 ‒ 335/ 2.5 – 5.0 μm); oxeas straight and smooth, with points mucronate or telescopic (236
We are privileged to have Dr. Henry Reiswig of the University of Victoria and Royal British Columbia Mu- ‒ 344/ 3.9 ‒ 6.5 μm). Hemimycale sp. nov. 2 is thinly encrusting, reddish orange, with circular to oval pore
seum give a workshop on the identification of hexactinellid sponges. Henry Reiswig is a world expert on the sieves, slightly raised and enlarged at the apex (0.3 ‒ 4.5 mm wide), and vulcaniform oscula (0.8 – 2.3 mm
taxonomy and systematics of Hexactinellida. wide). Ectosomal skeleton absent. Choanosomal skeleton plumose, formed by multispicular ascending tracts
The workshop will focus first on discussion of methods used to identify hexactinellids with a demonstration of (aniso-)strongyles diverging in tufts next to surface. Megascleres: (Aniso)strongyles, straight and smooth,
of examination on unknown specimens. Realization that there is a major likelihood that any specimen is an occasionally with swollen points (138 – 289/ 2.0 – 4.2 μm). Hemimycale sp. nov. 1 is the only species in the
undescribed species should be appreciated and temper reliance on identification keys. The second focus will genus with oxeote tornotes in addition to strongyles. Hemimycale sp. nov. 2 differs from all other species in
be on what to do with the new information and how to carry out a description. The final component will be on the genus by the size and shape of their pore sieves and anisostrongyles. Hemimycale sp. sensu Muricy et al.
the secrets of making beautiful SEM images of hexactinellid microscleres. (1991), from Arraial do Cabo,
This workshop is supported by the SponGES project which has received funding from the European Union’s References
Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No 679849).
1.
G. Muricy, et al., VII Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Management (1991) 1183–1196.
2.
R.W.M. van Soest, Systema Porifera (2002) pp 575–601.
3.
R.W.M. van Soest et al., World Porifera Database (2017)Financial support by CAPES and CNPq is gratefully acknowledged.
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq, FAPERJ and FAPESP is gratefully acknowledged.
A new species of Hymeniacidon from Brazil and redescription of Halichondria (Halich.)

melanadocia de Laubenfels, 1936
Humberto Fortunato1, Fabiana Fernandes2, Maira Lopes3, Rodolpho M. Albano3, Thiago de Paula1,
Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu1 and Eduardo L. Esteves2
Departamento de Genética, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
1
2
Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil edlealesteves@yahoo.com.br
Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
3
Halichondriidae is a family of Suberitida composed by 15 genera distributed worldwide. This is a challenging

group for sponge taxonomists, with many species and lack of reliable characters (Diaz et al., 1993; Erpenbeck
& van Soest, 2002). In the present study, we describe a new species tentatively assigned to the genus Hyme-
niacidon and provide a redescription and first record of Halichondria (Halich.) melanadocia de Laubenfels,
1936 from Southeast Brazil, using morphological and molecular data in an integrative approach. Specimens
136 137
of cf. Hymeniacidon sp. nov. were collected by SCUBA diving at Salvador, Bahia, Northeast Brazil, and Ilha that may reach the often-enlarged axial canal. According to the spicule assemblages the presence of the genera
Grande Bay, Southern Rio de Janeiro state, Southeast Brazil, from 2013 to 2015. Specimens of Halich. mela- Geodia, Erylus, Stelletta, Dercitus and Alectona was assessed.
nadocia were collected by free diving in 2010, at Itaipú Beach, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro state, Southeast Brazil. Fossil sterrasters have been measured and compared with those of recent Geodia spp. The largest Messin-
Specimens were deposited in the Porifera collections of Rio de Janeiro state University (UERJPOR) and Mu- ian sterrasters measure 170 µm in diameter. Even larger sterrasters, from earlier epochs, were recorded from
seu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ). Molecular analyses of 18S rRNA sequences sediments dated to the Early Miocene (Aquitanian- Burdigalian) of the Piedmont basin (207 µm) and from
1800 bp long of selected species of Suberitida were performed for the genetic identification of the new species the Middle Eocene of the Lessini Hills (257 µm). Geodia avicula Brimaud & Vachard, 1986, from the Span-
as well as specimens of Hym. heliophila (Wilson, 1911) and Halich. melanadocia collected at Rio de Janeiro. ish Miocene has sterrasters up to 250 µm across. All these sterrasters are larger than those occurring in the
Hymeniacidon sp. nov. is thickly encrusting to massive, with conspicuously bifurcated blinded fistula, a pale recent Geodia species living in the Mediterranean Sea, apart from G. pachydermata (Sollas, 1886), recorded
beige color in life, and a disorganized skeleton composed by styles and oxeas. Oxeas are relatively thick, short off Marseille, where sterrasters are up to 230 µm across but are oval in shape. In the southwestern Atlantic, G.
(85 – 262/ 3.2 – 12.0 μm) and rather rare compared to styles (110 – 284/ 2.3 – 9.1 μm), but can be found in all australis Silva and Mothes, 2000 possesses sterrasters up to 350 µm in diameter. A very peculiar orthotriaene
specimens examined. Halich. melanadocia is massive, moss green in life externally and greenish yellow inter- with an unusual swelling of the rhabdome that ends with a round extremity was ascribed to Stelletta. We were
nally shifting to dark brown to black externally and pale beige internally, after fixation in ethanol. Ectosomal unable to find this type of spicule in the recent and fossil sponge literature.
skeleton anisotropic, with rounded meshes, and disorganized in the inner parts of the choanosome. Spicules,
oxeas of varying sizes (87 – 436/ 2.4 – 12.0 μm). ML analysis of 18S rRNA of Suberitida recovered the same
clades found by Redmond et al. (2013, fig. 14). Specimens of cf. Hymeniacidon sp. nov. clustered with Hym. A new species of Haliclona (Haplosclerida: Chalinidae) from sandstone reefs in Ceará
kitchingii Burton, 1935 with 100% bootstrap support in a clade composed by some Halichondria spp., and (NE Brazil)
was distantly related from the clade composed by the type species of the genus, i.e. Hym. perlevis, as well as
André Bispo1 and Eduardo Hajdu1
Amorphinopsis, and other species of Hymeniacidon (Hym. heliophila included) and Halichondria (Halich.
1 Laboratório de Taxonomia de Poríferos (TAXPO), Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio deJaneiro, Quinta da Boa
melanadocia included). It is suggested here that the clade formed by Hym. kitchingii and the new species may
Vista, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
represent a distinct genus of Halichondriidae, which for priory reasons should be named as Rhaphidostyla
Burton, 1935 (type: Hym. kitchingii; currently a junior synonym of Hymeniacidon), or a new genus might be Haliclona Grant, 1841 is the richest genus of Porifera, comprising more than 400 valid species1. This genus
created for the inclusion of the new species. is distributed worldwide and especially abundant in shallow waters (intertidal and shallow subtidal), which
is also the case along the Brazilian coast. This high diversity is also accompanied by the paucity of skeletal
References features, leading to a difficult taxonomy. Recent efforts were carried by our team to reach a better assessment
1.
M.C. Diaz, S.A. Pomponi, R.W.M. van Soest, Sci. Mar. (1993) 57: 283-306. of the diversity of poriferans along the Brazilian coast. Therefore, recent expeditions to Northeastern Brazil
2.
D. Erpenbeck, R.W.M. van Soest, Systema Porifera (2002) p. 787-815. and its oceanic islands were conducted in 2014 (EXPO-CERN) and 2016 (TAXPO Biodiscovery). This
3.
N.E. Redmond et al., Integ. Comp. Biol. (2013) 53: 388-415. work aims to describe a new species of Haliclona (Reniera) found in a sandstone reef of Ceará State. Eight
Financial support by CNPq, FAPERJ and CAPES is gratefully acknowledged. specimens were collected through snorkelling in tide pools of a sandstone reef (0.2‒1 m depth) at Praia
do Boi Choco. They are encrusting, bear a punctate surface with threads running through (Fig 1A–C), soft
A Messinian paleo-sponge community from northwestern Italy. and fragile consistency, oscula circular and flush with the surface, or slightly elevated (diameter 1.1–1.8 mm).
When handled, specimens release mucus. Colour varies from beige (Fig 1A) to lilac (Fig 1B) (even in the
Marco Bertolino1, Gabriele Costa1, Carlo Avignolo1, Maurizio Pansini1, Giorgio Bavestrello1, same individual, Fig 1C). Skeleton composed of an isodictyal reticulation with nodal spongin, mostly of very
Francesco Dela Pierre3, Francesca Lozar3, Marcello Natalicchio4, Donata Violanti3 regular unispicular triangular meshes. Spicules: oxeas, 110–159 x 2–9 µm, toxas, 7–101 x 0.5–2.5 µm. Other
1
DiSTAV, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy marco.bertolino75@gmail.com Tropical Western Atlantic Haliclona spp approaching the new species in colour alive are H. implexiformis,
3
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, via Valperga Caluso 35, 10135 Torino, Italy H. lilacea, H. mucifibrosa, H. portroyalensis, and H. tubifera. All of them, except for H. portoyalensis, lack
4
Institute of Geology, Hamburg University, Bundesstrasse 55, 20146 Hamburg, Germany toxas. On the other hand, H. portroyalensis has a very distinct digitate shape, larger oscula (2–3 mm) and lon-
ger oxeas (153–210 x 6–9 µm). Other species with toxas in the TWA are H. melana and H. ruetzleri. The lobate
In the Messinian (Late Miocene) the Mediterranean basin was affected by a salinity crisis (Messinian Salinity
base with oscular chimneys and black colour alive sets H. melana apart from the new species. Habit (slender,
Crisis, MSC, 5.96 – 5.33 Ma) with a devastating impact on marine organisms. Siliceous sponges were very
anastomosing branches), brown colour alive, and sigma microscleres distinguish H. ruetzleri. Figure 1. Vari-
seldom reported from Miocene sediments of Italy (Matteucci & Russo, 2012) and Messinian spicules were
ability of colour in Haliclona (Reniera) sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 cm.
known only in Tertiary Piedmont Basin (TPB) (Bonci et al, 1997). Recent findings in the Monferrato region
(TPB) found very diversified assemblages, rich in siliceous paleospicules. The study of these fossil remains is References
a powerful tool to reconstruct the sponge communities of the past, as well as the paleoenvironmental evolution 1
. R.W.M. Van Soest et al. World Porifera Database (2017) Available from:http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera
of the Mediterranean area. Financial support by CAPES and CNPq is gratefully acknowledged.
This research is based on the Banengo and Moncalvo sections, cropping out on the northern margin of the
Piedmont Basin, that preserve the boundary between the Sant’Agata Fossil Marls and primary evaporites of What about PCP pathway in sponges?
the Primary Lower Gypsum unit, deposited immediately before and during the MSC, respectively.
Amélie Vernale 1, 2, Quentin Schenkelaars 2, Emmanuelle Renard2, André Le Bivic1 & Carole
Five samples, which contained siliceous spicules, were collected in total: 3 from Banengo and 2 from Mon- Borchiellini2
calvo sections. The analysis of peculiar, diagnostic spicules contained in the sediment allowed to identify at 1
Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Aix-Marseille University, France
least at genus level the sponge taxa living during the Messinian. The samples yielded calcareous nannofossils, 2
foraminifers, diatoms, radiolarians, abundant spicules of siliceous sponges and briozoan fragments. Spicules Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie, Aix-Marseille University, France
Carole.borchiellini@imbe.fr
are strongly fragmented, partly due to sediment compaction, and show signs of chemical corrosion. Most of
them are broken and with the surface deeply etched by deep circular marks sometimes developing into tunnels Among pathways needed for epithelium patterning, the Planar Cell Polarity (PCP) signalling components
have been identified, in eumetazoans, to play a key role in controlling orientation of epithelial cells within the
138 139
plane of their sheet. A molecular core has been identified to be involved in patterning such typical organiza- Integrative Taxonomy for the Genus Ernstia (Porifera, Calcarea, Calcinea) in the Lesser
tion in bilaterians and cnidarians. Among them, Flamingo (Fmi), Frizzled (Fzd), Dishevelled (Dvl), Van Gogh Antilles, Caribbean Sea
(Vang), Prickle (Pk) and Diego (Dgo) / Inversin (Invs) are key components of the core PCP pathway whereas
others such as Fuzzy (Fuz) and Inturned (Intu) have been described as potential effectors for flagellum orien- Raisa Rizzieri1, FernandaAzevedo1, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján1, Thierry Perez2, Michelle Klautau1
tation. Briefly, the PCP pathway is involved in patterning two different clusters of proteins within bilaterian 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, IB, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho,373, CCS, sala A0-100, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil, 21941-
cells : antagonist interaction between the Fzd-Dvl-Invs complex localized at the distal pole of the cell and 902. nandaporifera@gmail.com, mklautau@gmail.com.
the Vang-Pk complex localized proximally in the neighboring cells is required to coordinate cell orientation
2
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, RD, Avignon Univ. Station
Marine d’Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille.
within the plane. Our transcriptomic and genomic analyses have revealed that, among the 4 sponge classes,
only homoscleromorph sponges possess all genes needed for a functional PCP pathway1. This astonishing The Lesser Antilles are a group of volcanic islands located in the Caribbean Sea and are surrounded by oligo-
and challenging result now calls for functional studies in the homoscleromorph sponge Oscarella lobularis in trophic waters, which harbour a great variety of organisms including sponges of the class Calcarea. Ernstia is
order to establish the role of these genes in this sponge lineage. By a combination of imaging and immunolo- a Calcinean genus diagnosed by the presence of a typical clathroid body and skeleton composed of triactines
calization techniques using specific antibody against PCP proteins, we explored the reliability of a bona fide and tetractines. Tetractines are the most abundant spicules or happen at least in the same proportion as triac-
PCP pathway in this sponge lineage. tines (Klautau et al., 2013). This genus has 15 known species originally described from Australia, Brazil,
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Norway (Van Soest et al., 2017). Only one species of Ernstia from the
References Lesser Antilles has been reported but not formally described (Pérez et al., submitted). The aim of this study
1. Q. Schenkelaars, L. Fierro-Constain, E. Renard, C. Borchiellini, BMC Evol.Biol. (2016) 16:69.
was to assess the diversity of the genus Ernstia in the Lesser Antilles using an integrative taxonomic ap-
Financial support by “investissement d’avenir” French Government program, A*MIDEX project (n° ANR-11- proach (morphology, molecular and ecology). Photos in situ, in toto slides, spicules micrometry, morphologi-
IDEX-0001-02) is gratefully acknowledged. cal remarks, scanning electron microscopy and molecular (ITS) data analyses were used to recognize species.
Individuals were collected in the PACOTILLES (LIA-MARRIO) campaigns. Ernstia species were found in
Antigua & Barbuda, Anguilla, Guadeloupe, Saint Vincent, Saint Martin, Martinique and Bequia. Species
were mainly collected inside caves in shallow waters (1 to 23.5 meters of depth) with temperatures between
27 and 28 ºC. Some species were found associated with cnidarians and polychaetes. From a total of 24 indi-
viduals, 11 species were identified. Ernstia citrea (n=3) and Ernstia rocasensis (n=1) were originally reported
for the Brazilian Oceanic Islands (Azevedo et al., submitted). The other nine species are new to science and
provisionally endemic to the Lesser Antilles: Ernstia sp. nov. 1 (n=7), Ernstia sp. nov. 2 (n=4) Ernstia sp.
nov. 3 (n=2), Ernstia sp. nov. 4 (n=3), Ernstia sp. nov. 5 (n=1), Ernstia sp. nov. 6 (n=1), Ernstia sp. nov. 7
Diversity, distribution and phylogenetic relationships of the North Atlantic lithistid (n=1), Ernstia sp. nov. 8 (n=1), Ernstia sp. nov. 9 (n=1). Ernstia sp. nov. 1 was the most abundant species and
was also the most widely distributed, being found in three islands, while E. sp. nov. 4 and E. citrea were
sponges
found in two islands. The other species were found only in one island each. With the nine new species found
Francisca C. Carvalho 1, David Rees 1, Shirley A. Pomponi 2, Hans Tore Rapp1 & Joana R. Xavier1 in this study, the number of Ernstia species rises from 15 to 24 and the Caribbean represents 46% of the total
1
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box diversity of the genus.
7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway. Francisca.Carvalho@uib.no References
2
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA.
1.
M. Klautau, F. Azevedo, B. Cóndor-Luján, H. Tore Rapp, A. Collins, C.A. de Moraes Russo. 2013. Integ. and Comp. Biol.
53 (2013) 447-461.
Lithistid sponges, also known as rock sponges, are an artificial group of species characterized by the shared 2.
Van Soest, R.W.M.; Boury-Esnault, N.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Rützler, K.; de Voogd, N.J.; Alvarez de Glasby, B.; Hajdu, E.; Pisera,
possession of a hypersilicified skeleton composed of articulated spicules (desmas). Initially placed in the order
A.B.; Manconi, R.; Schoenberg, C.; Klautau, M.; Picton, B.; Kelly, M.; Vacelet, J.; Dohrmann, M.; Díaz , M.-C.; Cárdenas,
Lithistida, accumulating morphological and molecular evidence has revealed the polyphyletic nature of this P.; Carballo, J.L. Accessed at http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera on (2017).
group and the different families were allocated to the orders Tetractinellida, Bubarida and Sphaerocladina. At 3.
T. Pérez, M. C. Diaz, C. Ruiz, B. Cóndor-Luján, M.Klautau, E. Hajdu, G. Lobo-Hajdu, S. Zea, S. A. Pomponi; R. W Thack-
present over 200 species, representing 42 genera and 13 families, are recognized. These are found in tropical er; S. Carteron; G. Tollu; A. Pouget-Cuvelier; P. Thélamon; J. Maréchal; O. P. Thomas; A. V. Ereskovsky; J. Vacelet & N.
or warm temperate regions, at bathyal depths, with some species occurring in shallower water in cave sys- Boury-Esnault. Plos One, in press.
tems. Lithistid sponges of the North Atlantic have received considerable attention, and over 40 species were 4.
F. Azevedo, A. Padua, F. Moraes, A. Rossi, G. Muricy, M. Klautau, in press.
described to date for this region. However, much information remains scattered in the literature hindering our Financial support by CAPES, CNPq, CNRS and LIA MARRIO.
understanding of biogeographic and evolutionary patterns.
Here we provide a review of the diversity and both geographic and bathymetric distribution of desma-bearing Revising the taxonomy of a two-sponge associations from Korean waters
sponges of the North Atlantic, based on a comprehensive literature survey and examination of specimens
held in several collections. Using two independent markers (mtDNA CO1 and rDNA 28S gene fragments) we Paco Cárdenas1, Jae-Sang Hong2, Jean Vacelet3
also investigate the phylogenetic relationships between taxa co-distributed on both sides of the Atlantic (e.g. 1
within the genera Corallistes, Neophrissospongia, Discodermia). We further place this new data into a wider Uppsala, Sweden. paco.cardenas@fkog.uu.se
phylogenetic context in view of the most recent classification system proposed for the Class Demospongiae. 2
Department of Ocean Science, College of Natural Sciences, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, Republic of Korea
3
Financial support by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to the IMBE UMR 7263, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Avignon Université, 13397 Marseille, France
SponGESproject (grant agreement 679849) and by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin- Two-sponge associations are fairly common but more often involve species from different orders. One excep-
istration to the Cooperative Institute for Ocean Exploration, Research, and Technology (grant number tion, and one of the most studied two-sponge association in the field of sponge natural products involves two
NA14OAR4320260) are gratefully acknowledged. species belonging to the Tetractinellida order, suborder Astrophorina, but to two different families: Jaspis
140 141
wondoensis Sim & Kim, 19951 (Ancorinidae family) and the encrusting Poecillastra wondoensis Sim & Kim, First record of Bolosoma (Hexactinellida, Euplectellidae) for the Atlantic Ocean and
19951 (Vulcanellidae family). This association was described from the shallow waters of Geomun islands (lo- new species
cality of Wondo), Jeju Strait, South Korea. In this study we examined new material from the Jeju Strait, this
time from Yeoseo Island. Spicule morphology and spicule arrangement, as well as the molecular barcode COI, Cristiana Castello-Branco1, Allen Collins2,3 and Eduardo Hajdu1
suggest that these species have been placed in the wrong genus and should be reallocated as Rhabdastrella Laboratorio de Taxonomia de Poriferos - TAXPO, Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional / UFRJ, Quinta da Boa
1
wondoensis comb. nov. (Geodiidae) and Vulcanella wondoensis comb. nov. (Vulcanellidae). Phylogenetic Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
relationships of these two species are presented. cristianacbranco@gmail.com
2
Zoologist & Director, NOAA’s National Systematics Lab
References 3
Smithsonian Institute, National Museum of Natural History, Dept of Invertebrate Zoology, MRC-163, 10th & Constitution Aves.
1. Sim CJ, Kim Y-A (1995) A systematic study on the marine sponges in Korea: 12. Tetractinomorpha (Porifera: Demospongiae). NW, Washington DC 20560, U.S.A.
The Korean Journal of Systematic Zoology 11 (2):147-158
Bolosoma is a basiphytose euplectellid glass sponge (Hexactinellida) with peduncle, microscleres bearing only
Financial support from an Inez Johanssons scholarship (Uppsala University) and EU Horizon 2020 programme discoidal outer ends, and megascleres mainly diactines, hexactines, and rarely pentactines. Eight species of Bo-
SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849. losoma, all from the Pacific Ocean, have been described. We report a new species from the Atlantic Ocean, the
first such record, specifically the South Atlantic, Rio Grande Rise (RGR). Further, a comparative study of samples
Phylogenetic relationships of the Thrombidae and suggestion of a new Tetractinellida from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) collection yielded two possibly new species
from the Pacific. Bolosoma sp. nov. 1 (RGR, 936 m depth) is characterized by a peduncle with cemented diactines
sub-order (40‒80 μm diam.), occasional free diactines with rough extremities (15‒20 μm diam.). Choanosomal diactines with
Paco Cárdenas1, 2, Michelle Kelly3 rough extremities and rudiments of middle actines (1710‒2370 x 5‒8 μm), dermal and atrial hexactines (and rare
1 pentactines) smooth with rough extremities, sometimes with short spines along the actine (most frequently in atrial
Uppsala, Sweden
hexactines, 270‒830 x 5‒8 μm); microscleres discohexasters (70‒80 μm diam.), derivates (stauractines, 42‒50 μm
paco.cardenas@fkog.uu.se diam.), and hemidiscohexasters (155‒175 μm, primary rosette with 27‒43 μm diam.). Bolosoma sp. nov. 1 pos-
2
sesses an exclusive microsclere set that differentiates it from all its congeners. The other two putative species are
Program in Systematic Biology, Department of Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvä-
from the North Pacific: Bolosoma sp. nov. 2 (Necker Seamount, Hawaii, 1477 m), fragmented (without signs of
gen 18D, 752 36 Uppsala, Sweden
3
peduncle) is characterized by choanosomal diactines with rough and lanceolate extremities, sometimes with one of
Coasts and Oceans National Centre, National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd, Private the ends claviform (3650‒5000 x 10‒22 μm), dermal and atrial hexactines smooth or with a few short spines and
Bag 99940, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand rough extremities (300‒810 x 25‒56 μm, distal actine 100‒140 x 30‒63 μm); rare pentactines with same shape as
The Thrombidae Sollas, 1888 is an enigmatic demosponge family with two unique microscleres forms: a tiny hexactines (300‒950 x 25‒35 μm, distal actine 140‒270 x 25‒35 μm). Microscleres discohexasters (210‒240 μm
acanthose triaene-like ‘trichotriaene’, and a minute birotulate ‘amphiaster’ absent in some species. Prior to diam.). These characteristics indicate that it is similar to B. biocalum, but differing by having bigger discohexasters
Lévi’s (1973)1 placement of Thrombidae in the order Astrophorida Sollas, 1887 (= suborder Astrophorina), the (cf. 61‒108 μm diam.). Finally, Bolosoma sp. nov. 3 (Pigafetta Guyot, to the E of the Marianas Trench, 2028 m) is
family was thought to be most closely associated with class Homosclerophorida Dendy, 1905. Although its characterized by champignon-like shape with lateral openings and a peduncle with cemented diactines (1310‒2825
phylogenetic relationships remained obscure, even in the Astrophorina, this position was followed in the Sys- x 20‒60 μm), few short hexactines and pentactines (195‒250 x 2‒5 μm) with distal actine shorter and acanthose.
tema Porifera2. Today the family contains only six species distributed in two genera: Thrombus Sollas, 1886 Choanosomal diactines with rough extremities sometimes with rudiments of middle actines (1075‒2575 x 15‒18
and Yucatania Gómez, 2006. The discovery and sequencing of several new Thrombidae genera and species μm), dermal and atrial hexactines smooth with rough extremities and distal actine shorter (300‒789 x 10‒18 μm,
has provided us with the opportunity to conduct a molecular phylogenetic study, using three molecular mark- distal actine 80‒110 x 12‒25 μm), atrial hexactines with a few short spines along the actines; rare pentactines
ers (COI, 28S and 18S). Our analyses clearly indicate that: (1) the Thrombidae are the sister-group to the re- (450‒680 x 15‒18 μm). Microscleres macrodiscohexasters (480‒570 μm diam.) and microdiscohexasters (55‒60
cently described family Stupendidae Kelly & Cárdenas, 20163 and most surprisingly (2) that the Thrombidae/ μm diam.), which is unique among all its known congeners. In addition to the wide geographic distance (at least
Stupendidae clade is sister to the lithistid families Scleritodermidae Sollas, 1888, /Siphonidiidae Lendenfeld, for Bolosoma sp. nov.1), each species presents a unique set of spicules, indicating their distinctiveness from the
1903 /Azoricidae Sollas, 1888. We propose that this large new clade represents a new Tetractinellida suborder remaining Bolosoma species.
and we discuss which synapomorphies might support this clade. Financial support by CAPES and CNPq is gratefully acknowledged.
References
1. Lévi C (1973) Systématique de la classe des Demospongiaria (Démosponges). In: Grassé PP (ed) Traité de Zoologie. Spongi- On-going speciation of the amphiamerican calcareous sponge Clathrina aurea
aires, vol 3. Masson & Co., Paris, pp 577-632
2. Uriz MJ (2002) Family Thrombidae Sollas, 1888. In: Hooper JNA, van Soest RWM (eds) Systema Porifera. A Guide to the Báslavi Cóndor Lujá 1, Pedro Leocorny 1, Fernanda Azevedo 1, André Padua 1, Eduardo Hajdu 2,
classification of Sponges, vol 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, pp 163-164 Philippe Willenz 3, 4, Yuri Hooker 5 & Michelle Klautau 1
3. Kelly M, Cárdenas P (2016) An unprecedented new genus and family of Tetractinellida (Porifera, Demospongiae) from New 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia. Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373.
Zealand’s Colville Ridge, with a new type of mitochondrial group I intron. Zool J Linn Soc 177 (2):335-352 CEP 21941-902. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. baslavic@gmail.com
Financial support by NIWA under ‘Coasts and Oceans Research Programme 2 Marine Biological Resources: 2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Departamento de Invertebrados, Quinta da Boa Vista, S/N, CEP
Discovery and definition of the marine biota of New Zealand’ (2014/2015 SCI), an Inez Johanssons scholar- 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
ship (Uppsala University) and the EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849. 3
Taxonomy & Phylogeny, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Rue Vautier, 29, B-1000 Bruxelles, Belgium
4
Laboratoire de Biologie marine, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50, B-1050, Bruxelles, Belgium
5
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Laboratorio de Biología Marina, Lima, Avenida Honorio Delgado, 430, Urbanización
Ingeniería, San Martín de Porres, Lima, Peru.
Clathrina aurea was considered a Brazilian endemic sponge (1). However, recent studies revealed its presence
in the SE Pacific (Peru, 2) and in the Caribbean Sea. In the present work, we assessed the genetic variability
142 143
and population structure of C. aurea along its wide distribution range using rDNA sequences (partial 18S-ITS- Diversity of Porifera in the Aviles Canyons System: COCACE project
partial 28S) and microsatellite loci. Fifteen localities were sampled, eight in the Caribbean Sea (n=77), five in
Pablo Heres1, 2, Javier Cristobo3, Nuria Anadón4 & Pilar Ríos3
the Brazilian coast (NE, SE and S regions; n=68) and two in the southern coast of Peru (n=45). The genetic
divergence (p distance) varied from 0 to 1.2%. The variation among Atlantic individuals (Caribbean and Bra- 1. Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Av. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Asturias,
Spain.
zil) was 0‒0.7%, in Peru 0%, and between Atlantic and Peruvian individuals, 0.7‒1.2%. Phylogenetic analyses
2. Universidad de La Coruña. Rúa da Maestranza, 9, 15001 La Coruña, Spain pablohg93@hotmail.com.
(ML BI) separated Atlantic and Peruvian individuals in two different clusters with high support values (boot-
3. Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Av. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Asturias,
strap >98% and posterior probabilities >0.9). The phylogeographic network retrieved Atlantic individuals in Spain.
a cohesive haplogroup 28 mutational-steps distant from the Peruvian haplogroup (Figure 1). STRUCTURE 4. Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain.
analysis suggested the presence of six structured populations of C. aurea: two Caribbean, one Caribbean + NE
The COCACE expedition (from the acronym of “Campaña Oceanográfica del mar CAntábrico CEntral”)
Brazil, two Brazilian (SE and S), and one Peruvian (Figure 2). The highest allelic contribution to Peru cor-
of the University of Oviedo was accomplished between February 1987 and February 1988 in the Avilés
responded to the Caribbean + NE Brazil population, which may reflect past gene flow between Atlantic and
Canyon and during the same survey were carried out in 43 sampling stations with two types of Benthic gears
Pacific populations. Our results suggest an ongoing speciation process in the Peruvian individuals of C. aurea,
(anchor dredge and epibenthic Hessler and Sanders model) at depths between 31 and 1400 m. Some of the
probably as a result of the closure of the Isthmus of Panama (2.8 MY BP, 3).
results of this project related to Cnidarians and other invertebrates have been published in the years fol-
References lowing the campaign (Alvarez et al, 1993; Louzao et al, 2010). However, the samples of the Phylum Porifera
1. G. Muricy, D.A. Lopes, E. Hajdu, M.S. Carvalho, F.C. Moraes, M. Klautau, C. Menegola, U. Pinheiro. Museu Nacional, Rio remained until now without studying (with the exception of description of Podospongia loveni Cristobo et al
de Janeiro. (2011) 300.
2002) given the absence of specialists in this group in the Oviedo University.
2. F. Azevedo, B. Cóndor-Luján, P. Willenz, E. Hajdu, Y. Hooker, M. Klautau. Zool. J. Linn. Soc 173 (2015) 787-817.
3. A. O’Dea, HA. Lessios, AG. Coates, RI Eytan, SA. Restrepo-Moreno, AL. Cione, LS. Collins, A. De Queiroz, DW. Farris, As a result of this work, a total of 106 samples of sponges have been reviewed, of which 236 microscopic
RD Norris, RF Stallard, M.O. Woodburne, O. Aguilera, M-P Aubry, W.A., Berggren, A.F. Budd, M.A. Cozzuol, S.E. Coppard, preparations have been made. In this contribution, twenty-four taxa have been identified at the species level
H. Duque-Caro, S. Finnegan, G.M. Gasparini, E.L. Grossman, K.G. Johnson, L.DL. Keigwin, N. Knowlton, E.G. Leigh, J.S. and 20 at the generic level. Most of specimens belong to class Demospongiae (98%) with the presence of 1
Leonard-Pingel, P.B. Marko, N.D. Pyen- son, P.G. Rachellodolmen, E.L. Soibelzon, J.A. Soibelzon, G.J. Todd, G.J. Vermeij, Calcarea and 1 Hexactinellida. Orders best represented in Demospongiae are Tetractinellida (66%), Axinellida
J.B.C. Jackson. Sci. Adv. 2 (2016) e1600883.
(15%), Poecilosclerida (14%) and Merliida (2%).
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq, CONCYTEC, FAPERJ, GTI to RBINS.
Two of the specimens Characella sp. and Hamacantha (Vomerula) sp., could be new species and would re-
quire a later study.
Sponge bottoms off the Amazon River mouth revisited
References
Fernando Moraes1, Camille Leal2, 3, Sula Salani2, Maíra Ventura1 & Eduardo Hajdu2 Álvarez-Claudio, C. (1993) Hidrozoos bentónicos y catálogo de Antozoos de la Plataforma y Talud Continentales de la Costa
1 Central de Asturias. Universidad de Oviedo. Departamento de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas.
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leão, 915/123.22460-030, Rio de Janeiro,
RJ, Brazil. fmoraes@mn.ufrj.br Cristobo, J., Rios, P., Sánchez, F. & Anadón, N. 2009. Redescription of the rare species Podospongia loveni (Porifera) from the
2
Cantabrian Sea. Continental Shelf Research 29, 1157-1164.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio deJaneiro, RJ, Brazil.
Louzao, M., Anadón, N., Arrontes, J., Álvarez –Claudio, C., Funete, D.M., Ocharan, F., Anadón, A., Acuña, J.L., 2010. Histori-
3
Graduate Program in Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro cal macrobenthic community assemblages in the Avilés Canyon, NIberian Shelf: Baseline biodiversity information for a
The Amazon River strongly influences oceanographic processes at the Atlantic Ocean, changing the environ- marine protected área. Elsevier, Journal of Marine Systems 80, 47-56.
mental conditions along the year and geological periods to build up a powerful biogeographical filter to reef
organisms. This outstanding river-ocean interface creates a complex scenario for benthos. The discovery of Calcareous sponges of the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea
the emblematic “sponge bottoms” off the mouth of the Amazon River (Collette & Rützler, 1977) revealed that
Rob W.M. van Soest & Nicole J. de Voogd
the postulated biogeographical “Amazon Barrier” could support an unexpected reef sponge community as a
“sponge corridor” between the Caribbean and Brazil. Dredges and bottom trawls were used to sample the area Marine Biodiversity, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, leiden, the Netherlands Nicole.devoogd@naturalis.nl
(23‒120 m deep), onboard R/V Atlantis (July 2012) and NHo Cruzeiro do Sul (September 2014), between the Past taxonomic studies of Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea Calcarea have been few and sporadic (e.g.
French Guiana border to the State of Maranhão in Brazil. A total of 267 sponge samples were deposited at the Schuffner, 1877, Jenkin, 1908, Row, 1909, Dendy, 1913, 1916, Voigt, in press). Nevertheless approximately
Museu Nacional/UFRJ, representing 61 taxa in 30 families (Demospongiae - 29 + Calcarea - 01). Theonella 70 species are known from these studies for the considered region, but their descriptions often lack sufficient
atlantica and Didiscus verdensis were two new records for Brazil, previously known from the Caribbean and details for reliable identification. We studied the Western Indian Ocean Calcarea collection kept in the Natu-
the Guiana Shelf or the East Atlantic, respectively. At least five species are new to science (Arenosclera spp. ralis Biodiversity Center. Available specimens numbered about 140, collected in the Red Sea, the Seychelles,
1‒2, Coelocarteria sp., Dictyonella sp., Geodia sp.). The central sector of the continental margin harbored a Maldives, Mayotte and Rodrigues, in addition to incidental samples from Oman, the Lakshadweep Islands,
species‒rich sponge community comprised by massive/erect specimens associated to rhodolith beds around Madagascar, Eastern and South Africa. Using a combination of techniques (in situ and ‘on deck’ photography,
55 m depth. The sampling design and the biological material collected have contributed to a better knowledge detailed field notes, light microscopic studies and measurements, SEM, and DNA sequencing) we identified
of the benthic biodiversity patterns along the Brazilian equatorial margin. These specimens are also potential 42 species, almost equally divided over two main classes Calcinea (24 spp.) and Calcaronea (18 spp.). In addi-
sources of new bioactive compounds, due to the unique environmental conditions imposed by the Amazon tion, the identified species as well as Indonesian species published in 2015 (see van Soest & de Voogd, 2015)
plume regime. More than 1.000 images of field procedures and fresh material have been useful to taxonomy were subjected to extraction and sequencing of the partial 28S gene of nuclear rDNA.
and to public outreach, creating international conservation awareness on the extensive Amazon reef system. References
Financial support by ANP/Brasoil, CAPES, CNPq, FAPERJ. Dendy, A. 1913. The Percy Sladen trust expedition to the Indian Ocean in1905 (V). I. Report on the Calcareous Sponges col-
lected by HMS ‘Sealark’ in the Indian Ocean. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (2) 16 (1): 1-29.
Jenkin, C.F. 1908a. The Marine Fauna of Zanzibar and British East Africa, from Collections made by Cyril Crossland, M.A., in
the Years 1901 & 1902. The Calcareous Sponges. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1908: 434-456.
144 145
Row, R. W. H. (1909). Reports on the Marine Biology of the Sudanese Red Sea. XIII. Report on the Sponges, collected by Mr. therefore easily ignored. Also, the complicated taxonomy and the limited information available for some of
Cyril Crossland in 1904-5. Part I. Calcarea. Journal of the Linnean Society. Zoology. 31 (206): 182-214. the families, such as Heteropiidae, support the need for thorough and comprehensive revisions. Heteropi-
Schuffner, O. 1877. Beschreibung einiger neuer Kalkschwämme. Jenaische Zeitschrift für Naturwissenschaft 11: 403-433 pls idae is one of the more diverse families in the subclass Calcaronea, and five species are so far reported from
XXIV-XXVI
Norwegian waters (Sycettusa glacialis (Haeckel, 1870), Sycettusa kuekenthali (Breitfuss, 1896), Sycettusa
Van Soest, R. W. M.; De Voogd, N. J. (2015). Calcareous sponges of Indonesia. Zootaxa. 3951(1): 1-105. nitida (Arnesen, 1900), Sycettusa murmanensis (Breitfuss, 1898) and Sycettusa lanceolata (Breitfuss, 1898).
Through an integrated approach using morphological characters combined with molecular data, this work
The deep water sponge fauna of Guadeloupe aims to revise the Heteropiidae sponge fauna in Norwegian waters, to map the distribution of species and to
Nicole J. de Voogd1, Gydo Geijer1 & Cécile Debitus2 provide a key for their identification.
1
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, 2300RA Leiden, The Netherlands Financial support was provided by the Norwegian Biodiversity Information Centre (grant to HTR, project
number 70184219), the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (grant to HTR), the Research Council of
.2 IRD, UMR 6539 Lemar, IUEM Technopôle Bres Iroise, rue Dumont d’Urville 29280 Plouzané, France
Norway (through contract number 179560), and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innova-
The shallow-water reef sponge fauna of the Caribbean is relatively well known from multiple studies by Van
tion program (grant agreement No 679849).
Soest and others, yet surprisingly little is known about the biota of the deep reef and the mesophotic and dys-
photic zones. To adequately protect the ecosystem and construct sustainable management plans it is essential
to document the biodiversity and to gain an understanding of which processes keep it in place. Recently, an Three new Halisarca-like sponges (Porifera, Verongimorpha) from tropical seas
inventory of the deep benthos of the EEZ of Guadeloupe in the bathymetric range of 60-1000 was carried out ,
Alexander Ereskovsky1 2, Pierre Chevaldonné1, Maude Dubois1, Marie Grenier1, Daria Tokina1 &
by the MNHN Paris and the Research Institute for Development (IRD) in the frame of the project Tropical Thierry Pérez1
Deep Sea Benthos. This mission allowed the sampling of sponges at different depths by means of trawling and 1
dredging, thus enabling maximum diversity to be inventoried. Over 200 specimens were collected belonging Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD,
Marseille, France
to approximately 60 different sponges species. Here we report on some newly discovered and ill-known spe- 2
cies. Dept. Embryology, Saint-Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Halisarca belongs to a mono-generic family whose phylogenetic position among Demospongiae has been
subject to numerous debates. Nowadays Halisarca belongs to a sister clade of the Verongiida among the
The Sponge Collection of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History Verongimorpha, but only a poor number of species have been properly studied and can thus be included in a
Daniel Drew, Eric Lazo-Wasem, Janie Wulff. phylogenetic tree.
The Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History We here provide the first descriptions of three new Halisarca-like sponges from the tropical zone of the At-
Sponge collection is world-wide in scope, and as the result of a recent NSF funded grant, the data are now fully lantic region (Caribbean Sea) and of the Pacific (Marquesas, French Polynesia). The first sponge has been
entered into the Museum’s database (KE Emu) and is searchable via the Museum’s collections portal. Founded collected in St. Lucia and it inhabits vertical sides of big boulders at 4 m depth in open water. The second
in 1866, the Museum’s sponge collection began to grow under Yale’s first Professor of Zoology, Addison E. sponge is from Marquesas, it has been found in two dark caves at 13-19 m depth. The third one was found at
Verrill and his involvement with the U.S. Fisheries Commission. The collection grew tremendously under 25 m depth on the top of a seamount, East of the Marquesas Archipelago. All species are incrusting sponges
the stewardship of Willard Hartman, who joined the Museum in 1953 as professor and curator in Invertebrate living on hard surfaces and are sciaphilic or cave-dwelling. The colour of the first sponge is green-grey and its
Zoology until his retirement in 1992. Strengths include collections from the Pacific coast of North America surface is smooth. The second is white-beige in colour with a lobate surface. The third is pink, with a smooth
(California), the North Atlantic Ocean (New England and Canadian Maritime Provinces), the Caribbean Sea surface and prominent oscular tubes. The first two species present tubular choanocyte chambers, which is a
(Jamaica & Puerto Rico), the South Pacific (Palau, Ifaluk and Micronesia) and Indian Ocean. Hartman spent characteristic trait of Halisarca, and they are also characterized by the presence in the mesohyl of peculiar
a year in the latter, and the resulting collection of the Yale Seychelles Expedition (1957-1958) remains a little cells displaying inclusions (spherulous, granular, microgranular and vacuolar cells) and symbiotic bacteria,
studied, but highly important resource for future study. More recently collections have been added from Ant- which are different in both species and differ from the Halisarca previously studied. However, the third
arctic surveys conducted in 2009 and 2012. Included in the over 15000 lots of sponges are 450 primary and sponge presents large spherical choanocyte chambers and cells with inclusions that have never been found
secondary type lots. There are types and schizotypes from noted authors such as Verrill, Hartman, Alpheus before in any other skeletal-less Demospongiae. Based on a preliminary molecular assessment, the white
Hyatt, Duchassaing & Michelotti and Max de Laubenfels and even as yet unprepared fragments of Lamarck. Marquesan Halisarca-like sponge clearly belongs to a sister taxon of Halisarca, likely a new genus very ge-
Many schizoptypes were acquired by Hartman and his students for comparative study material. Also included netically distinct from the known Halisarca. On the contrary, the current assessment of the pink Marquesan
in the collection are nearly 20000 microslide preparations of sections and spicules. These slides are in the sponge suggests it genetically belongs to Halisarca. These new sponges might call for a significant revision of
process of being fully digitized via a NSF funded grant and images will be available through the Museum’s the definition of the Halisarcidae family.
collection portal; all types will be available as hi-resolution images. This work was conducted after the “Pakaihi i te Moana” and “Pacotilles” expeditions, the former with sup-
port from the French Agency for Marine Protected Areas (AAMP) and the latter in the framework of the LIA
Taxonomic Revision of the Family Heteropiidae (Porifera, Calcarea) in Norwegian MARRIO.
Waters
Hilde Strand Dybevik, Adriana Alvizu & Hans Tore Rapp
Department of Biology and KG Jebsen Centre Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, Thormøhlensgate 53A, N-5020 Bergen,
Norway. Correspondence: hilde.dybevik@student.uib.no
In the last decade, several studies in the Norwegian Sea have shown that calcareous sponges represent a di-
verse and abundant group, with a wide distribution from the lower littoral to the abyssal zone. However, the
number of calcareous species is thought to be underestimated, because they are small, inconspicuous, and
146 147
Molecular Biodiversity of Iranian Persian Gulf Sponges New Species And A New Record Of The Genus Leucilla (Calcarea, Calcaronea) To The
Aref Gholami1, Majid Askari Hesni1, Azad Teimori1, Gert Wörheide2, 3, 4, Dirk Erpenbeck2, 3 Tropical Brazilian Coast.
1
Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman (SBUK), 76169- Bruna Bahiana & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti
14111 Kerman, Iran. arefgholami91@gmail.com Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia. Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, Campus de Ondina, Salvador – Bahia, Brazil.
2
Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians- 40170-115. fernanda.cavalcanti@ufba.br
Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany The genus Leucilla is composed of species of the family Amphoriscidae with inarticulated skeleton and syl-
3
GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 leibid or leuconoid aquiferous system, without a disorganized layer of spicules between the subatrial and atrial
Munich, Germany skeletons. Currently, it has 13 accepted species, and its last described one was L. endoumensis by Borojevic
4
SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333
and Boury-Esnault in 1986. In the present work, we describe species of Leucilla from Salvador, Bahia state,
Munich, Germany. Northeastern Brazilian coast. The specimens were sampled at one meter depth, and fixed and preserved in 96%
ethanol. Taxonomic identification followed a standard protocol. Our results reveal the occurrence of three new
Despite their importance, our knowledge of the biodiversity and phylogeography of Persian Gulf sponges is
species and the first record of Leucilla sacculata for the studied area. Leucilla sp. nov. 1 resembles two known
largely unexplored. However, this knowledge is necessary to better understand the patterns and processes that
species – L. endoumensis and L. sacculata – but differs from them due to the organization of the skeleton and
generated and maintained sponge diversity in this waterbody and to create a foundation for future exploration
to the type of aquiferous system, respectively. Leucilla sp. nov. 2 has a skeletal composition similar (but not
of the marine natural resources in this area.
identical) to that of L. nuttingi, but the presence of a continuous layer of microdiactines in the cortical region,
Expeditions led by the Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman facilitated the most comprehensive collection easily visible in L. nuttingi and absent in the new species, allows the differentiation between them. The third
for Iranian sponges to date. The collection of almost 100 samples has been DNA barcoded and genetically new species, Leucilla sp. nov. 3, resembles L. minuta, L. hirsuta and L. oblata. However, it can be recognized
analyzed to identify operational taxonomic units (OTUs). The sponge identification will subsequently be due to its choanosomal skeleton formed by one category of triactines and two categories of tetractines, while
corroborated by morpho-taxonomy to generate a biodiversity inventory, which will be used to analyze occur- the other species have only choanosomal tetractines. Finally, Leucilla sacculata was originally described to
rence patterns. Here, first and the currently most comprehensive results are presented about demosponge and Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (also at the tropical Brazilian domain) during the 19th century and here it
calcareous sponge species diversity and their geographic distribution patterns along the Iranian Persian Gulf is recorded for the first time out of its type locality. Although type material is unknown, the identification was
coastline. possible based on the original description. Recently, some discussion was raised on the genera Leucilla and
Paraleucilla as the main difference between them is the presence, in the second genus, of a disorganized layer
Molecular Taxonomy of African Freshwater Sponges of spicules. This layer is absent in young specimens and in some adults of Paraleucilla, leading one to iden-
tify them as Leucilla. Thus, to avoid misidentification, all the species described here were compared to those
Dirk Erpenbeck1, 2, Sebastian Mai1, Markus Steiner1, Astrid Schuster1, Gert Wörheide1, 2, 3 comprising both genera, before we conclude that most of them are in fact new to science.
1
Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München, Financial supports by PIBIC/ UFBA, FAPESB, CNPq, PRODOC-PROPCI/ UFBA are gratefully acknowl-
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. erpenbeck@lmu.de
edged.
2
GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333
Munich, Germany
3
SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333
Taxonomy Of Calcareous Sponges (Porifera, Calcarea) Sampled On Artificial
Munich, Germany. Substrates In A Recreational Marina From The Tropical Brazilian Coast.
African sponges, particularly freshwater sponges, are largely understudied, compared to demosponges in most Cleslei Chagas & Fernanda F. Cavalcanti
other geographical regions. Recent morphological studies started summarizing our current knowledge and Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia. Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, Campus de Ondina Salvador – Bahia, Brazil.
conclude that the species richness of African freshwater sponges is underestimated and that geographic dis- 40170-115. fernanda.cavalcanti@ufba.br
tribution ranges remain obscure. Freshwater sponges (Spongillina) likely share a common ancestor, however Artificial substrates submerged in the sea can be quickly colonized by several invertebrates. Thus, they can be
their evolution, particularly the radiation into endemic and allegedly cosmopolitan groups is largely unknown. used as a method of sampling benthic organisms in areas where scuba diving or snorkeling are not allowed.
Freshwater sponges of at least 58 species of 17 genera and at least four families are described from Central and In the present work, fragments of nautical cables were used to sample calcareous sponges from a recreational
Eastern Africa, but the diversity may be largely underestimated, due to limited distinguishable morphologi- marina in Salvador, Bahia State, Northeastern Brazil. Only few taxonomic works focusing on Calcarea had
cal features. The discovery of additional, particular cryptic, species is very likely with the use of molecular already been developed in this region, and observations from scientific collections and fieldworks reveal that
techniques such as DNA barcoding. The Royal Museum of Central Africa (RMCA, Tervuren, Belgium) hosts calcareous sponges are easily found there. The cables remained submerged at one meter depth during two
one of the largest collections of (Central) African freshwater sponges and their type material. Holotypes in months, and after this period they were replaced by new cables from August 2015 to October 2016. In the
theory constitute ideal targets for molecular taxonomy, however the success is frequently hampered by DNA laboratory, calcareous sponges were removed from them, and taxonomic identification followed standard pro-
degradation and deamination, which are a consequence of suboptimal preservation techniques. Therefore, we tocols. Four species were found, being three of them new to science: Sycon sp. nov. 1, Sycon sp. nov. 2, Leu-
genotyped African demosponge holotype material of the RMCA with specific short primers suitable for de- cilla sp. nov. and Leucandra serrata. The latter species had never been recorded to the coast of Bahia. Sycon
generated tissue and compare the results with the current, morphology-based classification. sp. nov. 1 was the most abundant species. It has no oscular fringe and atrial skeleton composed by triactines
and few tetractines, making it slightly hispid. The species has also tufts of diactines not so visible at the end of
the distal cones, and tubar triactines that are different from those occurring at the subatrial region. The other
new species of the genus, Sycon sp. nov. 2, can be easily differentiated from the previous one mainly by its
large amount of tetractines in the atrium, in addition to the largest size of diactines and presence of an oscular
fringe. Both species resemble S. frustulosum, but the size and shape of the diactines are the most remarkable
differences among them. The third new species found in the present work is Leucilla sp. nov. It is different
148 149
from all the described species of the genus due to its spicules size and skeletal composition, as it has pentac- Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Insights Into The Streamlined Genomes
tines. This spicule category was previously described only to Sycon pentactinale. Finally, the record of Leu- Of Haplosclerid Demosponges
candra serrata to the Bahia coast fills an important gap in the distribution of this species, which was found in
localities on the Brazilian coast that are 2900 km apart, being our studied area in between these localities. Our Christine Guzman1, 2 & Cecilia Conaco1
results emphasize that leaving artificial substrates in the sea for a short period of time is an efficient method for 1
Marine Science Institute, College of Science, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101
sampling calcareous sponges, which are among the pioneer organisms to colonize them. The number of new Philippines. cjmguzman@gmail.com
species to science and the new record of Leucandra serrata also reveal that our knowledge on the diversity 2
Current address: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-
of Calcarea is underestimated in the tropical portion of the Brazilian coast, and the number of species known 0495, Japan
to Bahia increased from 13 to 17. The lack of data on the spongefauna occurring in the marina makes impos- Sponges (Porifera) are one of the most ancestral metazoan groups. They are characterized by a simple body
sible to recognize if one of these species could be exotic, which is common in areas with heavy boat traffic. plan lacking the true tissues and organ systems found in other animals. Members of this phylum display a re-
Nevertheless, we believe that in the future our results could help in the detection of a possible introduction by markable diversity of form and function and yet little is known about the composition and complexity of their
calcareous sponges. genomes. In this study, we sequenced the transcriptomes of two marine haplosclerid sponges belonging to De-
Financial supports by FAPESB, CNPq, PRODOC-PROPCI/ UFBA are gratefully acknowledged. mospongiae, the largest and most diverse class within phylum Porifera, and compared their gene content with
members of other sponge classes. We recovered 44, 693 and 50, 067 transcripts expressed in adult tissues of
Haliclona amboinensis and Haliclona tubifera, respectively. These transcripts translate into 20, 280 peptides
Biodiversity of calcineans (Porifera, Calcarea) from Martinique, Lesser Antilles, in H. amboinensis and 18, 000 peptides in H. tubifera. Genes associated with important signaling and meta-
Caribbean Sea bolic pathways, regulatory networks, as well as genes that may be important in the organismal stress response,
Tayara Fontana¹, Fernanda Azevedo¹, Báslavi Cóndor-Luján¹, Thierry Pérez² & Michelle Klautau¹. were identified in the transcriptomes. Futhermore, lineage-specific innovations were identified that may be
correlated with observed sponge characters and ecological adaptations. The core gene complement expressed
¹ Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia.
within the tissues of adult haplosclerid demosponges may represent a streamlined and flexible genetic toolkit
² Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), CNRS, IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Uni-
versité Avignon. Station Marine d’Endoume, Rue de la Batterie des Lions, Marseille, France. that underlies the ecological success and resilience of sponges to environmental stress.
Martinique is an island located in the central portion of the Lesser Antilles (14º51’N -14º22’N), in the Carib-
bean Sea. Although sponges are one of the most important invertebrate benthic groups in the Caribbean Beyond the sponge barcode: testing the taxonomic utility of microbial diversity analysis
Sea, only 21 species were reported from Martinique and none were calcareous sponges. Therefore, the aim using 16s rRna gene sequences among tetillid sponges
of the present work was to study the diversity of calcareous sponges from Martinique, with a particular focus
Kathryn A. Hall1 & John N.A. Hooper1
in the subclass Calcinea. The sponges were collected in 2013 and 2015 by scuba diving in eight localities in
Martinique, in depths ranging from three to 30 meters, under the Franco-Brazilian project LIA-MARRIO. 1
Biodiversity and Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. kathryn.hall@qm.qld.gov.
Sponges were photographed in situ and fixed and preserved in ethanol 93%. Morphological and molecular au
procedures and analyses were performed in order to identify the 46 collected specimens. Optical and Scan- The serious limitations of the DNA barcoding marker (COI mtDNA Folmer fragment) for the taxonomy
ning Electron Microscopy were used in order to characterize the spicules. The nuclear rDNA marker ITS of sponges are widely acknowledged. The marker is notoriously difficult to amplify using standardised de-
was sequenced. The molecular results were in concordance with the previous morphological determinations. generate primers (1) because of the interplay of numerous factors, including the persistence of secondary
A total of 11 species within five genera were identified: Arthuria hirsuta (Klautau & Valentine, 2003), metabolites in DNA extracts, the presence of contaminating DNA from other marine organisms, and also the
Clathrina aurea Solé- Cava, Klautau, Boury-Esnault, Borojevic & Thorpe, 1991, Leucetta floridana incorporation of introns, often near primer binding sites, into the gene itself. Some of these factors are not
(Haeckel, 1872) and eight new species. Among the new species there are two Arthuria, one Borojevia, four restricted to the COI barcoding gene, and, along with additional impediments, such as gene order rearrange-
Clathrina and one Ernstia. Considering all the 11 species identified, only L. floridana had already been re- ments, confound attempts to amplify other loci. Currently, we are exploring the practicality of other DNA
ported from the Caribbean Sea. Arthuria hirsuta, originally described from South Africa, suggests an amphi- markers for specimens of Tetillidae (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida) from the Indo-West Pacific, but in view
Atlantic affinity, while Clathrina aurea, originally described from Brazil, suggests a faunal connection with of the multiplicity of obstacles to sponge DNA sequence analysis, we are exploring the utility of microbiome
the Brazilian coast. The discovery of nine new species provisionally endemic to Martinique is possibly just analysis for taxonomic investigations of this group.
an artefact of our precarious knowledge of the class Calcarea. A test sample of 20 specimens from a diversity of species and sampling locations was sent to a commercial
References facility for microbial diversity analysis using partial 16S rRNA genes (V3–V4), visualised using next-gen
1
M. Klautau, C. Valentine, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 39 (2003)1-62. sequencing technology. Preliminary analysis produced high quality microbiome data for 12 of the samples
2
Van Soest, R.W.M, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper. J. N. A., Rützler, K., et al. World Porifera Database. Available: http://www. (60% success rate). In excess of 36, 000 OTUs were identified from this mix of samples, with approximately
marinespecies.org/porifera/. Acessed in Janeiro/2017. 3, 000 microbial OTUs recovered per specimen. Some microbial diversity was shared among the samples and
Financial support by CAPES, CAPES-COFECUB CNPq and CNRS. a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed. PCA of the microbial OTU data indicated that speci-
mens identified morphologically as the same species were recovered as having similar microbiome composi-
tions. Further, specimens from geographically similar waters, but which were morphologically distinct, were
not found to have similar microbiomes, suggesting that the microbiome of the ambient water did not influence
the uniqueness of the microbiome of individual tetillid species. Encouraged by these preliminary findings, we
are continuing our study using an additional 200 specimens from an array of tetillid species from locations
throughout the Indo-West Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, Papua New Guinea, French
Polynesia and northern Western Australia. Here we present our new data from these samples and further ex-
plore the efficiency of this ecological character as a taxonomic marker and as a dataset for phylogenetic infer-
150 151
ence. likewise other species reported in the Gulf of California and the subtropical Eastern Pacific region as well.
1. O. Folmer, M. Black, W. Hoeh, R. Lutz, R. Vrijenhoek, Mol Mar Biol Biotechnol. (1994) 3 (5) 294–299. 1
. P. Gómez, Z. Hoffman, C. Sánchez, B. González-Acosta, C.J. Hernández-Guerrero (in press). Zootaxa
Financial support by the Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support by CONACyT, Copris Group, and UABCS is gratefully acknowledged. We thank Dr. Rob-
ert Thacker (Department of Ecology and Evolution Smithsonian Natural History Museum) for his support in
a research stay in 2016 of Z.H.
Taxonomy of Theonellidae in the Indo-West Pacific
Mary Kay Harper1, Kathryn A. Hall2, Merrick Ekins2, Chris M. Ireland1, John N.A. Hooper2,3
Toward Integrative Taxonomy of Endemic Lake Baikal Sponges Lubomirskiidae
University of Utah Asia Campus, 119 Songdo Munhwa-ro, Building U856, Yeonsu-gu, Incheoen, Korea 21985
1
2
Queensland Museum, P.O. Box 3300 South Brisbane Queensland 4101 Valeria Itskovich, Olga Glyzina, Alena Yakhnenko, Oxana Kaluzhnaya
3
Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Irkutsk, Russia;. itskovich@mail.ru
We used a combined approach of morphological, molecular and chemical datasets to explore the taxonomy The endemic sponge family Lubomirskiidae (Porifera; Demospongiae; Spongillina) is an example of spe-
of Indo-West Pacific (IWP) Theonellidae Lendenfeld, 1903 (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Astrophorina). cies radiation in ancient Lake Baikal. It is a true species flock with 13 described species which are dominant
Based on gross morphology and some secondary metabolite data, 30 specimens were selected from collec- component of the benthos community in the lake. We performed for the first time multi-gene analyses of
tions from multiple locations throughout the Indo-west Pacific: Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu molecular phylogeny of Lubomirskiidae using several molecular markers: Folmer’s CO1 fragment, ITS1-
and Australia (Great Barrier Reef). Detailed morphological study of this material revealed an assemblage of 5.8S- ITS2 region, D3 28S rDNA region, CO2-ATP6 intergenic mtDNA region, silicatein gene fragment.
sponges with inconsistent morphological features: some lack the articulated desmas associated with speci- Molecular analyses revealed that Lubomirskia and Baikalospongia genera are not monophyletic. At the same
mens ascribed to the type species Theonella swinhoei Gray, 1868; others possess tetralophose calthrops, like time species L. baicalensis, B. intermedia, B. bacilifera and B. recta also do not form monophyletic clades.
those seen in specimens of Theonella mirabilis (de Laubenfels, 1954); and others are like Theonella xantha Discrepancy between molecular and morphology data revealed the need integrative taxonomic approach for
(Sutcliffe, Hooper & Pitcher, 2010) and appear to have lost tetractinal spicules entirely. We have found micro- species delimitation within Lubomirskiidae. We used fatty acid composition of total lipids and composition
sclere morphology to be taxonomically useful for discriminating among our theonellid species and support- of prokaryotic symbiotic community as additional markers for species delimitation. Analyses of intra and
ing monophyly of the genus. DNA sequence analysis, using COI barcoding and intergenic spacer regions of inter species variability of fatty acid composition of total lipids of three sponge species showed that fatty acid
mtDNA, validates taxonomic use of the microscleres by recovering monophyly of our specimens among other compositions were species specific and detected microalgal contribution to the total pool of fatty acids.
IWP astrophorine species. Here we characterize our new species and discuss the phylogenetic relationships of 16S rRNA gene sequencing of three sponge species displayed the inter species differences in composition
the morphologically atypical theonellids. of prokaryotic symbiotic community. Our results revealed that fatty acid composition and sponge microbial
diversity probably are perspective markers for integrative taxonomy of Lubomirskiidae.
Six New Species of Verongiid Sponges from Southern Region of Baja California Financial support by Federal Agency Scientific Organizations project VI.50.1.4 (0345-2016-0002) and
Peninsula, Mexico RFBR grants № 14-04-00838А, 14-44-04165р is gratefully acknowledged.
Zvi Hoffman1, Patricia Gómez2, Carlos Sánchez1 and Jaime Gómez-Gutiérrez3
1Departamento deBiología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. hoffman-
Two new records of marine sponges (Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) from the coast of
zvi@gmail.com Karachi, Pakistan
2Unidad Académica Ecología y Biodiversidad Acuática, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional
Hina Jabeen, Seema Shafique, Zaib-un-Nisa Burhan, Amjad Ali and Pirzada Jamal Ahmed Siddiqui
Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
3Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan. hinajabeen14@gmail.com
Description of six new species of Verongiida is presented, four from Aplysina and two from Suberea col- The coastline of Pakistan is situated about 200 nautical miles of Exclusive Economic Zone in North Arabian
lected at Baja California Peninsula, Pacific side of Mexico (2013-2016). Verongiid sponges have a widespread Sea, stretched about 1050 km with the coast of Balochistan (800 km) and Sindh coastal region (250 km).
distribution in tropical and subtropical waters. Ecological census and sampling at both coasts of the southern Marine sponge persists in this area in mutualistic association with coral communities that enhances species
region of the peninsula showed verongiid type sponges highly abundant, but most of them are still unknown growth and distribution which eventually depends upon variable environmental conditions. The sponge taxa
for science. A morphologic study from 85 verongiid samples was realized, samples were also compared with belong to class Demospongiae, order Haplosclerida reported from Karachi coast. Callyspongia (Cladocha-
type material of the Eastern Pacific Aiolochroia thiona (de Laubenfeles, 1930), Aplysina gerardogreeni, A. lina) fibrosa (Family Callyspongiidae) collected from Churna Island (66°36’E, 24°53’N) by SCUBA diving in
azteca Gómez & Bakus, 1992, A. clathrata, A. revillagigedi Cruz-Barraza et al., 2012, and Suberea etiennei February 2013 and Haliclona (Reniera) cinerea (Family Chalinidae) collected from the rock pool of Buleji
van Soest, et al., 2011. Skeletal trait and fibres from these yielded six new species, four aplysinas and two rocky ledge (64°50’E, 24°49’N) in January 2016. Both specimens were identified morphologically through
subereas. The four new Aplysina species possess polymorphic skeleton ranged from anastomosed to anas- skeletal structure (spicules and spongin) in light and scanning electron microscope. The occurrence of these two
tomosed-dendritic with intermediate morphologies among them. This new skeleton morphology have been species Callyspongia (Cladochalina) fibrosa and Haliclona (Reniera) cinerea are documented as new records
evidenced as diagnostic feature for Aplysina sponges of the Eastern Pacific1, including Aiolochroia thiona at from the coastal region of Karachi, Pakistan.
Laguna Beach (California, USA). The two new Suberea species are quite different inwardly, since one has
an encrusting massive shape with a tangled dendritic skeleton and the other has a subspherical habit with a
dendritic pattern of long fibres that grow from a complex of inner tangled and anastomosed fibers towards the
sponge surface. None of these morphological traits of Suberea matches with those observed in the paratype
of Suberea etiennei. Albeit, a genetic investigation from the six species is carried out and it still in progress.
Several diagnostic morphological characters used in verongiid species identification are discussed, concluding
that verongiid species show a remarkable species diversity correlated with relatively small distribution range,
152 153
A first assessment of the sponge biodiversity off the coast of mainland Ecuador Deeper understanding of deep sea Axinellida: mitochondrial sequencing of a novel
Karla Jaramillo1, 2, Christine Morrow2, Olivier P. Thomas3, Jenny Rodriguez1, Grace P. McCormack2, abyssal sponge
Eduardo Hajdu4 Nathan J. Kenny1, Ana Riesgo1, Helena Wiklund1, Gordon L.J. Paterson1, Thomas G. Dahlgren2, 3,
1
Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL. Centro Nacional de Acuacultura e Investigaciones Marinas, CENAIM. Km Adrian G. Glover1, Sergio Taboada1
30.5 via Perimetral, Guayaquil, Ecuador. 1
Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK n.kenny@nhm.ac.uk
2
National University of Ireland Galway, School of Zoology, Ryan Institute, University Road, Galway, Ireland. 2
Uni Research, PO Box 7810, 5020 Bergen, Norway
3
National University of Ireland Galway, School of Chemistry, Ryan Institute, University Road, Galway, Ireland. 3
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
4
Museu Nacional/UFRJ, Depto. Invertebrados, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. kbjarami@espol. A novel abyssal sponge, Axinellida sp. nov., is currently the subject of descriptive efforts. This species is en-
edu.ec
demic to the Clarion and Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the North East Pacific, a region that has recently become
The Pacific coast of South America has been recently studied for its sponge biodiversity from the cold waters economically viable as a source of polymetallic nodules. Axinellida sp. nov. itself encrusts on these nodules,
of Chile until Peru. However, the coast of Ecuador was still considered a gap in the knowledge of the biodi- is an abundant component of the ecosystem at these depths, and our understanding of its ecology and inter-
versity as well as distribution and abundance of sponges along this coast. relationships is still limited at best.
A recent project was supported recently at the national level to assess for the first time the biological and In order to better characterise this sponge and place it in its phylogenetic context, we sequenced, assembled
chemical diversity of marine invertebrates in this maritime region. We report herein the very first results on and annotated its mitochondrial genome using Illumina MiSeq reads and the Velvet and IDBA-UD assem-
the description of sponges at El Pelado Marine Protected Area in the province of Santa Elena-Ecuador. In blers. We compared its gene arrangement with other closely related species, and performed Maximum Likeli-
a first instance, eight sponge species were identified from the shallow waters, using morphological charac- hood and Bayesian Inference analyses using both nucleotide and amino acid data sets.
ters and some molecular markers including mitochondrial 16S ribosomal DNA (mt 16S rDNA), cytochrome
oxidase subunit I (COI). These species were first shown to belong to seven genera Callyspongia, Mycale, The mitochondrial genome of this species is 20, 819 bp in length, slightly larger than that of most related spe-
Chondrosia, Tedania, Dysidea, Clathria, and Plocamiancara. A particular interest was given to a very com- cies (1). A total of 26 tRNA, 14 protein coding and 2 rRNA genes were present, and all genes possessed the
mon sponge Callyspongia sp. usually found in interaction with corals. This may represent an interesting case same orientation. Gene order is somewhat different to that seen in other species, with a defined tRNA ‘cluster’.
of sponge-coral interaction that deserves attention. Phylogenetic analyses place this species firmly in the order Axinellida, and broadly support heterosclero-
morph relationships as formerly proposed (2).
These first insights into the sponge biodiversity off the coasts of mainland Ecuador revealed a high sponge
diversity in a very small area that clearly deserves more detailed examination. This work will give access to Efforts to understand the wider biology and population connectivity of this unique sponge species continue
key data for the distribution of sponges between the Southern and the Northern coast of South America. (Taboada et al., at this meeting), but interpreting these results within a phylogenetic context will enable stron-
ger conclusions to be drawn. The mtDNA sequence presented here will continue to be useful for designing
markers suitable for phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies of this unique species, and allow greater un-
Molecular Taxonomy and Phylogeography of Ircinia from Western Australia derstanding of the evolution of the Axinellida and Demospongiae as a whole.
Joseph Kelly1, 2,, Robert W. Thacker1 References
1
James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 1. D. Lavrov, X. Wang, M Kelly, Mol Phylogenet Evol. 49 (2008) 111-124.
2
Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America. 2. C. Morrow, P. Cárdenas, Front Zool. 12 (2015) 1.
joseph.b.kelly@stonybrook.edu Financial support from the Natural History Museum of London (DIF SDF14032 to AR) and the EU-MIDAS
Sponges represent a highly diverse group of morphologically simple, sessile, filter-feeding organisms that (Managing Impacts Of Deep Sea Resource Exploitation) and ABYSSLINE (Abyssal Biological Baseline)
contribute to benthic biomass and nutrient cycling. Despite their critical ecological significance in marine projects gratefully acknowledged.
ecosystems, sponges suffer from difficult species identifications and unresolved phylogenetic relationships.
One group in particular, the aspiculate keratose sponges, lack defining mineralized skeletal features and can
be difficult to identify. As a result, the richness of keratose sponge communities is typically underestimated in Integrative Systematics of Tropical Western Atlantic Mycale of the “immitis-group”
biodiversity censuses. In addition, keratose sponges are often misidentified in museum collections, impeding Dora Leite1, Thiago S. de Paula2; Gisele Lôbo-Hajdu2; Eduardo Hajdu1
the characterization of their biogeography and life history. 1
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio de
In this study, we examined the taxonomic, phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships of keratose spong- Janeiro, RJ, Brazil dorademoura@gmail.com
es of the genus Ircinia collected from Western Australia. Molecular phylogenies inferred from the mitochon- 2
Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Departamento de Genética, Rua São
drial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 gene delineated multiple clades from a set of specimens corresponding to Francisco Xavier 524, PHLC, sala 205, 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro,
uncharacterized sponge taxa and several previously recognized, but unnamed, species. Our results stress the RJ, Brazil
urgent need for development of clearly defined sponge taxonomy to enhance assessments of sponge biodiver- Mycale Gray, 1867 comprises about 250 species, and ranks among Porifera largest genera. Its species are
sity, conservation, and environmental management. currently classified in 11 subgenera. Some of these are quite large and comprise clearly recognizable species
Financial support by AIMS@JCU is gratefully acknowledged. groups, as is the case of the “immitis group”, assigned to Mycale (Mycale), characterized by an anisochela
markedly curved in profile, and with relatively short head (25–35% of whole microsclere length). Three spe-
cies of this group have been described from the Tropical Western Atlantic: M. (M.) alagoana Cedro, Correia
& Hajdu, 2011, from Alagoas (Brazil); M. (M.) arenaria Hajdu & Desqueyroux-Faúndez, 1994, from Rio de
Janeiro (Brazil) and M. (M.) immitis (Schmidt, 1870), from Florida (USA). We have used morphology and
molecular data (16S and ITS) to characterize specimens of this species group collected in Brazil and the Carib-
bean, including type and/or topotypical materials of both Brazilian species. Seventeen specimes were analysed
154 155
for morphometric analysis, and 14 for molecular. Our results recovered three highly supported cladi in the Spicular Analysis for Reconstructions of Sponge Communities in Modern Coral Reefs
molecular analyses: clade A (Mycale sp. 1) comprises individuals from Las Cuevas (Bocas del Toro); clade
Magdalena Łukowiak
B (Mycale sp. 2) comprises individuals from Isla Solarte (Bocas del Toro); clade C (M. arenaria) comprises
specimens from NE (topotypical with M. alagoana) and SE Brazil (including one paratype of the species). Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland, e-mail: mlukowiak@twarda.
pan.pl
Mycale sp. 1 differs from M. arenaria by the width of its mycalostyles I (8) and II (10), and by the length
of the anisochela II (21). Mycale sp. 2 differs from M. arenaria by the length and width of mycalostyles I Sponges are a key and inseparable component of modern coral reefs thus the knowledge of their taxonomic
(422/10) and II (570/11), and in the length of anisochela II (26) and III (18), sigmas II (35) and III (14) and diversity is therefore crucial for ecological considerations of coral reef ecosystems. However, some sponge
raphides (77). M. (M.) immitis could not be analyzed yet. A PCA recovered specimens from each clade in dis- species might be easily overlooked due to their size and cryptic and/or excavating nature. This problem might
tinct morphospace positions (ANOSIM) of the “immitis-group”. Despite the holotype of M. alagoana (MNRJ often be solved using the method of spicular analysis. It enables to recognize spicule morphotypes by means of
4624) being the sole specimen with sigmas of type-I, PCA put it together with Mycale sp. 1, mainly due to its detailed examination of surficial sediments. Here, the spicular analysis has been applied to study the sponge-
anisochelae II dimensions. In addition, the paratype of M. alagoana (UFALPOR 0139), seemingly without spicule assemblage in the lagoon reef of Bocas del Toro, Panama. This method allowed to identify some high-
sigmas-I, was retrieved closer to M. arenaria. It was thought that NE and SE Brazil contained distinct species ly diagnostic spicule morphotypes. They belong to four sponge species, i.e. Samus anonymus (1), Triptolemma
of the “immitis group”, but it turns out to be more likely now that M. arenaria is widespread all the way up to endolithicum (2), Cliona mucronata (3), and Alectona wallichii (4), that have not been noticed in this area so
the Guiana shelf at least. far. The last two species were previously known only from Indian Ocean, and Japanese and South African wa-
ters, respectively. The presence of these species enriches our knowledge of the ecological interactions within
the coral reef ecosystem of the studied area. Despite some limitations, the method of spicular analysis proves
Taiwan deep-water sponge collection at the National Museum of Natural Science at to be useful as a supplementary tool for the reconstruction of modern shallow-water sponge communities.
Taichung (Taiwan)
Financial support by Polish National Science Center Grant (NCN) no 2013/09/D/ST10/04050, Short Term
Swee Cheng Lim Fellowship from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and PalSIRP Sepkoski Grant.
National University of Singapore Tropical Marine Science Institute 18 Kent Ridge Road, S2S Singapore 119227
The deep-water sponge collection of the National Museum of Natural Science at Taichung is examined and Siliceous Sponges from the Upper Eocene of Eastern Central Ukraine
reported for the first time. This collection comprises of over 100 specimens dating back to 1991, up to 4400
Magdalena Łukowiak1, Tetiana Stefanska2 & Andrzej Pisera1
m depth from Taiwan waters and they were collected by the museum curators on the research vessel, Ocean
Research 1. Some of the localities include Green Island, Orchid Island and Dongsha Atoll. There are over 20 1
Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland, mlukowiak@twarda.pan.pl,
hexactinellids and 20 demospongiae species and they are described in work. The result is compared to deep- apis@twarda.pan.pl
water sponge species (some 150 species) that have been described and recorded from the Northwest Pacific. 2
Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University, 72, Gagarin Av., Dnipropetrovsk 49010, Ukraine, ivanovatatyana@rambler.
These comprise of mainly of hexactinellids (over 100 species) and some 50 species of demospongiae and a ru
single, record of an unidentified calcareous sponge reported by Koltun. Most of these records were from Japan In the late Eocene (~40 Mya), most of the European continent was covered by a shallow Tethys sea. New study
and Russia waters, north of Taiwan. The composition and distribution of the deep- water sponges in Northwest of loose sponge spicules shows that rich and diversified sponge communities existed in this region during that
Pacific are discussed in this work. time. The abundant and diversified assemblage of dissociated spicules of eastern Central Ukraine (Middle
Dnieper region) reveals the presence of both, “soft” and lithistids demosponges. Rare spicules of homosclero-
morphs and extremely rare hexactinellid spicules are also observed.
Evolution of haplosclerid sponges: insights from kinetid structures
At least nine families (i.e. Bubaridae, Geodiidae, Pachastrellidae, Thoosidae, Spirastrellidae, Samidae,
Maria Belinda Longakit1, 2, Christine Morrow1 & Grace P. McCormack1
Agelasidae, Clionaidae, and Placospongiidae) of “soft” demosponges were recognized. Among lithistid de-
Department of Zoology, Martin Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland mosponges, at least 4 families (Phymaraphinidae, Theonellidae, Vetulinidae, and undetermined family with
Corresponding author email address: bel_longakit@ymail.com rhizoclones) were present. Spicules belonging to one plakinid homoscleromorph and a single hexactinellid
Molecular evidence points to the polyphyletic nature of many taxonomic ranks within the marine Haploscle- species were also observed.
rida. Three major clades have been recovered via molecualr data, referred to as clades A, B and C. The kinetid
We estimate that at least 14 different species of demosponges (including 4 lithistid demosponges), one ho-
structures of species currently classified as Haliclona, which represent the three clades were investigated to
moscleromorph and one hexactinellid inhabited this region of the Tethys Sea during the late Eocene. Most of
evaluate whether they could discriminate the clades. Members of the three clades differ in at least three aspects
these sponges have not been reported yet from the late Eocene of Ukraine. The taxonomic composition of this
of the kinetid structure, i.e. characteristics of 1) electron dense, and 2) electron clear areas of the transition
spicule assemblage [e.g., presence of Alectona millari (1), Placinolopha sarai (2), Diplastrella megastellata
zone; and 3) presence/absence of a basal foot. The Clade A representatives (i.e. Haliclona oculata, type spe-
(3), and Samus anonymus (4), and abundant lithistids and extreme rarity of hexactinellids], suggests relatively
cies and H. urceolus) have electron dense areas that stretch horizontally along the margins of the peripheral
shallow-water (shelf) environments.
microtubules and narrow at their proximal ends, short electron clear areas and no basal feet. The Clade C rep-
resentatives (H. indistincta and H. viscosa) have electron dense areas that are uniform in thickness, long elec- The occurrence of the genus Vetulina (5, 6) is significant as it was noted for the first time in the fossil record.
tron clear areas and basal feet. The Clade B representative on the other hand (H. simulans) shared similarity As in the case of previously studied Miocene sponge assemblage from Vienna Basin (cf. Łukowiak et al.
with Clade C on the thickness of electron dense area and with clade A on the length of the electron clear area 2014), these findings suggest Tethyan origin and a wider distribution of some extant sponge taxa in the geo-
and absence of a basal foot. Our findings show that within the order Haplosclerida, variations in the kinetid are logical past. Thus, their present- day, geographically restricted range seems to be of a relic character.
present and these support the phylogenetic relationship of the order recovered from molecular data. References
1. M. Łukowiak, A. Pisera, J. Schlögl, Pal. Zeitschrift 88 (2014) 263-277.
Financial support by Polish National Science Center Grant 2016/21/B/ST10/02332 to A. Pisera.
156 157
Varied environments drive rapid divergence in sponge (Suberites diversicolor) are now relictual due to alteration by human activities (deforestation, agriculture, mining, and farming). Geo-
populations graphic coordinates, altitude, habitat, and micro-habitat data were collected.
Diede Maas1, Ke Bi2, 3, Stefan Prost4, 5, Maria Meijer1, Ludi P. Aji6, Gandi Purba7, Rosemary Gillespie8 Sponges (ca. 80 specimens) were discovered in 13 of the sampled sites, in both lentic and lotic water bodies,
& Leontine Becking1, 8, 9 from 6 out of 9 Malagasy classified climatic areas. Here we report on new records for Madagascar of 5 genera
1
of Spongillidae, i.e. Corvospongilla, Ephydatia, Eunapius, Radiospongilla, and Trochospongilla. The most
Marine Animal Ecology group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, De Elst 1, the Netherlands. diede.maas@wur. widespread genera are Radiospongilla (5/13 sites), Trochospongilla (3/13 sites), and Eunapius (3/13 sites).
nl
2
The majority of the samples (over 50) is still problematic. In some cases it is not possible to ascribe them to a
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Valley Life Sciences Building, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
presently known genus of Spongillida. Further investigations at the species level are in progress.
3
Computational Genomics Resource Laboratory California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berke-
ley, CA, USA From a biogeographic point of view the 7 genera recorded in Madagascar, including Spongilla and Metania
4
Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, USA from previous literature are well represented in several continents with many species. Ephydatia, Eunapius,
5 Spongilla, Radiospongilla, and Trochospongilla are widespread worldwide, while Corvospongilla and Meta-
Department of Integrative Biology, Center for Theoretical Evolutionary Genomics, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
6
nia show a prevalent Gondwana range. All recorded genera are known from the Afrotropical Region. Once
Marine Life Conservation Unit, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Bosnik Raya, Biak, Papua
again field campaign, in unexplored lands, yielded the discovery of a diversified Spongillida fauna.
7
Marine and Fisheries Department, University of Papua (UNIPA), Manokwari, Papua
8 Research financially supported by Regione Autonoma Sardegna (RAS), INTERREG- EU, PRIN-MIUR, and
EvoLab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
9
Fondazione Banco Sardegna.
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, Leiden, the Netherlands
The nature of dispersal barriers for marine taxa often remains elusive. Here, we studied the relative role of
stochastic and deterministic variables influencing population divergence, by comparing multiple replicate Systematics of marine sponges from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
populations of sponges from marine lakes. Marine lakes are land-locked bodies of seawater with a variable Sam McCormack 1, Chris Battershill2, Michelle Kelly3, Phil Ross2 & Ian Hogg2
connection with the surrounding sea via subterranean fissures. Furthermore, each lake has a distinct environ- 1
University of Waikato, Tauranga, New Zealand samuel.pmccormack@gmail.com
mental regime (defined as water temperature, salinity and pH). Marine lakes with their discrete populations 2
provide a unique model to study early stages of evolution in coastal marine taxa. We selected lakes that have
3
comparable ages (~ 8000 years) and sizes (~15000 m2), but which vary in degree of connection to the open National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA), Auckland, New Zealand
sea and environmental regimes. Using population genomic methods (double-digest restriction site associated Reliable taxonomic assignments are critical to marine conservation strategies, as is an understanding of how
DNA, ddRAD) we studied populations of Suberites diversicolor from 8 marine lakes and three adjacent sea biodiversity is distributed. However, the morphological plasticity of marine sponges can make identifications
locations. In this study ddRAD proved to be a useful and cost-effective method for both phylogeographic and difficult, hence records of distribution patterns can be unreliable and there are frequent gaps in biogeographic
population genomic analyses of sponges. We found strong genetic structure and in most cases strong diver- knowledge. The need to improve both morphological and molecular based taxonomic methods in order to
gence between populations (pairwise FST ranged from 0.54 - 0.63). Admixture analyses furthermore showed make it easier to accurately record sponge diversity has been recognised. Here we present a case study of
little gene flow between marine lakes, even between lakes only 1-10 kilometres apart. We found that at large the first taxonomic examination of sponges from a north eastern New Zealand Harbour. Research focused on
spatial scales (> 200 km), stochastic dispersal limitation plays a large role, while preliminary analysis showed (1) recording sponge biodiversity from the Bay of Plenty region, (2) undertaking a systematic revision of the
that environment plays a significant role in the connectivity and divergence of marine lakes populations at fauna correlating classical taxonomy with a modern phylogenetic assessment (3) determine whether identifi-
smaller scales (< 30 km). Hence, varied environments can lead to rapid divergence of sponge populations. cations based on genetic barcoding are congruent with those produced via traditional morphological methods
Understanding how gene flow corresponds with environmental gradients will improve predictions on adaptive (alpha taxonomy). Fifty five species are described, of these; there is a possibility of a new genus with eighteen
capacities of marine species under different climate change scenarios. species remaining un-described. We conclude that for New Zealand Demospongiae, sequence variation pres-
ent in the barcoding region of the COI gene is sufficient to allow for the identification of species.
The Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research ALW-VENI #863.14.020
Progress with Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae: Porifera) – more molecular insights into

The freshwater sponge fauna of Madagascar: a first assessment
poecilosclerid phylogeny.
Renata Manconi1 & Roberto Pronzato2
Christine Morrow 1, 2, Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack1
1
Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
1
2 Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e della Vita, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy r.manconi@uniss.it
2
Spongillida fauna of Madagascar was known only for a single record on Spongilla alba (family Spongillidae) 3
National Museums Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Holywood, Northern Ireland
since more than two centuries (1887) from the northern small island of Nosy-Bé. Metania madagascariensis
(family Metaniidae) was recently described by us from the central highlands. Poecilosclerida with around 2210 species is the largest of the demosponge orders and also one of the most di-
verse in terms of spicule morphology. In a recent revision of Demospongiae (Morrow & Cardenas, 2015)1, 5 of
Two field campaigns were carried out in 2011 and 2016 for a total of ca. 80 sampling sites in a wide altitudinal the 25 poecilosclerid families were assigned to other orders and the suborder classification, which was based
range 0-1600 m asl, along (a) two transects in the Eastern slope and High Plateau, and (b) three transects in the mainly on the presence/absence, and morphology of the chela was abandoned. A new internal classification of
North-Western slope, South-Western slope, and Central-Eastern High Plateau. Sampling season was selected Poecilosclerida was considered premature, as there was insufficient molecular data to support it.
on the basis of rainfalls trend, i.e. at the end of the dry season (September) characterised by the lowest water
level in the major hydrographic basins, facing both East (Indian Ocean) and West (Mozambique Channel). The current study is an attempt to fill some the gaps in the molecular classification of Poecilosclerida by ana-
A wide range of water bodies, of all climatic areas (sensu Köppen), were sampled i.e. springs, streamlets, lysing newly obtained 18S & 28S rRNA sequences in combination with sequences obtained from previous
streams, rivers, crater lakes, and reservoirs, from pristine rainforests to arid lands, and in areas where forests studies. Species of Hymedesmiidae that possess pore sieves form a monophyletic clade with Crellidae. The
158 159
genus Phorbas appears to be polyphyletic with pore sieve bearing species (including the type taxon P. ama- 4
Hooper, J. N. A. 1991. Revision of the family Raspailiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae), with description of Australian spe-
ranthus Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) clustering with Crellidae, whilst species without pore sieves e.g. P. cies. Invertebrate Taxonomy. 5(6): 1179-1418.
plumosum & P. dives cluster outside of this clade. The resurrection of Stylostichon Topsent, 1892 is proposed
5
Hooper, J.N.A.; Van Soest, R.W.M. (Ed.). (2002). Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of Sponges. Kluwer Academic/
Plenum Publishers: New York, NY (USA). ISBN 0-306-47260-0. xix, 1-1101, 1103-1706 (2 volumes) pp.
for this clade. The study includes 18S & 28S rRNA data from Desmacidon fruticosum (Montagu, 1814), the
6
Hooper, J.N.A. 2002 in Hooper, J.N.A.; Van Soest, R.W.M. (Ed.). (2002). Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of
type taxon of Desmascididae Schmidt, 1870. This is the first study to include DNA sequence data from D. fru-
Sponges. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York, NY (USA). ISBN 0-306-47260-0. xix, 1-1101, 1103-1706 (2
ticosum and shows it clustering with Myxilla (M.) rosacea [(Lieberkühn, 1859) type taxon of Myxilla], inside volumes) pp.
Myxilla Schmidt, 1862 (Myxillidae Dendy, 1922).
We gratefully acknowledge post doctoral funding from the Irish Research Council to C. Morrow.
This study highlights the enormous amount of work that needs to be done in terms of obtaining DNA sequence
data and re-evaluating morphological characters in light of the DNA with the aim of building a more robust
phylogeny of Poecilosclerida.
Clarifying the status of Raspaciona aculeata versus Raspailia aculeata
References
Christine Morrow 1,2 , Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack 1
1
Morrow, C., Cárdenas, P., 2015. Proposal for a revised classification of the Demospongiae (Porifera). Frontiers in Zool- 1
Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
ogy. 12:7. 2
3
National Museums Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Holywood, Northern Ireland
Topsent (1936)1 erected Raspaciona for Raspailia aculeata (=Halichondria aculeata Johnston, 18422). The
type locality for Raspailia aculeata is from the coast near Scarborough, east coast of England (coll. Mr Bean).
The peculiar spicules in Tethyspira: an apomorphy for Tethyspira or a synapomorphy
Johnston (1842)2 described it as follows, “It forms a rude, cellular, brown mass, half an inch in thickness, ad-
with Raspailiidae? hering to its site by a thin membranous basis and hirsute with greyish hairs, formed by the spicula projecting
Christine Morrow 1,2 , Bernard Picton3 & Grace P. McCormack 1 beyond the surface. It is their great length and the circumstance of their protruding beyond the surface, which
1
Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland is characterize the species”.
2
Queen’s University Marine Laboratory, 12-13 The Strand, Portaferry, Northern Ireland When Topsent (1936)1 established Raspaciona he based it on material which was from the Bay of Beaulieu,
3
National Museums Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Holywood, Northern Ireland Cap Roux and also Banyuls sur Mer, Mediterranean Sea, rather than on the type specimen from the east coast
Tethyspira Topsent, 1890 is a monotypic genus erected for Tethea spinosa Bowerbank, 1874. Topsent initially of England. In contrast to the brown sponge described by Johnston, Topsent described his specimen as a bril-
assigned this genus to Suberitidae but subsequently (Topsent, 1900)1 created a new family Mesapidae to con- liant bright red crust with an uneven surface and hispid surface.
tain Mesapos and Tethyspira. Mesapos was created for the Hymeraphia stellifera, however it has subsequently
We have collected and examined several specimens from the coasts of Britain and Ireland and compared them
been returned to Hymeraphia (Raspailiidae). The peculiar spination of the acanthostyles are characteristic of
with the type specimen of Johnston (Norman collection 10.1.1.2327; 2328: Scarborough, collected by Mr.
Tethyspira (Vacelet, 1961)2.
Bean). In terms of external morphology, colour, spiculation and skeletal architecture they match Raspailia
The distribution of Tethyspira is thought to be restricted to the north east Atlantic and Mediterranean where aculeata (Johnston). We have also collected material from Banyuls sur Mer and the Marseille area (Mediterra-
it can be found on wave or current exposed rocky habitats down to 60m. Tethyspira spinosa was recorded for nean Sea) which matches Topsent’s description of Raspaciona aculeata. Here we present molecular and mor-
the first time from the Mediterranean by Sarà (1958)3 from a cave in the Gulf of Naples, Sarà assigned it to phological data which show that Topsent’s Raspaciona aculeata is a separate species to Raspailia aculeata
Poecilosclerina (=Poecilosclerida). Vacelet (1961)2 reported Tethyspira spinosa from Corsica and assigned it and we propose a new name for the entity ‘Raspaciona aculeata’.
to Euryponidae (=Raspailiidae).
Raspailia aculeata sensu stricto is very similar to Raspailia virgultosa (= Dictyocylindrus virgultosa Bower-
Hooper (1991) , in his revision of Raspailiidae assigned Tethyspira to Raspailiidae (incertae sedis) as its
4
bank, 18663). The type locality for Raspailia virgultosa is from deep water off Shetland. From the description
taxonomic affinities with Raspailiidae were considered uncertain. Hooper stated that although it has similari- and illustrations given in Bowerbank, it appears to be very similar, if not synonymous with Raspailia aculeata.
ties in skeletal structure and spiculation with some raspailiid genera e.g. Raspaciona, it is also reminiscent of We have examined microscope slide preparations of the type species of both R. aculeata and R. virgultosa
Hymeniacidonidae. Unlike Raspaciona it lacks the ectosomal specialisation, characteristic of raspailiids. The (Norman collection 10.1.1.2352; 2353: off Balta, Sheltand 40-50 fms., 1867) and whilst there are some small
only obvious link between Tethyspira and Raspailiidae is the presence of acanthose megascleres. differences in the shape and size and of the acanthostyles, we have observed a gradation of morphologies and
Based on the external appearance of Tethyspira and the skeletal arrangement of ascending parallel bundles of sizes within our material of R. aculeata. Whilst noting the similarities and potential synonymy of R. virgultosa
long styles, van Soest et al. (2002)5 assigned it to Dictyonellidae, interpreting the peculiar spined spicules as with R. aculeata, we do not at this stage synonymize the two as we have only studied microscope slides and
an apomorphy for Tethyspira. Bowerbank’s description of R. virgultosa.
References
Our molecular analyses based on 18S and 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COII sequences support the hypoth- 1
Topsent, E. 1936. Sponges observed in the vicinity of Monaco (Part II). Bulletin of the Oceanographic Institute, Monaco (686):
esis that Tethyspira is a raspailiid and that the peculiar spined spicules are homologous with basal echinating 1-70.
acanthostyles as in Eurypon (Raspailiidae). The lack of ectosomal specialisation in Tethyspira whilst unusual 2
Johnston, G. 1842. A History of British Sponges and Lithophytes.(W.H. Lizars: Edinburgh): i-xii, 1-264, pls I-XXV.
amongst raspailiid taxa is not unique as this feature is also absent in Echinodictyum and Amphinomia (Hooper, 3
Bowerbank, JS 1866a. A Monograph of the British Spongiadae. Volume 2. (Ray Society: London): i-xx, 1-388.
2002)6.
References
1
Topsent, E. 1900. Etude monographique des spongiaires de France. III.Monaxonida (Hadromerina). Archives de Zoologie ex-
périmentale et générale. (3) 8: 1-331, pls I-VIII.
2
Vacelet, J. 1961. Spongiaires (Démosponges) de la région de Bonifacio (Corse). Recueil des Travaux de la Station marine
d’Endoume 22(36):21-45.
3
Sarà, M. 1958. Studio sui Poriferi di una grotta di marea del Golfo di Napoli. Archivo Zoologico Italiano. 43: 203-281, pls I-II.
160 161
Stir it Up! - Support for the movement of the ‘Bob Marley’ sponge, Pipestela candelabra Here we describe a new species of Hymeraphia that is morphologically distinct from other Hymeraphia spe-
from Axinellidae to Bubarida cies. 28S rRNA sequences from the variable D1-D2 region show substantial differences between our new
species and the other Hymeraphia spp. The fact that amongst the Porifera there are still species that are new to
Christine Morrow 1,2 , Olivier Thomas3 , John N.A. Hooper4,5 & Grace P. McCormack1 science in the relatively well-studied northeast Atlantic is an indication that we are severely underestimating
1
Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland actual sponge diversity.
2
Small encrusting sponges are often difficult to collect and identify and subsequent molecular analyses can be
3
Marine Biodiscovery Laboratory, School of Chemistry, College of Science, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
4
Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Queensland, 4101, Australia
confounded by problems with insufficient amounts of sample and sponges overgrowing other sponges leading
5
Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
to contamination. As a consequence crusts are often neglected and yet they are important for our understand-
ing of taxonomy, systematics and phylogeography.
Pipestela candelabra Alvarez, Hooper & van Soest, 20081, commonly known as the ‘Bob Marley’ sponge is
an erect sponge with multiple cylindrical hollow tubes, reminiscent of Rastafarian dreadlocks. Despite being References
very common throughout the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Papua New Guinea and adjacent regions, it was
1
Picton, B.E.; Goodwin, C.E. (2007). Sponge biodiversity of Rathlin Island, Northern Ireland. Journal of the Marine Biological
Association of the UK. 87 (6): 1441-1458.
only recently described by Alvarez et al. (2008)1. Secondary metabolites from P. candelabra contain cytotoxic
peptides that selectively inhibited the growth of prostate cancer cells (Tran et al. 2014)2. Despite the interest in We gratefully acknowledge post doctoral funding from the Irish Research Council to C. Morrow. Deep water
this species from a biodiscovery perspective, doubt remains regarding its taxonomic affinities. samples were collected during cruise CE10004 of R.V. Celtic Explorer, using the deepwater Remotely Oper-
ated Vehicle Holland I, and carried out under the Sea Change strategy supported by the Marine Research Sub-
Alvarez et al. (2008)1 assigned Pipestela to Axinellidae (Halichondrida) noting that it had close affinities programme of the National Development Plan 2007–2013.
with Cymbastela and Auletta. Morrow & Cardenas (2015)3 proposed a revised classification of Demospon-
giae whereby Halichondrida was abandoned, Axinellida was resurrected for Axinellidae, Stelligeridae and
Raspailiidae, and Bubarida was established for Bubaridae, Desmanthidae & Dictyonellidae (they cautioned Taxonomy of Corticium (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha) from Western Australia
that whilst the type taxa for these families form a monophyletic assemblage, the families themselves are not Karen Sarmento1, Anaíra Lage1, Jane Fromont2, Guilherme Muricy1
monophyletic). 1
Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
In the current study we include for the first time, molecular data for Pipestela - 28S rRNA (D3-D5 region) 2
Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia
from the type species P. candelabra and for Bubaris vermiculata, the type taxon of Bubarida. In our molecular
The genus Corticium Schmidt, 1862 (Homoscleromorpha: Plakinidae) is defined by the presence of heterolo-
analysis P. candelabra clusters closely with Cymbastela stipitata (type taxon of Cymbastela) and Phakellia
phose calthrops (candelabra) and includes encrusting to cushion-shaped sponges, with a leuconoid aquiferous
ventilabrum (type taxon of Phakellia) inside Bubarida and not with Axinellidae. As our analysis also includes
system and aphodal choanocyte chambers. Currently seven species are accepted globally, only one of which
sequence data from Axinella polypoides, the type taxon of Axinellidae we can confidently support the real-
from Australia: C. simplex Lendenfeld, 1907. In this study we redescribe Corticium simplex Lendenfeld, 1907
location of Pipestela, Cymbastela and Phakellia to Bubarida. From a morphological perspective Pipestela,
and describe six new species of Corticium from Western Australia housed at the Western Australian Museum.
Cymbastela and Phakellia all possess thin megascleres that are curved, flexuous or sinuous. The megascleres
One of the species, Corticium sp. 1, is massive with peculiar, conspicuous ‘oscule fields’ located on top of
can be oxeas, styles or strongyles, microscleres are absent. In Axinella sensu stricto the megascleres are more
some lobes, and another is cushion-shaped (Corticium simplex), however, the majority of the species were
robust, usually not flexuous or sinuous and microscleres when present are microraphides and trichodragmata.
encrusting, Corticium spp. 2–6. Distribution of spicules throughout the sponges varied with species, with
References some having calthrops mainly in the ectosome and around canals in the choanosome (Corticium simplex,
1
Alvarez, B.; Hooper, J.N.A; Van Soest, R.W.M. 2008. Pipestela, a new genus of Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Hali- Corticium sp. 1), others with a dense crust of candelabra in the ectosome and the choanosome with an alveolar
chondrida) and description of three new species. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 52 (2): 105–118.
reticulation formed mainly by calthrops (Corticium sp. 5). The remainder of the species have a dense skel-
2
Tran, T.D., Pham, N.B., Fechner, G.A., Hooper, J.N., Quinn, R.J. 2014. Potent cytotoxic peptides from the Australian marine eton throughout the sponge (Corticium sp. 2, Corticium sp. 3, Corticium sp. 4, Corticium sp. 6). Some spicule
sponge Pipestela candelabra. Marine Drugs 2014 Jun 4; 12 (6):3399-3415
elaborations were unique to a species such as the candelabra in Corticium sp. 4 where the apical actine has an
3
Morrow, C., Cárdenas, P., 2015. Proposal for a revised classification of the Demospongiae (Porifera). Frontiers in Zool-
ogy. 12:7.
unusual ramification pattern. Some species had aquiferous systems with large canals and a basal cavity (Cor-
ticium simplex, Corticium sp. 5, Corticium sp. 6). This study shows a surprisingly high richness of the genus
Corticium in Western Australian waters.
A new species of Hymeraphia Bowerbank, 1864 from the cold water coral reefs off the Taxonomy of the genus Plakinastrella (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha: Plakinidae) from
south west coast of Ireland. Western Australia
Christine Morrow1,2 & A. Louise Allcock1
Barbara Fernandes1, 2, Anaíra Lage2, Jane Fromont3 & Guilherme Muricy2
1
Zoology Department, Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, NUI Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
Bacharelado em Ciências Biológicas, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
1
2
²Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
3
Western Australian Museum, Perth, Australia.
Hymeraphia is a thinly encrusting raspailiid species; to date it is only known from the northeast Atlantic and The genus Plakinastrella Schulze, 1880 is currently represented by 14 species of encrusting or massive plaki-
the Mediterranean Sea. It was considered a monotypic genus until Picton & Goodwin (2007)1 described two nids whose spicules are diods, triods and calthrops, usually with a large size variation. In Australia, only one
new species from Rathlin Island (Northern Ireland). Recent explorations of the cold water coral reefs off the species of Plakinastrella has been reported so far, P. mammillaris Lendenfeld, 1907 from SW Australia. The
southwest coast of Ireland using the Marine Institute’s R.V. Celtic Explorer and R.O.V. Holland I have col- goal of the present study is to identify and describe 12 specimens of Plakinastrella from Western Australia
lected a large number of small encrusting sponges that are either poorly known from the published literature housed in the Western Australian Museum. The preparation of spicules and skeleton slides followed the estab-
or are new to science. lished protocols for Porifera taxonomy. The specimens were separated into four distinct species, all probably
162 163
new. They are cushion-shaped to massive, with smooth surface, firm to compressible consistency, and the References
spicules are diods, triods and calthrops of varying size. Plakinastrella sp. 1 has cream to light brown color 1. J. Laborel, Les peuplements de madréporaires des cotes tropicales du Brésil. Annals Univ. Abidjan (série E) 2 (3) (1970)
after fixation. The choanosomal skeleton is disorganized or irregularly reticulate. The subectosomal cavities 1-260.
are small, rounded or elongate and the tangential skeleton has primary and secondary meshes circular. Diods 2. G. J. Hechtel, Zoogeography of Brazilian Marine Demospongiae. In: F. W. Harrison, R. R. Cowden, (Eds), Aspects of Sponge
Biology. New York & London: Academic Press (1976) 237-260.
are 15-116-235 µm, triod actines 10- 41-99 µm, and calthrops actines 52-141-524 µm. Plakinastrella sp. 2
differs from Plakinastrella sp. 1 mainly by its color after fixation, dark greyish brown to light brown exter- 3. P. Medeiros, M. Santos, G. Weber, F. Souza, W. Silva, Características ambientais do Baixo São Francisco (AL/SE): efeitos de
barragens no transporte de materiais na interface continente-oceano. Geochimica Brasiliensis 28 (1) (2014) 65-78.
nally and cream to light brown internally. The choanosomal skeleton is disorganized or irregularly reticulate,
with the subectosomal cavities rounded or elongate. It has a tangential skeleton with circular and well defined Financial support by PETROBRAS/CENPES, CNPq, FAPERJ and FACEPE is gratefully acknowledged.
primary and secondary meshes. Diods are 15-102-188 µm, triod actines 10-41-99 µm, and calthrops actines
52-141-524 µm. Plakinastrella sp. 3 is dark brown externally and light brown internally after fixation. The Rhabdastrella fibrosa Hechtel 1983 and Geodia corticostylifera Hajdu et al. 1992 are
choanosomal reticulation is irregular while the ectosomal skeleton is differentiated, thick, with columnar spic- junior synonyms of Geodia tylastra Boury-Esnault, 1973 (Demospongiae: Astrophorina)
ule tracts perpendicular to the surface and subectosomal cavities. The tangential skeleton is well defined with
circular primary and secondary meshes. Diods are 15-84-210 µm, and both triods and calthrops are distinc- Guilherme Muricy
tively small, with actines only 7-29-42 µm and 17-20-23 µm, respectively. Plakinastrella sp. 4 is brown after Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. muricy@
fixation, and slightly darker externally than internally. The ectosomal and choanosomal skeletons are dense mn.ufrj.br.
and disorganized, and without differentiation. Large calthrops are present in both the choanosome and the The sponge fauna of the Western Atlantic is becoming increasingly well known, but there are several species
ectosome. Diods are 20-98-259 µm, triod actines 25-46-109 µm, and calthrops actines 25-138-222 µm. This reported only in the original description and never or very rarely found again. This can be due to this species
species is distinguished by its disorganized ectosomal skeleton and the medium-sized calthrops. This study being either extremely rare or poorly described, hampering their recognition by subsequent authors. Here I
increased the number of species of Plakinastrella in Western Australia from one to five, indicating that the investigate the cases of two such species described from Brazil: Geodia tylastra Boury-Esnault, 1973 and
diversity of the genus is significantly higher than previously recorded. Rhabdastrella fibrosa Hechtel, 1983. After the original descriptions Geodia tylastra was never found again
and R. fibrosa has been reported again only in 2017, in the Guianas. Revision of the two holotypes showed
that both are very similar and share a massive, cerebriform shape, a radial skeletal architecture with a well-
High richness of sponges at the mouth of the São Francisco river, in Northeast Brazil:
defined cortex, and both spicule size and shape in SEM with the common Western Atlantic species Geodia
another barrier falls in the Tropical Western Atlantic corticostylifera Hajdu et al., 1992. In the holotypes of all three species the megascleres are oxeas, styles and
Joana Sandes1, 3, Guilherme Muricy1, Ulisses Pinheiro2 & Carmen Parisotto3 orthotriaenes and microscleres are sterrasters and oxyasters. The presumed differences previously observed
1 between the three species were mainly due to the lack of photographs of whole specimens and especially of
Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Departamento de Invertebrados, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2
SEM observations of the spicules in the original descriptions of R. fibrosa and G. tylastra, which were thus al-
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Zoologia, Recife, Brazil.
most unrecognizable. According to the ICZN rules, the older name Geodia tylastra has priority over the most
3
Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Departamento de Biologia, São Cristóvão, Brazil. recent names Rhabdastrella fibrosa and Geodia corticostylifera, which should be abandoned. Rhabdastrella
The São Francisco River is one of the most important rivers of Brazil. The continental shelf of Sergipe State fibrosa sensu van Soest (2017) differs from the holotype in body shape, skeletal architecture and spicule shape,
in NE Brazil is highly influenced by the plume of sediments brought by the São Francisco, creating a distinct and is given here a new replacement name, Rhabdastrella vansoesti sp. nov.
environment predominantly composed of muddy and sandy bottoms. The lack of information about the ben-
References
thic fauna from this part of the Brazilian continental shelf led many authors to treat this area as a dispersal 1. van Soest, R.W.M. Zootaxa 4217 (2010) 1-225.
barrier for benthic organisms, especially corals and sponges (Laborel, 1970; Hechtel, 1976). The aim of this
study was to describe the sponge community at the continental shelf of Sergipe State, as part of the monitor- Financial support by CNPq, CAPES and FAPERJ is gratefully acknowledged.
ing project “Caracterização Ambiental da Bacia de Sergipe e Sul de Alagoas (MARSEAL)”, coordinated by
PETROBRAS/CENPES. Samplings were made by trawling in two expeditions during the year 2011, in the Diversity in inferred mitochondrial proteomes in Phylum Porifera
dry season (January-February) and in the wet season (June-July). Eighteen sites were sampled at the 10, 25
Dennis Lavrov1, Viraj Muthye
and 50 m isobaths, arranged in six transects perpendicular to the coast. In each site we weighted each species
1Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa dlavrov@iastate.edu
and calculated the species richness, diversity and evenness of the sponge taxocenosis. Approximately 800
specimens summing up 115 kg wet weight were found in 11 out of the 18 collection sites (61%). They belong Mitochondria, subcellular organelles well-known for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation, are
to 108 species, of which 66 were identified only to genus and 42 to species level. The most abundant species involved in various crucial cellular processes in eukaryotic cells. Mitochondrial genomes in Phylum Porifera
was Ircinia sp. 1 (24.8 kg), followed by Ircinia strobilina (14.2 kg), Aiolochroia crassa (8.8 kg) and Myrme- show great diversity with respect to size, gene- content and genome-organization [1]. The mitochondrial ge-
kioderma intrastrongyla (7.0 kg). The total Shannon’s diversity and Pielou’s evenness were H’=1.83 bits.g-1 nome encodes for a minute portion of the mitochondrial proteome, while majority of proteins in the mitochon-
and J=0.27. Shannon’s diversity varied from 0.65 to 3.24 bits.g-1 and the total sponge wet weight varied from dria are encoded by the nuclear genome and imported into the organelle. Thus, study of mitochondrial evolu-
3.0 g to 68.7 kg. The diversity, abundance and distribution of the sponge community in the continental shelf tion and physiology is incomplete without characterizing the mitochondrial proteome. Proteomic experiments
of Sergipe State are highly dependent on the sedimentology. The sites with coarse sand and gravel bottoms which characterize mitochondrial proteins are limited to model species, e.g. MitoCarta2.0 [2]. In this study, we
had higher diversity, evenness and abundance than those with muddy and thin sand substrates. Since the flow infer and analyze mitochondrial proteomes of 11 sponge species. We use a combination of two approaches:
rate and sediment load of the São Francisco River are being reduced by droughts and river dams (Medeiros 1] Prediction of N-terminal mitochondrial presequences using TargetP [3] and 2] Reciprocal Best Blast Hit
et al., 2014), the proportion of sandy and muddy substrates off its mouth is decreasing, probably leading to (RBBH) with well- characterized mitochondrial proteomes of human, mouse and yeast (outgroup). We find
an increase in sponge abundance and richness. Here we showed that there is a rich sponge community off the that the inferred mitochondrial sponge proteomes vary greatly in size. The two calcareous sponges Leucosole-
mouth of the São Francisco, which, like the mouth of the Amazon River, should no longer be considered as an nia complicata (4958) and Sycon ciliatum (3951) have the largest inferred mitochondrial proteomes. While the
effective biogeographical barrier for sponges. number of proteins predicted to be mitochondrial by RBBH in the sponges show only a 1.4X difference, the
number of proteins predicted by TargetP shows nearly a 12X difference. Around 500 mitochondrial proteins
164 165
are shared among all four groups in Phylum Porifera - Demospongiae, Homoscleromorpha, Hexactinellida The preliminary results show that there are useful morphological differences between species, e.g., Suberites
and Calcarea. Nearly 40% of the inferred mitochondrial proteins in the two calcareous sponges Leucosolenia virgultosus (Johnston, 1842) and Suberites luetkenii Schmidt, 1870, which contradicts previous synonymiza-
complicata and Sycon ciliatum have no BLAST hit with the NR database or a RBBH with any of the pro- tion by Laubenfels (1). Furthermore, we have successfully amplified a small fragment of coxI marker (a.k.a
teomes under study. 828 protein domains are present in mitochondrial proteomes of all 4 groups of sponges, mini-barcode) (2) from over half century old formalin fixed museum specimen, and we hope in the future be
with Calcarea and Homoscleromorpha having the highest number of group-specific domains. able to compile a comprehensive barcoding database from the museum specimens which will be further used
References for validate the morphological species boundaries.
1. D. Lavrov, W.Pett, Genome Biol Evol (2016) 8 (9): 2896-2913 References
2. S.E.Calvo, C.R. Clauser, V.K. Mootha, Nucleic Acids Res (2016) 44 (D1): D1251-D1257 1. M. W. de Laubenfels, Smithson. misc. collect. (1953). 121(6), 1–22;
3. O.Emanuelsson, H.Nielsen, S.Brunak, G. vonHeijne1. J Mol Biol. 2000 Jul 21; 300(4):1005-16. 2. Meusnier. G. A. Singer, J.F. Landry, D. A. Hickey, P. D.Hebert, M. Hajibabaei, M. BMC Genomics (2008), 9(1), 214.
Financial support by Iowa State University is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support by Swedish taxonomic initiative dh 159/09 1.4, and Inez Johansson scholarship is gratefully
acknowledged.
Excavating sponges of Central American Pacific and evidence of a complex of species in
Cliona mucronata The International Associated Laboratory MARRIO (France, Brazil, Ireland): Patterns
Cristian Pacheco & José-Luis Carballo
of sponge biodiversity and chemical diversity from Martinique to Rio de Janeiro
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mary Limnología, 102, Progreso, Col. Santa Catarina, Del. Thierry Pérez 1, Michelle Klautau 2, Olivier P. Thomas 3 and the MARRIO team 4
Coyoacán, Ciudad de México 1 Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, Avignon Univ. Sta-
Excavating sponges are one of the main bioeroders in coral reefs worldwide. They have been thoroughly stud- tion Marine d’Endoume, chemin de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille, France
2 Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, CCS,
ied in regions like Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indian Pacific and Mexican Pacific. However, there is lack of
Bloco A, A0-100, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 21941-902, Brazil
information in Central American Pacific where only very few records in Panamá and Costa Rica are known. 3 Marine Biodiscovery, National University of Ireland Galway, School of chemistry, college of science, University road, Galway,
This study provides taxonomic descriptions of species recollected between 2011 and 2016 at nine localities
Ireland
in the Pacific coast of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panamá. We identified three orders, three fami- 4 are also included people from University of Paris VI (France), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Universidade Federal do
lies, five genus and fourteen species of excavating sponges, Cliona amplicavata, Cliona californiana, Cliona Bahia, Universidade Federal do San Paulo (Brazil).
euryphylle, Cliona microstrongylata, Cliona cf. mucronata, Cliona pocillopora, Cliona tropicalis, Cliona MARRIO is a laboratory without walls, created in 2013, and associating French, Brazilian and Irish scientists
vermifera, Cliothosa tylostrongylata, Pione cf. carpenter, Pione mazatlanensis, Thoosa calpulli, Thoosa mis- to work on three main scientific themes.
malolli, Siphonodictyon crypticum which represent new records for Central America. Also the literature for
this region, related with excavating sponges has been reviewed and the taxonomic status of the previous cited Theme 1: Integrative taxonomy for a better understanding of the mechanisms related to the origin of sponge
species have been updated. A detailed analysis of Cliona mucronata was done. This species seems to have a biodiversity. This first topic deals with the biogeographic study of sponge biodiversity in the Caribbean Sea
widespread distribution in the Indic Ocean, Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Morphological studies and and off the Brazilian coast using independent datasets to develop an integrative approach (morphology, cytol-
molecular studies using markers such as: COI and 28S, suggest a complex of species between Cliona mucro- ogy, genetics and metabolomics). In this theme we will (i) improve knowledge on the diversity of sponges
nata from Caribbean Sea, Pacific and Indic Ocean. from the Caribbean and Brazil; (ii) describe new species from understudied habitats; (iii) access the species
distribution in a geographical gradient; (iv) identify endemism; and (v) evaluate the biogeographical prox-
imity between the Caribbean and Brazil, comparing two categories of habitats: fragmented (e.g. submarine
Suberites From The North Atlantic: Taxonomic Tribulations And Spicule Similitude caves) and non-fragmented.
Raquel Pereira1, Mikael Thollesson1 Theme 2: Populations, phenology and metabolomic variability. Patterns of biodiversity cannot be explained
1
Systematic Biology, Dept of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36 Uppsala, Sweden. raquel. without a good knowledge of the reproductive strategies and of the environmental factors that can influence
pereira@ebc.uu.se them. Thus, reproduction mode, sex ratio, production of gametes, reproductive effort, recruitment, and sexual
The genus Suberites, Nardo 1833 was erected for sponges with a velvety surface and confused to alveolar phenotypic plasticity are related to population dynamics, structuring and operation. In this theme, we will (i)
skeleton composed by (sub-)tylostyles, and often with centrotylote, spined, strongyles and/or microxeas. Most consider the life cycle of calcareous and Homoscleromorpha sponges; (ii) analyze the connectivity of Carib-
of the Suberites species are found in shallow, temperate waters, particularly in North Atlantic. However, due bean and Brazilian sponge populations to assess the role of the Amazons as barrier to genetic flow; (iii) de-
insufficient details in many original descriptions, and paucity of morphological characters, the real diversity scribe intra-specific metabolomic variability.
of this genus is still poorly known. These facts created an extensive list of synonyms for many of the Suberites Theme 3: Metabolomics, chemical ecology & development. The third theme concerns more precisely the sec-
species making it difficult to associate a taxon name to a newly collected specimen. Furthermore, recent stud- ondary / specialized metabolites produced by target sponges within the two previous topics. A characteristic of
ies indicate that neither genus nor family are monophyletic, and the current grouping, based on morphology, the secondary metabolism is its large diversity and plasticity, which can be induced by adaptation processes of
is artificial. organisms to the environment. This part of the metabolome is then always considered as a «product / indicator»
In this work we aim to clarify the specific diversity of genus Suberites present in North Atlantic by re-ex- of the natural selection. In this theme, we (i) organize a database on the biodiversity and chemical diversity
amining name-bearing types, as well other historical relevant specimens. This will have further bearings in of Brazilian and Caribbean sponges; (ii) describe secondary / specialized metabolites and their associated
assessing overlooked species, and will together with molecular markers allow us to obtain a clearer view of bioactivities; (iii) analyze the contribution of symbiotic microorganisms in this metabolism; (iv) define the
species boundaries. role of the chemical mediation in the functioning of benthic ecosystems.
In order to do so we sub-sampled sponge collections in three European museums: the Zoological Museum in LIA MARRIO is an initiative of the French National Center of Scientific Research (CNRS), supported by the
Copenhagen (Denmark), the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre (Netherlands), and the Natural History Museum in Institute of Ecology and Environment (INEE) and Institute of Chemistry (INC), and by Aix Marseille Univer-
London (UK). sity, CAPES, COFECUB, CNPq and FAPERJ.
166 167
New cleistocheliferous species of Clathria (Thalysias) Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 of single oxeas and debris, supported by a subdermal reticulation. Choanosome includes an irregular network
(Microcionidae; Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae) of intertidal zone from Brazil of multispicular tracts. Spicules are oxeas (32–203.8–375 / 2–10.1–13 µm), straight to slightly curved, with
acerate, hastate and blunt tips, and sigmas (9–18.2–45 µm). Oceanapia sp. nov. 2 has semispherical body,
Thaynã Cavalcanti1, Rodrigo Alves1, George Garcia dos Santos2 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 with 7 cm length. Fistules (~1 cm length) located on the top of the body. Rounded oscules on the fistules with
1
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Nelson Chaves, s/n Cidade Uni- 0.2–0.8 diameter. Rough and detachable surface. Colour is cream (Ethanol 80%). Ectosoma with a tangencial
versitária CEP 50373-970, Recife, PE, Brazil uspinheiro@hotmail.com crust of spicules. Choanosomal skeleton reticulate with a network of irregular multispicular tracts. Spicules
2
Universidade Federal do Cariri, Instituto de Formação de Educadores, Rua Olegário Emídio de Araújo, s/n, 63260-000, Brejo are oxeas (258–284.9–312 / 6–7.7–9 µm), straight to slightly curved, with rounded, telescopic and lobate tips.
Santo, CE, Brazil Oceanapia sp. nov. 1 and Oceanapia sp. nov. 2 differs from other Oceanapia species in Atlantic Ocean by
Clathria (Thalysias) Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 comprises 97 species worldwide distributed. These their spicules complement, skeleton architecture and external morphologies. The description of these new spe-
species are characterized by two categories of auxiliary styles forming a specialized ectosomal skeleton, the cies is important to the knowledge of poor known slope areas with high environmental disturber. This study
smaller usually forming discrete bundles or a continuous palisade perpendicular to the surface, echinating increases to nine species the number of Oceanapia from Brazil.
megascleres present (Hooper, 2002). The presence of cleistocheliferous spicules are found only in one spe- References
cies of Clathria (Thalysias) from Atlantic Ocean, Clathria (Thalysias) sulfocleistochela Zea, Rodríguez & 1. Weerdt, W.H. A systematic revision of the north-eastern Atlantic shallow-water Haplosclerida (Porifera, Demospongiae): 1.
Martínez, 2014. In Brazil, two species are recorded with the presence of cleistochelae: Clathria (Microciona) Introduction, Oceanapiidae and Petrosiidae. Beaufortia 35(5), (1985) 61-91.
crassitoxa Santos & Pinheiro, 2014 and Clathria (Microciona) trairae Santos & Pinheiro, 2014. The aim is Financial support by FACEPE (Fundação de Âmparo a Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco) and CNPq (Na-
described a new species of Clathria (Thalysias) with cleistochelae from Brazilian coast. The specimens were tional Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development) is gratefully acknowledged.
collected in Pontas de Pedra Beach, Pernambuco State, Brazil (20/IV/2015), in an intertidal zone. Clath-
ria (Thalysias) sp. nov. is a thickly encrusting sponge, with 1 mm thick, hispid surface and colour orange.
Ectosomal skeleton forming erect brushes of large styles through the surface. Choanosoma is composed by The Sponge Genus Laocoetis Pomel 1872 (Hexactinellida, Hexactinosida): a Case of
subtylostyles organized in disorganized brushes. Pour spongin fibres and distribution of other spicules is not Extreme Morphological Conservatism
recognized. Spicules are: coanosomal principal styles (287–372.6– 538 / 7–11.2–19 µm): large and smooth; Andrzej Pisera1 & Konstantin Tabachnick2
coanosomal small styles (110–157.0–210 / 5– 8.3–12 µm): robust and smooth; tylostyles I (220–268.6–341 /
1
2–2.6–5 µm): long, thin, smooth, with microspined bases; tylostyles II (96–147.9–165 / 2–2.1–3 µm): long, Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warszawa, Poland. apis@twarda.pan.pl
2
thin and smooth; cleistochelae I (26–34.1–41): with alae touching, none space between the alae; cleisto- P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nakhimovski prospect, Moscow, Russia, 11799 7.
chelae II (15–17.2–20): shorter but similar to the previous; and toxas (31– 36.3–40 / 1–1.1–1.5): thin and tabachnick@mail.ru
slightly curved. Clathria (Thalysias) sp. nov is different from the only cleistocheliferous Atlantic Ocean spe- The hexactinellid sponge genus Laocoetis Pomel 1872 (earlier known as Craticularia Zittel, 1877) belongs
cies Clathria (Thalysias) sulfocleistochela by its spicules complement of styles, subtylostyles, acanthostyles, to rare examples of a taxon that is based on fossil forms, and its extant representatives have been found only
cleistochelae and palmate isochelae. With the description of Clathria (Thalysias) sp. nov, there are now three later. Due to the fact that sponges belonging to Laocoetis are very characteristic (in result of the regular pat-
cleistocheliferous Brazilian species of Clathria, and 98 species of Clathria (Thalysias) worldwide. tern of canal openings on their surface), they are easily recognizable even by a non-specialist, and thus have a
very good fossil record. The fossil sponges of this genus are very common in the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous
References
rocks of Europe, but were also noted in the Australia, Argentina and Antarctica. They occur also abundantly in
1. Hooper, J.N.A. Family Microcionidae Carter, 1875 In: Hooper, J.N.A. & van Soest, R.W.M. (Eds.) Vol. 1. Kluwer Academic /
Plenum Publishers, New York, (2002) 432-468. the Eocene deposits of Spain and Italy, Miocene of Algeria, and in the Pliocene of Sardinia. Despite the fact
that these sponges are so common, details of their spiculation (especially ectosomal and gastral spicules) were
Financial support by FACEPE (Fundação de Âmparo a Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco) and CNPq (Na-
never properly described. Recent forms, on the other hand, that were discovered only in sixties of the previ-
tional Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development) is gratefully acknowledged.
ous century, and that belong to the species Laocoetis perion Lévi, 1986, are poorly known because first only
small fragments were collected and not all spicular components have been observed. New and well preserved
Two new species of Oceanapia Norman, 1869 (Phloeodictyidae; Haplosclerida; specimens of this sponge from the Madagascar area (the only region where it has been found) allow to study
Demospongiae) from slope area of oil and gas exploitation in Rio Grande do Norte all spicules, including microscleres, and their comparison with exceptionally well preserved the Late Jurassic
State, Northeastern Brazil Laocoetis parallela (Goldfuss, 1826) from Poland. The Jurassic specimen, apart from choanosomal dictyo-
nal skeleton, have also ectosomal and gastral spicules preserved, althought microscleres are missing, as it is
Carlos Santos Neto1, Elielton Nascimento1, Thaynã Cavalcanti1 & Ulisses Pinheiro1 usually in the fossil state. Comparison of skelton structure (dictyonal skeleton as well as dermal and gastral
1
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Biociências, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Nelson Chaves, s/n Cidade Uni- spicules) of extant and fossil forms, leave no doubts that they belong to different morphospecies. However,
versitária CEP 50373-970, Recife, PE, Brazil uspinheiro@hotmail.com observed differences are so small that attribution of extant and fossil forms to the same genus Laocoetis is en-
The genus Oceanapia Norman, 1869 includes sponges with compact external ectosomal crust composed of tirely substantiated. It is clear that in the case of Laocoetis we deal with the genus that spans at least 150 Ma,
tangential oxeas, often surrounding a hollow body and numerous ubiquitous fistulae, spicules are oxeas and being thus a good example of extreme morphological conservatism, already postulated for sponges (Wörheide
microscleres, if present, sigmata or toxas (Weerdt 1985). Oceanapia currently has 89 valid species, seven are et al. 2008).
known for Brazilian coast. Two new species of the genus are described for Potiguar Basin, important area of References
oil and gas exploitation in Northeastern Brazil. Specimens were collected from trawl in a slope area at Rio 1. Wörheide G, Epp LS, Macis L.2008. Deep genetic divergences among Indo-Pacific populations of the coral reef sponge
Grande do Norte State on 2009 and 2011, as part of the Project ‘Campanha de Monitoramento Ambiental do Leucetta chagosensis (Leucettidae): founder effects, vicariance, or both? BMC Evol Biol. 2008. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-8-24.
Projeto de Caracterização Ambiental do Talude Continental na Bacia Potiguar/ Rio Grande do Norte/ BR’ Financial support by the Polish National Science Center Grant 2016/21/B/ST10/02332, to A. Pisera.
(BPot) sponsored by PETROBRÁS (Petróleo do Brasil S/A). Oceanapia sp. nov. 1 consist of a spherical body
of 30 cm in diameter. Numerous digitated fistules (0.7–6.5 / 0.5–1.8 cm) of irregular shape are found in the up-
per side. Surface is hispid and irregular, colour brown (Ethanol 80%). Ectosome composed of an organic layer
168 169
New Minchinellid Sponge (Calcarea, Lithonida, Minchinellidae) from the Oxfordian systematize the knowledge about the embryology and anatomy of sponges in order to build an integrative set
(Late Jurasssic) of Russia for a representative taxon sampling across the phylum. Then, by breaking up complex characters into smaller
binary characters we aim to make them comparable and informative across the whole phylum.
Andrzej Pisera1, Magdalena Łukowiak1 & Alexandr Guzhov2
1
We chose homoscleromorphs as a case study here because they share a number of features with both siliceans
Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland, apis@twarda.pan.pl, mlu- and calcareans, making them pivotal for our understanding of the sequence of character acquisition in the evo-
kowiak@twarda.pan.pl
2
lutionary history of sponges. We aim to show why critically constructed morphology sets are necessary, why
Laboratory of Molluscs Borissiak Paleontological Institute, Profsoyuznaya St., 123 Moscow 117997, Russia, avguzhov.paleo@
they are particularly useful for sponge systematics and how we are planning to assemble them.
mail.ru
Minchinellids are calcareans with rigid skeleton composed of articulated, occasionally cemented, spicules
(Vacelet 2012, Vacelet et al. 2002). Despite their resistant skeletons, they are not common in the fossil record. Integrative taxonomy reveals a new genus and new species of an Antarctic calcinean
The oldest minchinellid, Muellerithalamia Reitner, 1987, is reported from the Upper Jurassic of Germany sponge (Porifera, Calcarea, Clathrinida)
(Finks and Rigby 2004). It is composed of monactines, triactines, tetractines and additional cement. Our Late Ana Riesgo1, Fernanda F. Cavalcanti2, Nathan J. Kenny1, Pilar Ríos3, Javier Cristobo3, Emilio Lanna2
Jurassic finding are minchinellids with basal skeleton composed of articulated tetractines without additional
1
cement. No free spicules have been found. They are small, about 1 to over 5 mm in diameter, round, slightly Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK, A.Riesgo@nhm.
ac.uk
dome-like sponges with flat base. The fossil specimens are intermediate in morphological features between
2
modern Plectroninia Hinde, 1900 and Monoplectroninia Pouliquen and Vacelet 1970. They resemble Plec- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia. Rua Barão de Jeremoabo s/n, Ondina, Salvador/Bahia, Brazil. 40170-
115.
troninia in the character of spicules, but in opposition to Plectroninia, they have only one size category of
3
tetractines. This last feature makes them similar to Monoplectroninia. However, Monoplectroninia has very Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Gijon, Avenida Príncipe de Asturias, 70 bis, 33212, Gijón, Spain
small tetractines, morphologically different from the studied fossil forms. These differences, the fact that free In the Southern Ocean, the calcareous assemblage represents approximately 15% of the sponge fauna, with
spicules are unknown in the fossil forms, and a large time gap between the fossil and extant forms, allow to 50 species reported from Antarctica [1, 2]. The Antarctic Calcarea include 11% endemic genera and about 44
propose a new genus for them. Modern Plectroninia is common in bathyal zone, while in shallow water it endemic species [2]. Among the most abundant and speciose families of calcareous sponges in Antarctica is
occurs (together with Monoplectroninia) only in submarine caves (Vacelet et al. submitted). The Oxford- Leucettidae [2]. While leucettids from Antarctic deep waters are relatively well known [2], the shallow water
ian minchinellids were found in grey clays along with ammonites and coccolithophores and thus could be leucettids are far less studied.
interpreted as living in relatively deep (below storm wave base) outer shelf environments. The occurrence of Our study reports on the occurrence of a new genus and species of Leucettidae (Calcinea, Calcarea) from the
155-million-year-old minchinellids morphologically very similar to extant forms is another example of high Southern Ocean, collected in the shallow waters (15 m depth) of Deception and Half Moon Islands, South
morphological conservatism recognized already among sponges. This fact must be taken into account when Shetland archipelago. This new taxon is described based on a combination of morphological and molecular
discussing the phylogeny of Calcarea in general and Minchinellidae in particular. data, including the skeleton composition, description of oocytes, embryos, larvae, and sperm found in the
References choanosome. While female reproductive elements showed great similarities with those of other calcineans,
1. R.M. Finks, J.K. Rigby 2004. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology, Part E (Revised) Rigby, J.K. ed, Volume 3, Porifera. The sperm is reported here for the first time in the whole subclass Calcinea. Sperm cells are flagellated and possess
University of Kansas, Paleontological Institute, Lawrence (Kansas, USA), 585-733. a typical spermatic mid-piece, which is usually observed in cnidarians [3]. In our phylogenetic analyses, our
2. J. Vacelet 2012. Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology On line, Part E (Revised) Selden P.A. ed., Volume 4, Hypercalcified new species appeared as sister species of a clade formed by species of the genera Leucetta, Pericharax and
Porifera. The University of Kansas, Paleontological Institute, Lawrence (Kansas, USA), Chapter 4C, 1-15. Leucettusa. The proposal of the new genus is supported by morphological features and leads to the realloca-
3. J. Vacelet, R. Borojevic, N. Boury-Esnault, M. Manuel M., 2002. Systema Porifera: A Guide to the Classification of Sponges. tion of some species from Leucetta to the new genus, which is entirely comprised by Antarctic species so far.
Hooper J.N.A. & Soest R.W.M. van (eds), Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, 1185-1192.
Our study reinforces the relevance of integrative approaches in the description of new taxa, and contributes to
Financial support by the Polish National Science Center Grant 2016/21/B/ST10/02332, to A. Pisera. resolving the poorly known reproductive patterns of Antarctic sponge species.
References
A new morphological approach to sponge phylogeny: Homoscleromorpha as a case 1. R.V. Downey et al. PLoS One 7(2012) e41672
study 2. H.T. Rapp et al. Zootaxa 3692(2013) 149-159
3. G.W. Hinsch GW. Amer. Zool. 14(1974) 457-465.
Luis Porras1, Gert Wörheide1, 2
1
Funding by DISTANTCOM project (CTM2013-42667/ANT; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of
Department of Earth- and Environmental Sciences, Paleontology and Geobiology & GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Uni-
Spain).
versität München. l.porras@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
Improving our understanding about the phylogeny of sponges is not only central to the debate about the evolu-
tion of complexity in animals, it is also essential for the preservation of their biodiversity and future biomedi- New records of Iotroata acanthostylifera (Stephens, 1916) and Janulum spinispiculum
cal exploitation. (Carter, 1876) (Porifera) in Flemish Cap (NW Atlantic)
The use of sequence data in sponge systematics has cleared many previous traditional morphology-based mis- Pilar Ríos1,3, Francisco Javier Murillo2,3, Mar Sacau3, Lucía Alvariño3, Javier Cristobo1
conceptions, but intra-phylum level relationships still pose some problems. There clearly is a need to produce 1
Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Av. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Asturias,
independent datasets aiming to correct any undetected systematic errors. Morphology is among the simplest Spain.pilar.rios.lopez@gmail.com
solutions, plus, it is the only way to include fossil taxa. 2
Bedford Institute of Oceanography1 Challenger Dr, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
3
InstitutoEspañol de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida Radio Faro, 50, 36390 Vigo, Pontevedra, Spain.
In the past, morphological characters were problematic for reconstructing the phylogeny of sponges, fre-
quently providing little resolution, partly due to the simple bodyplan of sponges and an overreliance on spic- NEREIDA is a Spanish-led multidisciplinary international research project involving active participation by
ule morphology and other highly homoplastic characters, such as body structure. What we propose here is to Spain, Canada, UK and Russia. The main objective of the project isthe implementation of the Ecosystem Ap-
170 171
proach to the fisheries management in order to identify and protect Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) in Taxonomy of Brazilian Petrosiidae deposited at Museu Nacional / UFRJ
the NAFO Regulatory Area (NRA) In complying with UNGA Resolutions 61/105 and 64/72, affected nation
Lívia Rocha, Eduardo Hajdu
states, through various regional fisheries management organisations, have responsibility to collect informa-
tion and implement mitigation measures to ensure the sustainability of deep sea fishing activities according to Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Museu Nacional, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. edu-
ardo.hajdu@gmail.com
the principles of the ecosystem approach.
While over 130 Petrosiidae species are recognized as valid around the world, only eight had been reported
The NEREIDA data collection programme comprised six research cruises conducted between May and July from Brazil before this study. The family is distributed in tropical and temperate seas, occurring in a wide depth
of 2009 and June and August of 2010, on board the Spanish R/V Miguel Oliver. The new records were range (4–1,053 m). Brazilian records comprised Neopetrosia carbonaria, N. proxima, N. subtriangularis, N.
collected in the 4thsurvey (NEREIDA 0610) which covered the southern area of the Flemish Cap. Iotroata sulcata, Petrosia weinbergi, Xestospongia grayi, X. kapne and X. muta; and were done mostly in the Northeast
acanthostylifera (Stephens, 1916) was recorded for the first time off the SW coast of Ireland and four region. Our objective was to study Petrosiidae materials from Brazil deposited at the scientific collections of
specimens were recorded in three stations between 457 and 1331m depth (Stephens, 1921). Museu Nacional/UFRJ, undertaking comparisons with type material whenever possible. Collection materi-
Janulum spinispiculum (Carter, 1876) originally collected in the Cape of St. Vicent (South of Portugal) at als were revised to clear out possible erroneous identifications, generate new records for species previously
137-684 m depth in HMS Porcupine expedition (1869).Kelly et al. (2015) summarized the records in the listed for the country, allow better profiling of intraspecific morphologic variability, and describe new species.
North Atlantic where it was known from the Azores, off the west and north coast of Ireland, the Western The methods used for optical microscopy studies were dissociation of spicules and tangential and transversal
Mediterranean Sea, the North Atlantic including Denmark Strait and Iceland, and the Arctic Ocean includ- anatomic hand-sectioning. From the eight species previously recorded in Brazil, five were re-described in the
ing the Barents Sea, northern Norway and Spitzbergen between 136 and 1469 m depth. present study: viz. Neopetrosia carbonaria (with a new record for Alagoas), N. proxima (with new records
for Bahia, and the Almirante Saldanha seamount); Petrosia weinbergi, Xestospongia grayi and X. muta (with
In this contribution, we add one new record of each species in the Flemish Cap (NW Atlantic), eastern of the
new records for Ceará, Vitória–Trindade seamounts chain, and off the mouth of the Amazon). Xestospongia cf.
Beothuk Knollin NW Atlantic, at 916 m depth. These records are located in an area of high sponge and
wiedenmayeri was recorded for the first time for the brazilian coast, from Alagoas. Two new species were
coral concentrations currently closed to bottom fishing activities to protect sponge grounds VME (NAFO,
found, Petrosia sp. nov. I, (from Alagoas and Bahia, 5–10 m deep), massive habit and cavernous choanosome,
2017).
white color with or without purple stains, oxeas I: 133–185 x 5–12 μm, oxeas II: 66–106 x 2–12. Petrosia sp.
References nov. II, (from Pernambuco, Bahia, Espírito Santo and Almirante Saldanha seamount, 15.8–270 m deep),
Kelly, M.; Erpenbeck, D.; Morrow, C.; Van Soest, R. (2015). First record of a living species of the genus Janulum (Class massive to branching habit, varied color (pink to burgundy, white, yellow or beige), ectossomal skeleton
Demospongiae) in the Southern Hemisphere. Zootaxa.3980 (2): 255-266 NAFO. 2017. Conservation and enforcement mea- formed by the ends of choanosomal tracts, presenting subdermal canals, choanosomal skeleton with rect-
sures. NAFO/FC Doc. 17/01, Serial No N6638. 188 p
angular meshes. Oxeas I: 102–305 x 4.8–19.4 μm, oxeas II: 39–97 x 4.8–9.7 μm. The latter was one of the
Stephens, J. 1921 [1920]. Sponges of the Coasts of Ireland. II. The Tetraxonida (concluded). Scientific Investigations of the Fish-
eries Branch. Department of Agriculture for Ireland 1920(2): 1-75, pls I-VI.
most abundant sponges in the Central V cruise of the REVIZEE Program. Xestospongia grayi is considered a
junior synonym of X. muta. The list of Petrosiidae recorded in Brazil contains nine species now.
A new sponge-dominated ecosystem found in the Aviles canyon (Cantabrian Sea)
Biodiversity of Hymedesmiidae (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) of the Brazilian Coast
Pilar Rios1, Francisca C Carvalho2, Joana R Xavier2 and Javier Cristobo1
1 Sula Salani1, Philippe Willenz2, 3 & Eduardo Hajdu1
Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, C/ Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Asturias, Spain.
pilar.rios.lopez@gmail.com 1Museu Nacional, Departamento de Invertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 2090-040,
2
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Norway 2Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Bruxelles, Belgium.
3Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Bruxelles, Belgium. sulasm@gmail.com

Sponge-dominated communities are increasingly recognized as key functional ecosystems of the deep-sea. In
the past decades, various of such ecosystems have been discovered in the North Atlantic, most of which domi- Only five species of Hymedesmiidae were recorded from Brazil until now: four species of Phorbas (P. ama-
nated by species of Geodia, Stryphnus, Stelletta, Thenea and Phakellia and/or Hexactinellida. Here we re- ranthus, P. capixaba, P. fusifer and P. hechteli) and one of Hemimycale (H. insularis). Recent expeditions
port a multispecific aggregation dominated by Neoschrammeniella bowerbankii, Pachastrella monilifera and along the Brazilian Coast allowed us to recognize 15 species, ten of which are new to science, Phorbas (1),
Phakellia robusta, found between 550-750 m depth in the Corbiro canyon, part of the Avilés canyon system Hymedesmia (H.) (6), H. (Stylopus) (1), Hemimycale (2), including the first record of Acanthancora for
located in the central Cantabrian Sea. From the analysis of the catch resulting from a rock dredge operation the Brazilian coast (Fig. 01). The hymedesmioid architecture did not allow differentiation of genera within the
we could investigate the diversity and composition of this ecosystem. In terms of biomass, N. bowerbankii family, while the skeletal architecture of pore fields proved to be a specific character. Despite the great affini-
clearly dominated the community with 70 kg of live specimens and 22 kg of dead specimens collected, fol- ties between Caribbean and Brazilian marine biota, only one species of Hymedesmiidae was found to occur
lowed by P. monilifera (20 kg) and P. robusta (4 kg). Many taxonomic groups, including other sponges, both in Brazil and the Caribbean, P. amaranthus. Twelve species belong only to the Tropical Southwestern
were found associated with this community, suggesting that it may serve as an important habitat in this area. Atlantic province, one species belongs only to Warm Temperate Southwestern Atlantic, two belong to both
The future collection of underwater imagery through ROV will allow us to fully describe this community and provinces and none belongs to the North Brazil Shelf. The large number of new species found in this family
place it in the context of the North Atlantic deep-sea sponge grounds. illustrates the importance of studying encrusting species of Porifera, mostly occurring in cryptic microhabitats
(sciophilous). The results highlight the richness of the rocky shores of southeastern Brazil and the potential
Financial support: this study is part of the SponGES project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020
for new species discoveries.
research and innovation programme (grant agreement 679849). INDEMARES project was partially funded by
the European Commission LIFE + “Nature and Biodiversity” call, and included in the INDEMARES Project Financial support by CAPES, CNPQ and FAPERJ.
(07/NAT/E/000732). The Biodiversity Foundation, of the Ministry of the Environment, was the institution
responsible for coordinating this project in which various scientific institutions and NGOs were involved.
172 173
The Western Tropical Atlantic ‘ring’ of rock sponges – A molecular phylogenetic of Demospongiae using the FBD model in a relaxed molecular clock framework. Our study provides novel
approach using four different markers (28S, 18S, ITS and CO1) estimates of the divergence times of different demosponge clades with a focus on tetractinellids and the split
between Sphaerocladina and freshwater sponges, and discusses the potential usage of this molecular clock
Astrid Schuster1, Andrzej Pisera2, Michelle Kelly3, Shirley A. Pomponi4, Gert Wörheide1, 5, 6, Dirk model for demosponges.
Erpenbeck1, 6
1. Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität München,
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany Deep-water tetractinellid sponges from the Galápagos Islands: first molecular and
a.schuster@lrz.uni-muenchen.de morphological analysis reveals seven new species
2. Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, u. Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warszawa, Poland. Astrid Schuster1, Paco Cárdenas2, Andrzej Pisera3, Shirley Pomponi4, Michelle Kelly5, Gert Wörheide1,
3. National Centre for Coasts and Oceans, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 6, 7
, Dirk Erpenbeck1, 7
99940, Newmarket, Auckland, 1149, New Zealand.
1. Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München,
4. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft Pierce, FL
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. a.schuster@lrz.uni-muenchen.de
34946, USA.
2. Department of Medicinal Chemistry Division of Pharmacognosy, BioMedical Centre, Husargatan 3, Uppsala University, 75123
5. SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333 Munich, Germany. Uppsala, Sweden.
6. GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, 3. Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, u. Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warszawa, Poland.
Germany. 4. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft Pierce, FL 34946, USA.
Between 1985 and 2011, numerous oceanographic expeditions in the Western Tropical Atlantic were under- 5. National Centre for Coasts and Oceans, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 99940, Newmarket,
taken by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Fort Pierce, Florida. Desma-bearing demosponges, his- Auckland, 1149, New Zealand.
torically named ‘lithistid demosponges’, were collected from water depths ranging from two to 950 meters. 6. SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333 Munich, Germany.
Those sponges form a polyphyletic group, and are immensely important from a paleontological point of view 7. GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany.
as they present a fossil record with the highest diversity and best preservation among poriferans. In this study The Galápagos archipelago is famed for its exceptional marine fauna and was designated a UNESCO World
we investigate a substantial part of this extensive collection (~350 specimens) using four different molecular Heritage Site in 1978. Straddling the equator, its isolated position in the Pacific is influenced by the conflu-
markers (28S, 18S, ITS rDNA, and mitochondrial CO1), representing the largest taxon set ever sequenced for ence of cold and warm water currents. The marine invertebrate fauna has been extensively studied and cata-
lithistid demosponges from this region. Our molecular systematic approach provides novel insights into the logued in recent years, including echinoderms, molluscs, corals and other benthic cnidarians. However, little
taxonomic diversity and historical biogeography of rock-sponges in the Western Tropical Atlantic. is known about the deep and shallow water sponge fauna. To date, only 70 sponge species are described,
of which 37 are known to be endemic to Galápagos Islands. In particular, no desma-bearing Tetractinellida
Dating Demosponge Divergences – New Mitogenomes from ezRAD and the Fossilized (Demospongiae) have been discovered, except for one shallow-water species, Corallistes isabela. This study
focuses on the morphological descriptions of deep-water tetractinellids collected by the HBOI’s Johnson-
Birth-Death Clock Model
Sea-Link manned submersible, during the expedition conducted in 1995 and the generation of DNA barcodes
Astrid Schuster1, Sergio Vargas1, Ingrid S. Knapp2, Shirley A. Pomponi3, Robert J. Toonen2, Dirk for material collected. Morphological descriptions together with the analyses of three different markers (28S
Erpenbeck1, 4, Gert Wörheide1, 4, 5 rDNA, 18S rDNA, and CO1 mtDNA) reveal seven new species from four different families and five genera:
1
Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München, Neophrissospongia sp. nov. and Corallistes sp. nov. (family Corallistidae), Racodiscula (1-3 new species,
Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany a.schuster@lrz.uni-muenchen.de family Theonellidae), Craniella sp. nov. (family Tetillidae) and Scleritoderma sp. nov. (family Scleritodermi-
2
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, 46-0007 Lilipuna Road, 96744 Kaneohe, Hawaii, USA dae). In addition, we re-sampled Corallistes isabela from Santiago Island, previously only known from the
3 type locality, Isabela Island.
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft Pierce, FL 34946, USA
4
GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany
5
SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany Morphological descriptions of the ‘lithistid demosponge’ fauna (Porifera, Tetractinellida
An integrative molecular paleobiological approach to better understand the evolution and divergence times and Sphaerocladina) from the Western Tropical Atlantic
within early-branching animal phyla such as Porifera has already been performed, for example for crown- Astrid Schuster1, Shirley A. Pomponi2, Andrzej Pisera3, Michelle Kelly4, Gert Wörheide1,5,6, Dirk
group Hexactinellida and Demospongiae within a node- calibrated Bayesian relaxed molecular clock frame- Erpenbeck1,5
work. However, no attempts have yet been made to employ a similar integrative molecular paleobiological 1. Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität
approach for demosponges by using the fossilized birth-death (FBD) model. The advantage of FBD compared München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. a.schuster@lrz.uni-muenchen.de.
to several other molecular clock models is the ability to include multiple fossils, without providing morpho- 2. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, 5600 U.S. 1 North, Ft Pierce, FL 34946, USA.
logical data, which can represent either recent taxa or clades. Demosponges, in particular those forming a rigid 3. Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, u. Twarda 51/55, 00-818, Warszawa, Poland.
skeleton of interlocking desmas, are known for their extraordinary fossil preservation and continuous fossil 4. National Centre for Coasts and Oceans, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Private Bag 99940, New-
record dating back to the Cambrian (~500 Ma). The majority of these desma-bearing sponges belong to the or- market, Auckland, 1149, New Zealand.
der Tetractinellida, but some are clearly associated with other demosponge lineages. As an example, molecular 5. GeoBio-CenterLMU, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany.
phylogenetics showed that the Sphaerocladina, known since the Ordovician, are sister to freshwater sponges, 6. SNSB - Bavarian State Collections of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner Str. 10. 80333 Munich, Germany.
thus representing a key taxon for the reconstruction and understanding the last common ancestor of freshwater The morphological identification of desma-bearing demosponges, historically named lithistids or lithisitd
and marine sponges. In this study we used 24 fossils and analyzed 33 complete mitochondrial genomes of demosponges, has been the focus of several studies from the Northern Atlantic, the Indo- Pacific and
demosponges, six of which were de novo assembled from ezRAD libraries to reconstruct the divergence time the South Pacific region, while the tropical Western Atlantic remains comparatively poorly known. In this
for demosponges. ezRAD is an easy-to-implement reduced-genome representation library protocol that allows study we provide morphological descriptions of taxa collected by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution,
for the rapid gathering of genome-wide sequence data in non-model organisms. We provide a dated phylogeny Fort Pierce, Florida, during expeditions to the Bahamas, Curacao, Turks & Caicos, Puerto Rico, Honduras,
174 175
Jamaica, Guadeloupe and Bonaire, conducted between 1995 and 2011. Preliminary morphological identi- Trang Bay by combining molecular and morphological identification, which may ease unambiguous identifi-
fications of 40 taxa indicate that Theonellidae and Corallistidae are the dominant families with the larg- cations in the future.
est geographically distributed faunas amongst the different Caribbean Islands. Representatives of families References
Neopeltidae and Macandrewiidae are rarer and most likely represent new species. Additionally, several 1. Hooper, J.N.A., van Soest, R.W.M. (Eds.), 2002. Systema Porifera, A Guide to the Classification of Sponges. Kluwer Aca-
samples were classified as Sphaerocladina. All in all, our morphological inventory of the Western Tropical demic/Plenum Publishers, New York.
Atlantic lithistid fauna enlarges the current knowledge on the diversity and distribution of lithistid demo- Financial support by he Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the project MarSymbiOmics
sponges from this region. (CTM2013-43287-P) is gratefully acknowledged.
Gossip – tapping the taxonomic grapevine Evolution of key biomineralization genes in calcareous sponges
Mikael Thollesson 1
Oliver Voigt 1, Maja Adamska 2, Marcin Adamski 2, David J Miller 3, Gert Wörheide 1, 4, Benedetta
1
Dept. Organismal Biology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 Fradusco 1, Warren Francis 1 & Sofia Fortunato 3
36 UPPSALA, Sweden. mikael.thollesson@ebc.uu.se 1
Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität Munich, Paleontology and Geobiology, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,
Taxonomical work on sponges has been made much more tractable by the many excellent resources available, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany. oliver.voigt@lmu.de
such as Systema Porifera and the World Porifera Database. However, such resources present a synthesis of 2
Research School of Biology, ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment, The Australian National University, Canberra,
the current knowledge, whereas the process of taxonomic revisions also involves sifting through, and evaluat- 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton ACT 2601, Australia.
ing, primary sources of nomenclature to arrive at those conclusions. In course of our work on Suberitidae, we 3
ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld 4811, Australia.
implemented the database tool Gossip to manage information on taxon names in literature during the process. 4
GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 München, Germany.
The central item in Gossip is taxonomic statement, in this context equivalent to a statement about a name in
Members of class Calcarea are the only sponges that produce calcite spicules. The calcareous skeleton gen-
a specific publication, optionally including a relation to another such statement (e.g., considered referring to
erally account for a substantial proportion of the biomass of the animal and, by supporting the soft tissue,
same taxon). Collecting taxonomic statements and publications in Gossip enables us to trace and visualize the
enables these sponges to achieve larger body sizes. Amongst sponges, the ability to deposit calcite spicules
use and relations of names and opinions, e.g., as networks or as timelines, as well as the effects of our own
is a synapomorphic trait of the Calcarea, and is thus a key innovation of the group. The genetic bases of this
conclusions on the relations.
morphological novelty remain unclear, however. Two sub-classes are recognized within the Calcarea and,
Gossip is implemented in Java using Spring, backed by a (NoSQL) graph database (Neo4J). to date, the focus has been primarily on one of these, the Calcaronea. Genes implicated in calcification of
Financial support by Swedish Taxonomy Initiative is gratefully acknowledged. the calcaronean sponge Sycon ciliatum include two sclerocyte-specific carbonic anhydrases, two bicarbon-
ate transporters, and several acidic matrix proteins. Here we investigate additional transcriptomic data for
members of the Calcinea, the other subclass of calcareous sponges, to identify homologous biomineralization
Taxonomy, distribution and abundance of the shallow common sponges from Nha genes. These data provide insights into the evolution of the sponge biomineralization repertoire from the last
Trang Bay (Vietnam) common ancestor of Calcarea.
Marta Turon1 & Maria J.Uriz1 Financial support by the German Research Foundation (DFG, Project VO 2238/1-1) is gratefully acknowl-
1
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes, CEAB-CSIC, Accés Cala St.Francesc 14, Blanes, Girona, 17300, Spain. mturon@ceab.
edged.
csic.es
Sponges are important components of the benthic communities all over the world; therefore, their identifica- Development of A Multilocus-Based Approach for Sponge (Phylum Porifera)
tion is on the basis of many ecological studies. However, the true sponge diversity remains underestimated due Identification: Refinement and Limitations
to both the insufficient taxonomic studies in certain areas and the presence of morphologically cryptic species.
Our aim was to characterize the sponge diversity of three differentiated habitats: vertical rocky walls, well- Qi Yang1, 2, Christopher M.M. Franco1, 2, Shirley J. Sorokin1, 2, 3, Wei Zhang1, 2
preserved coral reefs, and eutrophic coral reefs in the bay of Nha Trang (Central Vietnam). We photographed 1
Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health
and collected 208 sponge specimens along 25 m long transect lines, randomly placed in the three habitats at Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, SA 5042, Australia qi.yang@flinders.edu.au
2
depths between 3m and 9m. Sponges were identified at the lowest taxonomic level possible by both molecular Centre for Marine Bioproducts Development, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, SA 5042, Australia
3
and morphological features. Partitions encoding the 18S and 28S rRNA, as well as the cox1 mitochondrial SARDI Aquatic Sciences, 2 Hamra Ave, West Beach, SA 5024, Australia
gene, were amplified and sequenced to identify the species genetically. External and skeleton characters such DNA barcoding is an effective approach for sponge (Porifera) phylogenetic classification 1-3. However, so
as spicule types and sizes through light and electron (SEM) microscopy, as well as their arrangement were also far no reliable molecular protocol is available to aid species identification; using traditional morphological
recorded to describe the species in the traditional way (Hooper & Van Soest 2002). The specimens collected methods is particularly difficult due to frequent homoplasies 4-6. To address this gap, we developed a multi-
belonged to 71 species, 42 genera, 23 families, and 11 orders of Demospongiae. The three study habitats dif- locus-based Sponge Identification Protocol (SIP) validated by a sample of 37 sponge species belonging to 10
fered in sponge diversity and abundance. Most species were ambient-specific and only two species (Gellioides orders from South Australia. The universal barcode COI mtDNA, 28S rRNA gene (D3- D5), and the nuclear
cf. gracilis and Clathria reinwardti) inhabited the three sampled habitats and were not found in the reefs ex- ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region were evaluated for their suitability and capacity for sponge identification. The high-
plored. Differences were also notable between the well preserved and the highly eutrophic habitats, with highest Bit Score was applied to infer the identity. The reliability of SIP was validated by phylogenetic analysis.
er species richness in the former and higher sponge coverage in the later. The dominant species in the clean The 28S rRNA gene and COI mtDNA performed better than the ITS region in classifying sponges at various
environments (Aaptos suberitioides and Neofibularia hartmani) were absent from the eutrophic zones, which taxonomic levels. A major limitation is that the databases are not well populated and possess low diversity,
were dominated by Amphimedon sp. and Clathria reinwardti, (accounting for more that 50% of the sponges). making it difficult to conduct the molecular identification protocol. The identification is also impacted by the
accuracy of the morphological classification of the sponges whose sequences have been submitted to the data-
This study quantifies the most abundant sponges in rocky, well-preserved and polluted coral reefs of Nha
base. Re-examination of the morphological identification further demonstrated and improved the reliability of
176 177
10th World Sponge Conference Posters Sponges and Microbes
sponge identification by SIP. Integrated with morphological identification, the multilocus-based SIP offers an Posters Sponges and Microbes
improved protocol for more reliable and effective sponge identification, by coupling the accuracy of different
DNA markers.
Influence of eutrophication pressure on the resilience and sensitivity of sponge-
References associated microbial community
1. Wörheide, G. & Erpenbeck, D. DNA taxonomy of sponges—progress and perspectives. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U. K. 87,
1629-1633 (2007). Jake Ivan Baquiran* & Cecilia Conaco
2. Erpenbeck, D. et al. The phylogeny of halichondrid demosponges: past and present re-visited with DNA-barcoding data. The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Org. Divers. Evol. 12, 57-70 (2012). *Email address: jpbaquiran@up.edu.ph
3. Fontaneto, D., Flot, J.-F. & Tang, C. Q. Guidelines for DNA taxonomy, with a focus on the meiofauna. Mar. Biodiv.
Marine sponges are important members of benthic communities circumglobally as they are involved in bio-
45, 433-451 (2015).
erosion and bio-consolidation of reef structures, provide temporary habitat for reef fish recruits, and have the
4. Hooper, J. N. A. & van Soest, R. W. M. Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. (Kluwer Academic/Ple-
num Publishers, 2002). potential to influence benthic or pelagic processes. These sessile, filter-feeding organisms harbor a great diver-
5. Plotkin, A., Rapp, H. T. & Gerasimova, E. Phylogenetic reconstruction of Polymastiidae (Demospongiae: Hadromerida)
sity of symbiotic microorganisms. The enigmatic and mutualistic relationship between sponges and microbes
based on morphology. Hydrobiologia 687, 21-41 (2012). is supported by metabolic exchange between host and symbionts. Members of the holobiont can share byprod-
6. Morrow, C. C. et al. Congruence between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in Demospongiae: a new hypothesis for rela- ucts of carbon dioxide fixation, nitrogen cycling, secondary metabolite synthesis, and dissolved organic matter
tionships within the G4 clade (Porifera: Demospongiae). Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 62, 174-190 (2012). uptake and conversion. Shifts in environmental factors may modify relationships between sponges and their
Financial supports by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41428 and a Chinese symbionts, which could possibly influence the abundance and distribution patterns of some host species. In
Scholarship Council – Ph.D. Scholarship for Qi Yang are gratefully acknowledged. this study, we transplanted fragments of Callyspongia sp. from its natural habitat in a seagrass bed to a coral
reef area and to a mariculture area in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines. The associated microbial community
of the sponge exhibited changes over the six-week observation period. Transplantation to a mariculture area
First records of shallow-water sponges (Demospongiae) from the largest marine no-take caused the biggest shift in community, based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprint-
zone in South America, the Nazca- Desventuradas Marine Park (SE Pacific) ing analysis. These results emphasize the sensitivity of the sponge microbial community to environmental
Julio C. C. Fernandez1,3, German Zapata-Hernández2, Eduardo Hajdu3 perturbations, specifically coastal pollution caused by intensive fish farming. Further analysis of the changes
1 Programa
in the taxonomic diversity and abundance of functional genes represented in the community will provide an
de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil. juliocesar-
bio@yahoo.com.br
indication of the effect of environmental parameters on the sponge symbionts. The findings from this study
2 Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile. zapata.bm@gmail.com may point towards potential applications of sponges or the microorganisms within their tissues in clearing
2 Museu Nacional, Departamento de Invertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro,Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. eduardo. organic matter and nutrients from mariculture areas.
hajdu@gmail.com References
Although there are reports of sponges from oceanic islands in the SE Pacific (Thiele 1905; Desqueyroux- 1. H. Luter, K. Gibb and N. Webster. Frontiers in Microbiology 5 (2014): 216.
Faúndez 1990), the single species this far reported from the entire Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park is Pseu- 2. L. Pita, P. Erwin, X. Turon and S. López-Legentil. PLoS ONE 8(11) (2013): e80307.
dosuberites hyalinus, from 160–170 m depth in the Desventuradas Islands Archipelago (van Soest, 2002). 3. R. Simister, M. Taylor, P. Tsai and N. Webster. PLoS ONE 7(12) (2012): e52220.
Here, three new species of shallow-water sponges (down to 20 m depth) are described from Desventuradas 4. T. Thomas, L. Moitinho-Silva and M. Lurgi et al. 2016. Nature Communications 7 (2016):11870.
Islands. Hemimycale sp. nov. (Fig. 1A), which has the smallest spicules in the genus (subtylotes up to 205 × 3 This study is funded by the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines through the Acceler-
µm only), is now the fifth known species in the genus, and its first record for the entire Pacific Ocean. Crella ated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP) and a grant from the UP
(Pytheas) sp. nov. (Fig. 1B), which has the smallest spicules in the subgenus (tornotes up to 168 × 3 µm; MSI Bolinao Marine Laboratory to JIB. Additional support was provided by the University of the Philippines
ectosomal acanthostyles up to 52 × 2.8 µm; larger choanosomal acanthostyles up to 104 × 3.5 µm; smaller System (ECWRG 2015-1-011) to CC.
choanosomal acanthostyles up to 66 × 3.5 µm; arcuate isochelae up to 14.5 µm). Spongia (Heterofibria) sp.
nov. (Fig. 1C–D), which has the thinnest fibers in the subgenus (only up to 55 µm across), is now the seventh
known species worldwide, and the first record of Heterofibria for the SE Pacific. In addition, S. (H.) sp. Anti-tumoral activities of the sponges of the Sarcotragus genus and their associated
nov. is also recorded here from Easter Island (9.7 m depth). bacteria
References Yosr BenRedjem Romdhane1, Leila Ktari1, Marianna Carbone2, Maria Letizia Ciavatta2, Margherita
Dequeyroux-Faúndez, R. Spongiaires (Demospongiae) de I’lle de Pâques (Isla de Pascua), Rev. Suis. Zool. 97 (1990) 373-409. Gavagnin2, Véronique Mathieu3, Florence Lefranc4, Radhia Mraouna1, Abdellatif Boudabous5, Robert
Thiele, J. Die Kiesel und Hornschwämme der Sammlung Plate. Zool. Jahrbücher, Supplementun, 6 (1905) 407-496. Kiss3, Ernesto Mollo2 and Monia Elbour1
Van Soest, R.W.M. Family Suberitidae Schmidt, 1870. Systema Porifera. Guide to the Classification of Sponges (ed. J.N.A. 1
Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer (INSTM), Salammbˆo, 2025 Tunis, Tunisia
Hooper and R.W.M. Van Soest), Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishres: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow, 2
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare (ICB), 80078 Pozzuoli, Italy
V.1, (2022) 227-244. 3
Laboratoire de Cancérologie et de Toxicologie Expérimentale, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1050
Financial support by CAPES, CNPq and FAPERJ (Brazil) is gratefully acknowledged. Brussels, Belgium
4
Service de Neurochirurgie, Hôpital Erasme, ULB, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
5
Laboratoire des Microorganismes et Biomolécules actives, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 Tunis, Tunisia. Email: yosr.
benredjem@gmail.com
Marine sponges of the Sarcotragus genus and their symbiotic bacteria are well known for their anti-
inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-tumoral activities. In aim of chemical and biological
investigation for both anti-tumoral and anti-microbial activities, several samples of Sarcotragus genus and its
178 179
symbiotic eubacteria were investigated. First, the chemical processing of sponges samples led to purification expanding through the increased use of next generation sequencing technologies [1]. In the present study, we
of three known furanosesterterpene tetronic acids (FTAs) and three known prenylated hydroquinones (PHQs). characterize microbial communities associated with four irciniid sponges by investigating species- and tissue-
Their in vitro growth inhibitory properties (six purified compounds) have been evaluated for a panel of five specific patterns. The examined host species, all collected from Crete, Greece, are Ircinia fasciculata, I. oros,
human and on murine tumoral cell lines displaying various levels of sensitivity to proapoptotic stimuli. Sur- I. variabilis, and Sarcotragus spinosulus). Morphological indentification was validated by analyzing the COI
prisingly, FTAs and PHQs elicited distinct profiles of growth inhibitory-responses, differing by one to two and 18S rRNA genes of the sponge specimen under study. The microbial communities of distinct species and
orders of magnitude in favor of the PHQs for all cell lines. Secondly, a collection of one hundred and four tissue sections (mesohyl and ectosome) were assessed by amplicon pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA V5-V6
symbiotic bacterial isolates were obtained from thirty specimens of Sarcotragus genus. The antimicrobial ac- region. Over 138, 000 high quality sequences were obtained, generating more than 900 operational taxonomic
tivities of the collection were assessed using the agar diffusion tests against a panel of 17 pathogenic bacteria units (OTUs at the 97% sequence similarity level). The most dominant bacterial phyla were Proteobacteria
species and one fungal species. The results revealed bioactivity of 14.4% of the collection with remarkable (mostly Gamma- Alpha- and Deltaproteobacteria) and Acidobacteria. Archaeal sequences were affiliated to
inhibition profiles against Gram + and Gram – bacteria species and the yeast Candida albicans. Highest level Crenarchaeota and fewer Euryarchaeota. Interestingly, Cyanobacteria were only hosted in I. fasciculata and I.
of inhibition was revealed for symbiotic isolates of Sarcotragus muscarum with strongest activity against variabilis, where high abundances were observed. In I. variabilis cyanobacteria were found in both ectosomal
Pseudomonas fluorescens. Besides, active isolates were obtained from Sarcotragus muscarum and Sarcotra- and mesohyl samples, while in I. fasciculata they were present only in the ectosome. Comparison of the mi-
gus fasciculatus mainly sampled from Korbous site. The present data represent the first results of Tunisian crobial communities associated with the studied sponges revealed very different patterns from the surrounding
sponges’ activities investigation for symbiotic bacteria and sponge species and represent a promising high seawater in their vicinity. In general, strong species-specific patterns were observed for all studied sponges,
level area for bio production and discovery of new drugs. while tissue specificity was only partially evidenced. This study serves as a baseline for the understanding of
ecological interactions for sponges that are common and ubiquitous in the Mediterranean coastal environment,
Keywords: Sarcotragus, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity, anti-tumoral activity, FTA, PHQ, sponge
as well as sensitive to environmental fluctuations.
associated bacteria, Tunisian coast.
References
1. T. Thomas, L. Moitinho-Silva, M. Lurgi et al., Nat. Commun. 7 (2016) 11870.
Microbial community dynamics of the mangrove fire sponge, Tedania ignis, following
Financial support was provided by the European Union project MARBIGEN (FP7- REGPOT-2010-1)
time in a sustained mariculture setup
Alexandra Campbell1 & Julian Marchesi1, 2
Evidence for the mobility of AMR determinants in a marine sponge holobiont
1
School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, UK CF10 3AX. CampbellA15@
cardiff.ac.uk Stephen A. Jackson1, Lekha Menon Margassery1, Alan D.W. Dobson1
2
Centre for Digestive and Gut Health, Imperial College London, London, UK W2 1NY
1
School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Ireland. a.dobson@ucc.ie
Sponges contain multitudes of symbiotic microbes with exceptional diversity. Large sequencing projects, such Increasing incidences of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing and urgent problem where microbial
as the Global Sponge Microbiome Project, have shown the diversity of these microbes. Attempts to obtain infections are becoming harder to treat. This has serious outcomes for patient morbidity and mortality and also
enough biomass for more detailed experiments remains an issue hindering some areas of research. To this end, has significant negative economic consequences for patients and healthcare systems alike. Indeed, the recent
several groups have tried to develop a mariculture approach to grow sponges in the laboratory. What is not emergence of colistin resistance in China has resulted in an untreatable infection. Projections by the World
clear, however, are whether microbial communities in sponges are stable upon entering an ex situ mariculture Health Organisation (WHO) predict that by 2050, a death will occur every 3 seconds from microbial infections
setup and whether we are capturing the active community within the sponge. Wild specimens of Tedania ignis if the issue is not ameliorated before then. The lack of new antibiotics reaching the clinic in recent decades
were collected and cultivated in a recirculating mariculture setup. Samples were taken at 0 days, 1 week, 2 serves to exacerbate the problem. While most reported incidences of AMR derive from clinical isolates from
weeks, 1 month, and 2 months. Environmental T. ignis were collected on another trip and flash frozen. Follow- infected patients, little is known about the global distribution and diversity of AMR determinants. Marine
ing extraction of gDNA and generation of cDNA from total RNA, sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region sponges (Porifera) host diverse and dense microbial populations1 with densities in high microbial abundance
of the 16S rRNA gene was performed on a MiSeq.The results showed high abundances of Endozoicomonas (HMA) sponges eclipsing those of soils and animal digestive tracts. Such a species rich environment may
and Candidatus Branchiomonas across all samples. Populations of Mycobacteria and Sulfurovum were unique harbour genetic repertoires which aid in competitiveness and survival – including antibiotic production and
to the gDNA samples, with time point changes consisting mainly of unclassified bacteria. Within the cDNA resistance genes. We have investigated the metagenome of a marine sponge, Cliona celata, for the presence of
samples, increases in the abundance of unclassified and rarer bacteria such as Actibacter and the family Desul- AMR gene fragments conferring resistance to 6 common antibiotics of different classes (Kanamycin, Tetracy-
fobacteraceae, were observed. Increases in alpha and beta diversity were seen for both the gDNA and cDNA cline, Chloramphenicol, Nalidixic acid, Erythromycin & Penicillin). We have identified AMR gene sequences
samples as time increased. This research contributes to understanding how the sponge microbiome fluctuates in the genomes of sponge isolates, on plasmids from those isolates, from the sponge metagenomic DNA and
in mariculture, and also to showing differences in diversity by incorporating cDNA into microbiome analyses. from the sponge plasmidome. Plasmids from sponge isolates were transformed into E. coli, conferring the
resistance phenotype on that host. Additionally, we have identified integron gene sequences flanking a gene
Financial support from the BluePharmTrain project through the MC-ITN (Project ID: 607786) is gratefully cassette carrying AMR genes suggesting that these genes may be mobile and shared amongst the sponge-
acknowledged. associated microbes. We conclude that marine sponges may be important environmental reservoirs of AMR
genes which, via mobility, are shared and maintained.
Comparative study of the microbial diversity in four Mediterranean irciniid sponges References
Katerina Skaraki , Georgios Kotoulas , Antonios Magoulas , Adriani Pantazidou & Thanos
1, 2 1 1 2 1. Taylor MW, Radax R, Steger D and Wagner M. (2007). Sponge-associated microorganisms: evolution, ecology, and biotech-
Dailianis1 nological potential. Microbiol Mol Biol Rev 71:295–347.
1
Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion, Greece. thanosd@
hcmr.gr
2
Department of Ecology & Systematics, Faculty of Biology, National & Kapodistrian Univ. of Athens
Our knowledge regarding the diverse and abundant symbiotic microorganisms hosted by sponges is rapidly
180 181
Sponge-derived Pseudovibrio species exhibit a promising potential toward the discovery microbiomes. These differences reveal functional characteristics of each microbiome that likely reflect distinct
of novel bioactive compounds. host-microbe interactions. For example, elevated phosphonate metabolism in the coral microbiome may be a
result of phosphonate biosynthesis by the coral host, an ability only recently attributed to corals. Reconstruc-
Lynn M. Naughton1, Stefano Romano2, Fergal O’ Gara3, 4 & Alan D.W. Dobson* tion of metabolic pathways provided a detailed view of the taxonomic and genetic composition underlying the
1
School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland. lynn.naughton@ucc.ie differential pathways. This work sheds new light on the functional diversity of sponge and coral microbiomes
2
Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, Austria.romano@microbial-ecology.net and reveals potential metabolic specialization of microbiomes within different invertebrate hosts.
3, 4
School of Biomedical Sciences, Curtin University, Perth WA 6845, Australia & BIOMERIT Research Centre, School of Micro-
biology, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland. Fergal.Ogara@curtin.edu.au
*School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Western Road, Cork, Ireland. a.dobson@ucc.ie Insights into the microbial diversity of the Mediterranean marine sponge Haliclona
Members of the Pseudovibrio genus are frequently the most abundant isolates recovered from the cultur- fulva (Demospongiae: Haplosclerida)
able bacterial fraction from marine invertebrates, particularly sponges [1-3]. Pseudovibrio species previously Erika Garcia-Bonilla1, Pedro de Brito Brandão 2, Thierry Pérez3, Olivier P. Thomas 3, 4 & Howard
isolated from the marine sponge, Axinella dissimilis off the south coast of Ireland, display a wide spectrum Junca1
of inhibitory properties against prominent human pathogens, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
1 RG Microbial Ecology: Metabolism, Genomics & Evolution; Div Ecogenomics & Holobionts | Microbiomas Foundation, Chía,
aureus (MRSA) and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium [4]. This bioactivity has been linked to the Colombia. ejgb30@gmail.com
production of the antibiotic, tropodithietic acid (TDA) [4]. However, several different antimicrobial activity 2 Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental y Aplicada. Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad Nacional
spectra have been identified amongst these and other members of the Pseudovibrio genus [5]. Furthermore, de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
molecular approaches have revealed the potential presence of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) involved in 3 Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie Marine et Continentale IMBE, UMR 7263 CNRS, Marseille, France.
the production of secondary metabolites within the genomes of these bacteria [1]. These physiological and ge- 4 School of Chemistry, Marine Biodiscovery, National University of Ireland, Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
netic clues hint at the possibility of an array of bioactive compounds being produced by these marine bacteria. Over the course of the holobiont evolution, marine sponges and assemblages of specific microorganisms had
Using a genome guided approach, we reveal for the first time a wide variety of diverse BGCs present in the established a symbiotic relationship in which both parts are codependent to perform ecological functions and
genomes of 21 members of the Pseudovibrio genus, isolated from a number of marine sources from different to colonize different environments. In this study, the microbial community of Haliclona fulva and its metabo-
geographic locations. We determined that the most abundant classes of BGC present amongst the isolates (i.e. lome were characterized from samples collected in the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, the influence of the
nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), polyketide synthase (PKS) and hybrid NRPS/PKS gene clusters) microbiome on seawater surrounding healthy cultured sponge specimens was evaluated in aquaria. Results
showed a low degree of similarity to known BGCs from other bacteria and demonstrated variability within showed that the microbial community was dominated by EC94 and Cenarchaeales orders, both representing
their biosynthetic units, resulting in several different predicted potential peptide structures. We further cor- 90%. Core community was composed by 21 members, some belonging to Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidetes and
roborate our findings by demonstrating non-TDA related bioactivity amongst the Axinella dissimilis derived SBR1093. The analysis of seawater samples revealed that there was a strong influence of the sponge micro-
Pseudovibrio isolates using deferred antagonism assays. Our results suggest a promising biosynthetic poten- biome, where abundances of EC94 and Cenarchaeales were extremely higher when compared to extensively
tial exists amongst the Pseudovibrio, toward the production of novel compounds. reported open seawater core microbiomes. At metabolome level, fulvynes and renierines were identified (1,
References 2). In general, we found that H. fulva exhibited a very characteristic microbiome composition, with highly
1. A. Esteves, C. Hardoim, J. Xavier, J. Goncalves, R. Costa. FEMS Microb. Eco. 85 (3) (2013) 519-36. abundant and defined eubacterial and archaeal types that are otherwise found in very low relative quantities in
2. N. Webster, R. Hill. Mar. Biol. 138 (2001) 843-851. the marine environment. Thus H. fulva could be a natural source and reservoir of those microorganisms. This
3. A. Muscholl-Silberhorn, V. Thiel, J. Imhoff. Microb. Eco. 55 (1) (2008) 94-106. finding suggests that this symbiotic relationship is highly specific and could have a significant impact contrib-
4. C. Harrington, F. Reen, M. Mooij, F. Stewart, J. Chabot, A. Guerra, F. Glockner, K. Nielsen, L. Gram, A. Dobson, C. Adams, uting to the biological fitness, metabolite production and activity of this sponge species.
F. O’Gara. Mar. Drugs. 12 (12) (2014) 5960-78. References
5. J. O’Halloran, T. Barbosa, J. Morrissey, J. Kennedy, F. O’Gara, A. Dobson. Journal of Appl. Microb. 110 (6), (2011) 1495- 1. Cimino G, De Stefano S. 1977. Tetrahedron Lett. 15:1325–1328.
508.
2. Nuzzo G, Ciavatta ML, Villani G, Manzo E, Zanfardino A, Varcamonti M, Gavagnin M. 2012. Tetrahedron 68:754–760.
Financing support by Colciencias, Grant EcosNord-Colciencias research cooperation and mobility exchange
Specialization of Microbiomes in Sponge and Coral Hosts program (Convocatoria 652-2014). Erika Garcia-Bonilla acknowledges financial support by Colciencias-Col-
Cara L Fiore, Jessica K Jarett & Michael P Lesser futuro, Doctoral Grant (Convocatoria 528-2011).
School of Marine Science, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, USA. fiorec@appstate.edu
The transcriptional activity of two microbiome communities, one in the sponge host Xestospongia muta, Does a Sponge’s Genotype Influence its Microbiome?
and one in the coral host Montastrea cavernosa, were compared using metatranscriptome analysis. Putative Sarah Griffiths1, Luca Lenzi2, Anita Lucaci2, Donald Behringer3, 4, Mark Butler IV5 & Richard
mRNA reads were annotated using the HUMAnN pipeline allowing for comparative analysis and the func- Preziosi1
tional categories of metabolic pathways (KEGG Orthology, KO) in the two host organisms. Separately, reads
were assembled and annotated in order to reconstruct specific metabolic pathways of interest in the two differ- 1 Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, UK. Griffiths.
sarahm@gmail.com
ent communities. As expected, the taxonomic composition of the two microbiome communities differ greatly,
2 Centre for Genomic Research, Institute of Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
with lower phylum-level diversity and dominance of Proteobacteria in the corals. The sponge microbiome
3 School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville,
had higher phylum level diversity with groups such as Nitrospirae and Thaumarchaeota that were not detected Florida, USA.
in the coral microbiomes. Comparison of read-normalized pathway abundance indicated that photosynthesis, 4 Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
oxidative phosphorylation, phosphonate and phosphinate, and linoleic acid metabolism were elevated in the 5 Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
coral microbiomes. In contrast, chloralkane degradation, xylene degradation, methane oxidation, and most The microbial communities associated with sponges have attracted a lot of research interest due to their ex-
central metabolic pathways (e.g., nucleotide biosynthesis, vitamin biosynthesis) were elevated in the sponge ceptional diversity and complexity. Much remains unknown about the nature of these communities and their
182 183
interactions with their hosts, but it is clear that they remain host specific despite constant exposure of the host In Situ Responses of the Sponge Microbiome to Ocean Acidification
to highly diverse seawater bacterial communities during filter feeding. Although strong microbiome differ-
Nora Kandler1, Muhammad Abdul Wahab2, Sam Noonan2, James Bell1, Nicole Webster2, and Heidi
ences exist among sponge species, there are limited studies examining the extent of microbiome variability
Luter1,2
within species. In other systems, specific genotypes of host or dominant species have been found to influence
1School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand nora.kandler@vuw.ac.nz
associated communities, leading to knock-on effects on ecosystem processes and services, sometimes termed
2Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Qld, Australia
‘community genetic effects’. In this study, we investigate the effect of host sponge genotype on the composi-
tion of its associated microbial community in Ircinia campana (Dictyoceratida, Irciniidae). We use microsatel- Microbes are intimately associated with their sponge hosts and can have a major effect on sponge function
lites to genetically characterise the sponge hosts, and Illumina sequencing of the V4 hypervariable region of and fitness, making it important to consider these relationships when studying the impacts of climate change
16S rRNA gene to characterise their microbial communities. In doing so, we investigate the variability among on sponge assemblages. Ocean acidification and global warming are threatening modern reef ecosystems
microbiomes in the same host species and examine the relationship between host genotype and microbial com- and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2014) predicts an ocean surface pH decrease of
munity composition to address the question: Do more genetically similar hosts harbor more similar microbial 0.06-0.32 by the end of the century. Morrow et al. (2015) examined the bacterial community composition of
communities? three sponge species in Papua New Guinea (PNG) at two sites with different pCO2 levels (346-624 μatm) and
found significant differences for two of the species, with Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria OTUs being the
Financial support by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the NERC Biomolecular Analy-
primary drivers of variation. To assess the flexibility in microbial symbiosis in response to ocean acidification,
sis Facility (NBAF) is gratefully acknowledged.
we performed a replicated reciprocal transplant experiment with Coelocarteria singaporensis and Stylissa
massa at the same PNG seep sites as used by Morrow and colleagues, comparing how the microbial com-
Do sponge microbiomes depend on past water prokaryotic assemblages? munities of transplanted sponges changed over time (T=0, T=9 days, T=7 months). The 16S rRNA gene was
Carla Huete -Stauffer1 , Joan Cáliz1 and Maria J. Uriz1 sequenced using universal primers targeting bacteria and some archaea. Prior to transplantation (T=0), sponge
1
microbiomes were largely consistent with previous reports (Morrow et al. 2015), with the primary exception
Centre d’Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CISC)
being an abundant archaeal OTU in C. singaporensis, which was not evident in previous studies that utilized
The sponge-associated microbial communities are recognized to be mostly species- specific and enriched of different primers. Across all samples, S. massa showed a significant difference based on sampling time, with
certain taxa compared to that of the surrounding environment1. Comparison among the sponge microbiome a Thaumarchaetota OTU nearly doubling between T=0 and T=7 months. A shift in the microbiome of C. sin-
and the water microbial community at the time of sampling show how distinct the communities are. However, gaporensis was observed upon transplantation, with the microbial communities of samples transplanted from
water microbial community is dynamic and highly subjected to temporal changes and, in general, to water the control site to the vent site displaying higher abundances of a Cyanobacteria OTU (Synechococcus) and
conditions2. Since the microbial community in the sea water changes in its composition and/or relative taxa a Chloroflexi OTU than samples transplanted within the control site. However, the microbial communities
abundances with time, these changes might influence the composition of the sponge microbiomes in different of samples transplanted from the vent site to the control site were not significantly different to those samples
time lapses. These comparisons preclude conclusions about possible differential enrichment in the sponge transplanted within the vent site. Overall, our results suggest that microbial communities associated with
tissues of microbes present in the water in previous months to the sampling date. Up to date, studies compar- sponges are not always static in a changing environment and can change in ways that may ultimately benefit
ing the sponge-associated microbial community to that present in the water at several time-lags before the their sponge hosts.
sponge was sampled are, to our knowledge, non- existent. Nevertheless, the stability of the sponge microbial
References
community in time has not been largely studied either. We hypothesize that changes in prokaryote diversity 1
K. M. Morrow, D. G. Bourne, C. Humphrey, E. S. Botté, P. Laffy, J. Zaneveld, S. Uthicke, K. E. Fabricius, N. S. Webster.
occurring in the recent past in the seawater (i.e. months before) may influence the sponge microbiome Natural volcanic CO2 seeps reveal future trajectories for host-microbe associations in corals and sponges. The ISME Journal 9
months after. Our aims were to i) determine whether the microbiome of Dysidea avara changes in time and, (2015) 894-908.
ii) whether this change is related to changes in the water prokaryotic community with time. With these pur- 2
IPCC. Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II, and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of
poses, we monitored a population of Dysidea avara in the Mediterranean for more than a year (14 months) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (2014). Geneva, Switzerland.
sampled seasonally a series of random individuals (n=12) as well as monthly samples of the water surround-
ing the sponges. Water flowing through the channels or microbes attached to the surface are washed previ- Functional transcripts indicate phylogenetically diverse active ammonia-scavenging
ously to DNA extraction, so that remnants of microbes from the water are unlikely to be present at significant
microflora in sympatric sponges
amounts when sequencing, which allows assumptions about the specificity of the microbial community found
within the sponges. We applied high throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing using universal primers, to Guofang Feng1, Wei Sun1, Fengli Zhang1, Sandi Orlić2 & Zhiyong Li1*
further analyze and compare the prokaryotic communities in the water and the sponges at the given times. 1State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Shanghai
Some environmental parameters, i.e. temperature, were also considered to explain the possible changes in the Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
prokaryotic communities. 2RuđerBošković Institute, Bijeničkacesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia *zyli@sjtu.edu.cn
References Symbiotic ammonia-scavengers contribute to effective removal of ammonia in sponges. However, the phylo-
1.
U. Hentschel, J. Piel, S.M. Degnan, M.W. Taylor, Nat. Revs. Microb. 10 (2012) 641-654 genetic diversity and in situ activity of ammonia-scavenging microflora between different sponge species are
2.
Frías-López J, Shi Y, Tyson GW, Coleman ML, Schuster SC, Chisholm SW, DeLong EF, PNAS 105(10) (2008) 3805–3810 poorly addressed. Here, transcribed ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA), hydrazine synthase gene (hzsA)
This research was financially supported by BluePharmTrain (FP7 People-ITN, Ref.2013-667786) and and glutamine synthetase gene (glnA) were analyzed to reveal the active ammonia-scavenging microflora in
MARSYMBIOMICS (Spanish MINECO, CTM2013 43287- P), given to MJU. the sympatric sponges Theonella swinhoei, Plakortis simplex, Phakellia fusca, and seawater. Archaeal amoA
and bacterial glnA transcripts rather than bacterial amoA, hzsA, and archaeal glnA transcripts were detected in
the investigated sponges and seawater. The transcribed amoA genes were ascribed into two Thaumarchaeota
ecotypes, while the transcribed glnA genes were interspersed among the lineages of Cyanobacteria, Tectomi-
crobia, Poribacteria, Alpha-, Beta-, Gamma- and Epsilonproteobacteria. In addition, transcribed abundances
of archaeal amoA and bacterial glnA genes in these sponges have been quantified, showing significant varia-
tion among the investigated sponges and seawater. The transcriptome-based qualitative and quantitative anal-
184 185
yses clarified the different phylogenetic diversity and transcription expression of functional genes related to higher abundances of taxa commonly associated with diseased and stressed marine invertebrates, including
microbially-mediated ammonia scavenging in different sympatric sponges, contributing to the understanding Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Deltaproteobacteria. In addition, three Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs)
of in situ active ecological functions of sponge microbial symbionts in marine nitrogen cycling. were found to be exclusively present in diseased individuals and were shared between the disease lesions and
the apparently healthy tissue of diseased individuals, suggesting a non-localised infection or dysbiosis. A num-
ber of putative pathogens were also elucidated, including a Bacteroidetes OTU which shares highest sequence
Cinachyrella as a model sponge genus for evolution, microbial symbiosis and
similarity to a bacterial sequence previously associated with Porites White Patch Syndrome. Therefore, future
experimental biology experimental work should focus on examining the mechanisms of infection and the functional roles these mi-
Jose V. Lopez1, Nidhi Vijayan2, Marie L. Cuvelier1, Cole G. Easson1, Emily Blake3, Astrid Schuster4, croorganisms play in disease etiology.
Alexandra M. Campbell6, Yasmin Khan1, Paco Cárdenas5
1
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale FL Microbial Community Composition of the Demosponge Haliclona amboinensis (Order
2
Kewalo Marine Laboratory, University of Hawaii, 41 Ahui St, Honolulu HI USA Haplosclerida) in Bolinao, Philippines
3
Center for Collaborative Research, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale FL USA Michael Angelou Nada and Cecilia Conaco
4
Department of Earth- & Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology and Geobiology, Ludwig- Maximilians-Universität München,
Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines
Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany
5 Marine sponges are sessile filter-feeding animals responsible for processes such as reef consolidation and
Uppsala, Sweden structuring of benthic ecosystems. In addition, sponges link bentho-pelagic processes essential for the reten-
6
School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
tion and transfer of reef-derived nutrients. The sponge microhabitat supports distinct and diverse communities
of microbes that contribute to the holobiont metabolic potential. However, only a subset of sponges have been
Our laboratory has been studying the sponge genus Cinachyrella for the past six years, as it is a common
studied in terms of their microbial community composition and this knowledge gap makes it difficult to as-
resident of Western Atlantic and Caribbean reefs, including the Florida Reef Tract. At least four, and perhaps
sess the role of microbial communities in sponges and their potential impacts on biogeochemical cycling and
up to six, Cinachyrella species (Cinachyrella kuekenthali, C. alloclada 1 & 2, C. apion and C. arenosa) occur
ecosystem processes. In this study, the microbial community composition of H. amboinensis was determined.
or overlap in the Western Atlantic area. Several traits support the genus use as an experimental system: this
Three replicates of H. amboinensis and seawater samples were collected in Malilnep Channel, Bolinao, Pan-
sponge can be maintained for weeks and months in aquaculture, can reproduce via viviparous propagation
gasinan and sequenced on the Illumina MiSeq300 platform targeting the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA
or asexually (albeit at irregular times and unknown cues), and appears resistant to fouling. To date, a draft
gene. Results from the 16S rRNA analysis revealed specific differences in microbial community composi-
Cinachyrella transcriptome, metagenome and multiple microbiomes from various individuals have been se-
tion of H. amboinensis and the surrounding water. In particular, H. amboinensis communities were dominated
quenced. We have studied Cinachyrella spp. in the field and in laboratory experiments to investigate changes
by Actinobacteria, Planctomycetia, Gamma-proteobacteria, Alpha-proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria. Among
in holobiont physiology and microbial community structure in response to stressors such as crude oil and
these OTUs, Actinobacteria and Planctomycetia were rarely detected in the seawater community suggesting
antibiotics. Electron microscopy of the holobiont ultrastructure has revealed both low and high microbial
that these taxa are specific to H. amboinensis. Although the relative abundance of particular taxa were variable
abundances in various Cinachyrella spp. For example, Cinachyrella kuekenthali and perhaps other congeners
across samples, diversity indices and ordination analysis indicate that H. amboinensis houses a relatively stable
could be considered as high microbial abundance (HMA) sponges via TEM. A broader question regarding
assemblage of microbes consistently dominated by Actinobacteria, Planctomycetia and Proteobacteria, which
Cinachyrella spp. and other potential model sponges regards the specificity of their microbial symbiont com-
is similar to the A. queenslandica microbiome. The results of this study highlight the core microbiome of the
munities (microbiomes), and their potential effects on holobiont divergence and speciation. For example, a
demosponge, H. amboinensis, and provide a basis for future studies aiming to identify the potential response
recent study has shown that the presence of mitochondrial group I introns has divided sympatric Cinachyrella
of the sponge holobiont to environmental perturbations and climate change.
individuals into at least two C. alloclada species; there is also strong correlation of intron presence/absence
with divergence in the microbiome composition of these same individuals. This finding suggests that host References
genetics (i.e. host divergence) can have a strong influence on microbiome structure, via currently unknown
1.
C. Guzman and C. Conaco. Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 18774-18784.
factors, even for visually identical, sympatric sponges which appear to have slight genetic differences. 2.
J. M. de Goeij, D. van Oevelen, M. J. A Vermeij, R. Osinga, J. J. Middelburg, A. F. P. M. de Goeij and W. Admiraal. Science. 342
(2013) 108-110.
3.
R. A. Fieth, M. A. Gauthier, J. Bayes, K. M. Green and S. M. Degnan. Front. Mar. Sci. 3 (2016) 228.
Microbiome changes in diseased Geodia barretti 4.
L. Rix, J. M. de Goeij, C. E. Mueller, U. Struck, J. J. Middelburg., F. C. van Duyl, F. A. Al-Horani, C. Wild, M. S. Naumann and
Heidi Luter1, 2, Raymond Bannister3, Steve Whalan4, Tina Kutti3, Mari Carmen Pineda2, Nicole D. van Oevelen. Sci. Rep. 6 (2016) 18715-18726.
Webster2
5.
T. Thomas, D. Rusch, M. Z. De Maere, P. Y. Yung, M. Lewis, A. Halpern, K. B. Heidelberg, S.
6
Egan, P. D. Steinberg and S. Kjelleberg. The ISME Journal. 4 (2010) 1557-1567.
1 School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. h.luter@vuw.ac.nz
2 Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia This research project is supported by thesis grants from the DOST-ASTHRDP and the UP MSI Bolinao Ma-
3 Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway rine Laboratory to M.A.N. and a grant from the University of the Philippines System (ECWRG 2015-1-011)
4 Marine Ecology Research Centre, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia to C.C.
While reports of sponge disease are becoming more frequent, nearly all cases have involved shallow-water,
tropical species. Here, we describe the first disease syndrome affecting the deep-water sponge, Geodia barret-
ti. Diseased individuals displayed a brown/black discolouration of their tissue, extensive levels of necrosis and
tissue disintegration, as well as increased levels of fouling (Fig. 1). Video survey transects revealed up to 20%
of the G. barretti population in Korsfjorden, Norway displayed disease symptoms. Comparison of the micro-
bial communities between healthy and diseased sponges using 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed highly
distinct community profiles between the different health states. In particular, diseased individuals exhibited
186 187
Phase shifts in microbial symbiont community associated with compromised immunity Genetic Variability of SpongeCyanobacteria Symbioses across the Caribbean
and death in Cliona celata from Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, UK. Robert W. Thacker 1, Kenan O. Matterson 2, Cole G. Easson 3, Christopher J. Freeman 4
Joanne Preston1 and Mark Burton2 1
Department of Ecology & Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11790, USA
1 Institute of Marine Sciences, School Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, PO4 9LY, UK. robert.thacker@stonybrook.edu
Joanne.preston@port.ac.uk. 2
National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
2 Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, Natural Resource Wales, Fisherman’s Cottage, Martin’s Haven, Pembrokeshire, SA62 3BJ, 3
Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, Florida 33004, USA
UK. Mark.Burton@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.
4
Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, Florida 34949 USA
Healthy, functional sponges drive biogeochemical cycles via bentho-pelagic coupling and provide essential
ecological services to the marine environment1. Sponges filter large volumes of seawater consuming the mi- Marine sponges frequently host symbiotic, unicellular cyanobacteria classified as Synechococcus spongiarum.
crobes there in, and are often implicated in water quality control2. During 2013/14, black necrotic tissue, and Previous investigations used Sanger sequencing of the cyanobacterial 16S23S ribosomal RNA internal tran-
heavy fouling (notably by barnacles or red algae) were observed in Cliona celata at several locations across scribed spacer (ITS) region to document 13 distinct clades of S. spongiarum. These clades are hypothesized to
Skomer Marine Conservation Zone (SMCZ). Sponge tissue necrosis is a stark and worrying indication of vary in host specificity from generalists to specialists, but the expense and labor involved in Sanger sequenc-
reduced resilience and function in one of the most important groups in benthic marine communities. Sponge ing has limited replication across multiple geographic areas. We developed a highthroughput method to obtain
disease and mass mortality have been associated with extreme sea surface temperature (SST) events in the ITS sequences using the Ion Torrent nextgeneration sequencing platform, multiplexing 61 specimens that rep-
Mediterranean and tropical waters3. This, however, is the first record of sponge disease in the UK. The cause is resented 14 species from 6 locations, as well as positive (cloned sequences inserted into plasmid vectors) and
unknown, but is not presently correlated with abnormal SST. We present 16S rRNA based metagenomic analy- negative controls. Quality filtering and analysis using the mothur pipeline identified 16, 951 S. spongiarum
sis of microbial communities in healthy, fouled and necrotic Cliona celata sponges from SMCZ. Dramatic sequences, which were subsequently clustered into the 13 known clades. Individual sponge specimens hosted
shifts in microbial community composition was observed between the different states of sponge, and furthers an average of 2.6 S. spongiarum clades (ranging from 1 to 5 clades), while individual S. spongiarum clades
our understanding of the role of microbial symbioses in conferring immunological resilience in sponges. occurred in 1 (Clade G) to 13 (Clade B) host sponge species. The relative abundance of clades hosted by some
This research provides insight into the role of microbial symbionts in reduced functionality and sponge mor- species varied significantly among locations; for example, Aplysina cauliformis hosted 99% Clade A in Marti-
tality in temperate sponges and could provide the basis of an early biomarker for shifts in benthic ecosystem nique but only 33% Clade A in Panama. Similarly, Ircinia felix hosted 100% Clade J in Panama, but only 55%
functioning linked to environmental stressors. Clade J in the Bahamas and Martinique. These data suggest that selective pressures exerted by hosts and/or
environmental conditions vary across the Caribbean. Future work will use this method to determine whether
References
experimental manipulations of environmental conditions can change the relative abundance of S. spongiarum
1. Maldonado, M., M. Ribes, and F.C. van Duyl, Adv. Mar. Biol. 62 (2012) 113-82.
clades within individual hosts.
2. Bell, J.J., Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci. 79(3) (2008) 341-353.
3. Cebrian, E. et al., PLoS One, 6(6) (2011) e20211.
Financial support by Natural Resource Wales is gratefully acknowledged.
Microbial Communities of the Marine Sponge Xestospongia Muta at Microhabitat
Transitions show Increased Diversity with Depth, a Core Stable Microbiome across
Different Seasons and Concurrent Metabolomic Profiles.
Biogeography of prokaryote communities in Indo-Pacific giant barrel sponges.
Marcela Villegas-Plazas1, Juan A. Sanchez2, Dietmar H. Pieper3 Olivier P. Thomas4and Howard
Thomas Swierts1, Daniel F. Cleary2 & Nicole J. de Voogd1
Junca1
1
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands Thomas.Swierts@naturalis.nl 1 RG Microbial Ecology: Metabolism, Genomics & Evolution, Div Ecogenomics & Holobionts, Microbiomas Founda-
2
CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal tion, Chia, Colombia, info@microbiomas.org
Sponges are one of the oldest living multicellular animals and form symbiotic relationships with complex 2 Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Marina (BIOMMAR), Departmento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los
Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
communities of microorganisms. Many symbionts are sponge host-specific, which is potentially a derivative
of co-speciation. However, host- specificity is not necessarily a result from co-speciation, but could also be 3 Microbial Interactions and Processes Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Ger-
many
a result from the fact that certain physical substructures of the sponge offer distinct microenvironments that
4School
have supported niche differentiation leading to similar host species specificity patterns. To better understand of Chemistry, Marine Biodiscovery, National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland
the driving forces behind the biogeography of sponge associated microbes, research should include closely Xestospongia muta is one of the most abundant sponge species of the coral reef communities at the Caribbean
related sponges with broad distributions and a similar body plan. Giant barrel sponges have a broad distribu- Sea. Its high ecological significance makes this species a suitable holobiont model for further understanding
tion on coral reefs around the globe with a complex phylogeny and are thus an ideal model to study the impact of the relationships between its symbiotic bacteria and the secondary metabolism it produces. The aim of our
of geography and phylogeny on the microbial communities of sponges on an ocean wide scale. In the present study was to identify the composition and changes of the bacterial symbiotic communities and the sponge
study we compared the prokaryotic community of 49 giant barrel sponges from regions across the Indo-Pacif- metabolomic profiles and whether they might be related to environmental conditions such as depth or season,
ic. The results of the present study do not provide strong evidence that host-specificity is related to phylogeny and also if there are correlations between the relative abundance of bacterial symbionts and the concentration
and thus co-evolution in giant barrel sponges. In contrast, our results indicate a strong effect of geography on of main sponge metabolites. Microbiome composition was determined using Illumina MiSeq platform
the sponge prokaryote community. This is to the best of our knowledge the first study that included intricate (V5-V6 region of 16S rRNA gene), and metabolomic analyses were carried out by UHPLC-DAD-ELSD. We
phylogenetic relationships on an ocean wide scale for comparing the sponge microbiome. identified significant variations in the structure of the communities in relation to the season. We observed a
clear increasing trend for bacterial diversity with depth. The metabolic profile evidenced shifting patterns
with similarities not ascribed to depth or season and mainly composed by two predominant brominated
polyunsaturated fatty acids. No statistically significant dependence was found between any OTU/metabo-
lite pair. A X. muta core microbiome across all the specimens collected could be defined; it is composed by
188 189
23 different OTUs collectively representing between 10-25% of the total relative abundance. quencing and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), a detailed profile of sponge- associated microbiomes
References at 7 life stages was described, including adult, embryo-containing spawning adult, embryo, pre-competent
1. Fiore CL, Jarett JK, Lesser MP. Symbiotic prokaryotic communities from different populations of the giant barrel sponge, Xes- larva at 2 hr, 4 hr and 8 hr, post-larva within 1-2 hrs after settlement, and a seawater sample. The microbial
tospongia muta. Microbiologyopen 2013;2:938–52. consortia associated with the sponges were relatively consistent, and each was different from the seawater mi-
2. Thomas T, Moitinho-Silva L, Lurgi M et al. Diversity, structure and convergent evolution of the global sponge microbiome. Nat crobiome. In a total of 15098 OTUs, 1089 with low abundance which were clustered within 22 bacterial phyla
Commun 2016;7:11870. were identified as being exclusively present in sponges. Vibrionales and Mycoplasmatales, which were wide-
Financial support by the European Commission to EC/FP7 research project consortium MAGICPAH spread in the coastal seawater (21.8% and 3.6%), were rare in marine sponges at each developmental stage.
(KBBE-2009-245226), the Colombian Administrative Department for Science, Technology and Innova- The associated microbiomes from each life stage of Tedania sp. exhibited a diverse structure and distribution.
tion - Colciencias for financial support through grants EcosNord-Colciencias (Convocatoria 652-2014) and At the adult stage, Synechococcales (phylum Cyanobacteria) was the dominant bacterial order (up to 37%),
“Joven Investigador” 2012 fellowship to M. Villegas-Plazas and the Universidad de Los Andes for the MSc but it occurred at an lower frequency in the other samples. Enterobacteriales, Xanthomonadales and Burkhold-
scholarship to M. Villegas-Plazas is gratefully acknowledged. eriales were markedly higher in the larval and settlement stages than in the adult stages. The pre-competent
larvae at 8 hr could be a significant event, as indicated by a sharp increase in the OTUs, diversity indices
and richness estimates compared with the other samples. Some rare bacterial groups in other sponge stages
Egg deposition by Rossia palpebrosa (Cephalopoda: Rossiinae) in deep-sea sponges, in (<0.01%) and seawater (<0.2%), such as Clostridia (5.6%), Bacteroidia (2%) and e-proteobacteria (1.1%)
temperate Northwest Atlantic and fringes of polar Canadian Arctic increased drastically in the HL8. A similar result was confirmed in vertebrates and invertebrates: members of
Vonda E. Wareham Hayes1, Susanna Fuller2 & Elizabeth Shea3 Bacteroidetes and Clostridia are metabolically complementary and affect cell differentiation and development
1
of the epithelium [1-3]. It suggested that the HL8 stage could be a turning point to higher developmental stages
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 80 East White Hills Road, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada A1C
with the drastic changes of symbiotic microbiome. In conclusion, this work greatly advances our understand-
5X1 vonda.wareham@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
2
ing of the establishment and maintenance of the sponge-microbe association, particularly the potential roles
Ecology Action Centre, 2705 Fern Lane, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3K 4L3
of microbes in the host.
3
Delaware Museum of Natural History, 4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE, USA 19807.
References
One of the key ecosystem functions of sponges is the provision of habitat. Here we illustrate one association 1.J Xu, M K Bjursell, J Himrod et al., Science. 299 (2003) 2074-2076.
between a deep-water sponge [Porifera: Mycale (Mycale) lingua (Bowerbank, 1866)] and its functional role to
2. S Fraune and T C Bosch. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 104 (2007) 13146-13151.
a small cephalopod (Cephalopoda: Rossiinae), in temperate Northwest Atlantic and fringes of the polar Cana-
3. L Wrzosek, S Miquel, M L Noordine et al., BMC. Biology. 11(2013) 1-13.
dian Arctic Oceans. In Canada, there is an ongoing effort to identify Ecologically and Biologically Significant
Areas for conservation and protection within Canadian jurisdiction, as well as, in adjacent international waters Financial support by the Scientific Research Project of Xiamen Southern Ocean Center (Grant 14GYY74NF38)
(referred as Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems). As part of this effort, sponges have been collected opportunis- and China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association (Grant No. DY-125-22-QY-18) is gratefully acknowl-
tically in multispecies research surveys as part of a new initiative, commencing in 2009, to systematically edged.
document and speciate sponges. One species identified was Mycale (Mycale) lingua, a common deep-water
hexacinellid found from Baffin Island Shelf to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Sponge samples were ob-
served with clusters of eggs embedded in the sponge body, nestled within the long spicule tracts. Eggs were
identified as the sepiolid cuttlefish Rossia palpebrosa Owen, 1834, based on examination of the stage of 28
embryos found developing within the tissue walls of several species of sponges. Eggs showed multiple stages
of development, with at least two hatchlings- miniature replicas of adults. Eggs were primarily deposited in
Mycale (Mycale) lingua, with additional observations in M. loveni (Fristedt, 1887), Melonanchora elliptica
Carter, 1874, Iophon piceum (Vosmaer, 1882), and several unidentified sponges. Densities ranged from 4-18
eggs/sponge; however majority of sponge samples were retrieved in pieces (<15cm) due to fragility of tissue
combined with sampling method |(i.e. research trawl activity), making densities conservative estimates. The
ecological importance of R. palpebrosa as a global prey species is not well understood in this region but are
believed to constitute a significantly element in marine food webs. This work highlights the importance of
Mycale sponges as nurseries for early life stages of R. palpebrosa in the Northwest Atlantic, and adds to the
general acceptance that sponges play an important role in the provision of habitat, particularly in the deep sea.
Financial support by Fisheries and Oceans Canada is gratefully acknowledged
Structure and Dynamics of Microbiomes Associated with Marine Sponge Tedania sp.
During Life Cycle
Jing Zhao1*, Shufei Wu1, Dexiang Wang1
1College of ocean and earth science of Xiamen university, Xiamen, 361005, China;
*Corresponding author:sunnyzhaoj@xmu.edu.cn
The sponge-microorganism association is a classic, complex and primitive phenomenon in nature. The sponge
life cycle offers an excellent opportunity to understand the structure, dynamics and stability of microbiomes.
Tedania sp. is a dominant sponge that is ubiquitous in the Southeastern China Sea. By high-throughput se-
190 191
10th World Sponge Conference Posters Biomaterials
Posters Biomaterials Isolation and identification of sterols from Haliclona sp. from Taiwan
Merran Dunford1, 2, Sanjeevan Ranjendran1, Patric Jonsson1, Ping-Jyun Sung3, Fang-Rong Chang4,
Sustainable cultivation of sponges in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: Integrated Achyut Adhikari5, Sunithi Gunasekera1, Paco Cárdenas1
aquaculture with fish farms 1
Philip Nemoy , Ehud Spanier , Dror Angel
1 1, 2 1, 2 Uppsala, Sweden. paco.cardenas@fkog.uu.se
2
1
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Department of Maritime Civilizations, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 3
National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 944, Taiwan
Israel, Philip.nemoy@gmail.com
4
2 Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa, Israel
5
International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi,
Integrated aquaculture of sponges in conjunction with fish farms has been examined by several workers1, 2. Pakistan
Existing evidence for the ability of sponges to incorporate effluents from fish cultivation3 supports the use
Sponges are known to harbor a wide spectrum of bioactive compounds of potential pharmaceutical value. In
of sponges as extractive species in Integrated Multi Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Co-cultivation of sponges
the current study, sterols were isolated from the shallow water Haliclona sp. from South Taiwan, and their an-
and finfish may result in lower environmental footprint in comparison with monoculture (cultivation of only
timicrobial activity was investigated. A normal phase, open-column chromatography procedure was adopted
finfish or only sponges). The present study explores the ecological and technical aspects of sponge cultivation
to isolate sterols from the sponge extract. From the initial NMR experiments, the most abundant compound
by IMTA at open-sea and land-based fish farms.
in the sponge extract was suggested to be β-sitosterol present in a mixture with several other sterols. Subse-
Aquaculture on the Mediterranean coast of Israel focuses on finfish production in marine pen nets and inland quently a preparative TLC was utilized to further separate the sterol mixture by using β-sitosterol as a refer-
ponds. Expansion to the offshore zone and diversification of local aquaculture are expected in the near future. ence. The NMR analysis of the isolated peak having similar Rf value as β-sitosterol from the preparative TLC
The sponge Chondrosia reniformis is abundant on subtidal rocks along the coast, and it has been selected for procedure, gave evidence of a partially purified sterol mixture with the presence of a sterol with an additional
aquaculture trials due to its high content of collagen, which is valued by the biomedical sector. In our experi- double bond to β-sitosterol. The partially purified sterol mixture was determined to have no activity on Esch-
ments the growth of C. reniformis was monitored at an open-sea fish farm and in an integrated fish-sponge erichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus at a concentration of less than 0.5 mg/mL.
tank for a period of 8 months. We also measured the fluxes of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and oxygen through Financial support from the EU Erasmus programme, the EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant
the sponge in order to reveal if sponge-mediated nitrification is enhanced by increased concentrations of am- agreement No. 679849 and an International Collaborative Research Grant (Swedish Research Council).
monium in seawater, which is common in the vicinity of fish farms.
The survival and growth of C. reniformis in our experimental IMTA settings were reasonable when compared Deep-sea sponge grounds associated with canyons and seamounts of the Cantabrian Sea
to other studies, but still insufficient for commercial operations. It is noteworthy that the sea-based culture
Javier Cristobo1,2, Pilar Rios1, Francisco Sánchez3 & Joana R. Xavier4
resulted in lower sponge survival and growth than the land-based one, suggesting that land-based cultivation
1
is a plausible alternative to sea-based farming of some sponge species. Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Avd. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Astur-
ias, Spain. cristobo@gi.ieo.es
The results and observations of sponge growth and its physiological response to ammonium enrichment pro- 2
Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
vide the groundwork for the use of sponges as extractive species in oligotrophic IMTA systems. Given the 3
Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Santander.
generally positive acceptance of new concepts by local aquaculture operators, further evidence is needed re- 4
garding the economic profitability in order to promote the adoption of spongiculture by the industry. Norway.
References The Cantabrian Sea, located in the South of the Biscay Bay of Biscay is a topographically rich area, com-
1. Osinga, R. et al. (2010). Sponge aquaculture trials in the East-Mediterranean Sea: new approaches to earlier ideas. Open Ma- prising several important geomorphological structures such as canyons, seamounts and deep-sea basins that
rine Biology Journal, 4: 74‒81. harbour a variety of benthic ecosystems, such as cold-water coral reefs and sponge grounds. Two of such
2. Milanese, M. et al. (2003). The marine sponge Chondrilla nucula (Schmidt, 1862) as an elective candidate for bioremediation structures – the Aviles Canyon System and Le Danois Bank – have been selected as case study areas in the
in integrated aquaculture. Biomolecular Engineering, 20(4): 363‒368. scope of the EU-funded H2020 project SponGES.
3. Ledda, F. D. et al. (2014). Mariculture for bacterial and organic waste removal: a field study of sponge filtering activity in
experimental farming. Aquaculture Research, 45(8): 1389‒1401.
The Avilés Canyon System is a complex canyon and valley system designated since 2014 as a Site of
Community Importance as defined in the EC Habitats Directive. The complex is constituted by three main
Financial support by the FP7 IDREEM project (www.idreem.eu) is gratefully acknowledged. canyons of different morphostructural character: La Gaviera, El Corbiro and Avilés Canyon that have been
relatively well characterized in the course of the Life+ INDEMARES project lead by IEO. A peculiar multi-
specific ground dominated by Neoschrammeniella bowerbanki, Pachastrella monilifera and Phakellia robusta
has been found in El Corbiro between 550-750 m depth. In addition, several communities dominated by the
glass sponge Aphrocallistes beatrix were found between 814 and 1199 m.
Le Danois Bank is a large seamount that rises sharply from the Bay of Biscay abyssal plain at nearly 5000m
to 425m at its summit. This seamount was the subject of the ECOMARG project coordinated by IEO during
which dense aggregations of Pheronema carpenteri and Phakellia spp., along with large specimens of Geodia
sp. (up to 15kg in weight) and of the cup-shaped Asconema setubalense (1m in height) were found at 500
m depth. Targeted for many decades by bottom-fisheries (trawl, gillnets and bottom longline) Le Danois
was designated a Marine Protected Area in 2011 making it a good case study to investigate recovery tra-
jectories after the establishment of protection measures.
192 193
The distribution, community composition and diversity associated to these temperate grounds will be further Different from the other two, nudibranchs of the genus Miamira from Southeast Queensland were found to
investigated in the coming years in the course of the SponGES project. contain hydroxy and methoxy polybrominated diphenyl ethers. A new hydroxy polybrominated diphenyl ether
Financial support. This study is part of the SponGES project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 has also been isolated from the mantle extract of Miamira magnifica. The extract of M. magnifica was highly
research and innovation programme (grant agreement 679849). INDEMARES project (07/NAT/E/000732) active in the toxicity assay with an LD50 value of 58 µg/mL.2
was partially funded by the European Commission LIFE + “Nature and Biodiversity” call. References
1. White, A. M., Dewi, A. S., Cheney, K. L., Winters, A. E., Blanchfield, J. T., Garson, M. J. Nat. Prod. Commun. 11 (2016),
921–924.
Metabolic characterization of marine sponges, genus Xestospongia using NMR-based 2. Dewi, A. S., Cheney, K. L., Urquhart, H. H., Blanchfield, J. T., Garson, M. J. Mar. Drugs. 14 (2016), 198-205.
metabolic profiling techniques. Financial support by the Australia Awards (ASD, AEW), Australian Pacific Science Foundation (KLC) and the
Lina M. Bayona1, Young Hae Choi1, Hye Kyong Kim1, Nicole J. de Voogd2, Peter G.L. Klinkhamer3 University of Queensland (ASD, KLC, MJG) is gratefully acknowledged.
1
Natural Products Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
2
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Visualizing the spatial distribution of barettins and barrettides in the deep-sea sponge
3
Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
Geodia barretti using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry imaging
Marine organisms are being paid great attention as source of bioactive molecules. Their chemical diversity is
very different from terrestrial organisms and this difference serve another set of chemical resource for life sci- Gabriella Krogius1, Mohammadreza Shariatgorji2, Per Andrén2, Paco Cárdenas1
1
ence. Of the marine organisms, sponges have been investigated for long time and fount to be one of the most Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmacognosy, BioMedical Center, Husargatan 3, Uppsala University, 751 23
prolific resources of new bioactive compounds, increasing the chemical list by more than 200 new molecules Uppsala, Sweden. gabriella.krogius@gmail.com
2
every year. Despite of the chemical diversity, as other marine organisms, the collection as a resource, sponges Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomolecular Imaging and Proteomics, National Center for Mass Spectrometry
Imaging, BioMedical Center, Husargatan 3, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden.
often have problem with sustainability such as large amount of collection and maintaining chemical quality.
Overcoming these problems cultivation of the sponges in controlled aquarium and chemical synthesis of target Barettins1 and barrettides2 are specialized metabolites found in the deep-sea North Atlantic sponge Geodia
bioactive compounds have been employed but due to many limitations, the approaches have not been success- barretti (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Geodiidae). The three known barettins are mono- or dibrominated
ful yet. Another attempt for sponge production is to investigate them in systems biology way. Particularly, the cyclic dipeptides (Trp+Arg), with a very distinct isotopic pattern. They have been shown to have antioxidant,
use of metabolomics to uncover biological or environmental factors influencing metabolome of sponges is one anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant and antifouling activities. Barrettides are 31 amino-acid long disulfide- con-
of the most urgent issues in the field. taining peptides with antifouling activity. The aim of this study was to visualize the spatial distribution of bar-
ettins and barrettides in G. barretti, to learn more about the biological role of these compounds and hopefully
In this study, as first attempt, we worked for 1H-NMR metabolomics of sponge samples together with multi- gain some insight into the producer of these compounds: the sponge and/or its associated microbes. Several
variate analysis to gain insight into the relation between metabolome and age. As a model, we used 33 samples 20 µm thick sections through the cortex and the underlying choanosome were analyzed with Matrix- Assisted
of the genus Xestospongia collected in Taiwan and Martinique and the metabolomics data obtained from 1H Laser Desorption Ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), with and without gelatin embed-
NMR analysis were correlated with ages. ding. We examined the spatial distribution of several compounds including barettins and other unknown
We found that samples collected in Martinique there were differences in the metabolic production between brominated compounds. Some have a homogeneous distribution while others seem to be localized in certain
juvenile specimens and oldest ones. However, this clear difference was not stablished for the specimens col- areas in the section.
lected in Taiwan. Probably due to the range of ages in Taiwan was smaller than for Martinique. This result References
may lead to future understanding of changes in production of different families of compounds during different 1.
Hedner E, Sjögren M, Hodzic S, Andersson R, Göransson U, Jonsson PR, Bohlin L (2008) Antifouling Activity of a Dibromi-
stages of growth on these organisms. nated Cyclopeptide from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti. J Nat Prod 71 (3):330-333
2.
Carstens BB, Rosengren KJ, Gunasekera S, Schempp S, Bohlin L, Dahlström M, Clark RJ, Göransson U (2015) Isolation,
Characterization, and Synthesis of the Barrettides: Disulfide- Containing Peptides from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti. J
Sponge-derived compounds from Australian chromodorid nudibranchs Nat Prod 78 (8):1886–1893
Ariyanti S. Dewi 1, Karen L. Cheney 2, Anne E. Winters 2, Holly E. Urquhart 2, Gregory K Pierens 3, Financial support from the EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849 and
Jack K. Clegg 1, Joanne T. Blanchfield1 & Mary J. Garson1 from the ‘SciLife lab Mass Spectrometry Imaging Platform’ (Uppsala University).
1
School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Australia ariyanti.dewi@uq.net.au
2
School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia Bioelectrometallurgical Application of Poriferan Chitin
3
Center of Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Australia Iaroslav Petrenko1, Vasilii V. Bazhenov2, Marcin Wysokowski3, Teofil Jesionowski3 and Hermann
As part of our ongoing research of the chemical ecology of Australian nudibranchs, we investigated the sec- Ehrlich1
ondary metabolites of chromodorid nudibranchs that were sequestered from their sponge diets. Four species 1
Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 23, 09599 Freiberg, Germany. Hermann.Ehrlich@
of chromodorid nudibranchs were collected along the coast of Queensland and were dissected into mantle physik.tu-freiberg.de
and viscera tissues. The chemistry of each specimen was investigated and the distribution of the isolated 2
European XFEL GmbH, Holzkoppel 4, 22869 Schenefeld, Germany
compounds was analysed. Specimens of Goniobranchus coi were found to contain a series of rearranged di- 3
Institute of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Faculty of Chemical Technology, Poznan University of Technology, Berdy-
terpenes in both the mantle and viscera extracts, including a new compound namely chromolactol possessing
chowo 4, 60965 Poznan, Poland
an unusual stereochemistry of the [3.3.0]-dioxabicyclo octane ring. From the extract of Ardeadoris egretta,
Marine demosponges of the Verongida order represent renewable source of unique prestructured three di-
more spongian diterpenes were isolated, along with a new 7á-hydroxy-dendrillol-3 that was concentrated in
mentional skeletal networks made of chitin. Such chitinous scaffolds isolated from Aplysina aerophoba and
the viscera tissue.1 The extract of A. egretta was toxic and unpalatable against the brine shrimp Artemia salina
Ianthella basta sponges can be used as novel templates for deposition of metals such as copper and copper ox-
and the shrimp Palaemon serenus, respectively.
ides. In contrast to traditional Extreme Biomimetics methods which are based on high temperature reactions,
194 195
here, we propose an alternative way based on electrochemical plating. This method allows creation of 3D Identification, Purification and Characterization of Proteins with Cytotoxic/Antitumor
composite materials with metallic and metal oxide nanostructures within their surfaces. The nanostructured Activity from Chondrosia reniformis
metallic phases obtained on and within chitinous fibres of poriferan origin represents replicas of the original
nanofibrous substrate. Functionalization of sponge chitin with metals opens new fields for their practical ap- Sonia Scarfì1, Marina Pozzolini1, Andrea Abbona1, Matteo Paccagnella2, Annalisa Salis2, Gianluca
plication as catalysts. Damonte2 & Marco Giovine1
1
Financial support by DFG Grant EH 394/3-1 (Germany), Krüger Research School, Biohydrometallurgical Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DiSTAV), University of Genova, Genova, Italy
2
Center for Strategic Elements (BHMZ) at TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Germany), as well as PUT research Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
grant03/32/DSPB/0706/2017 (Poland) are gratefully acknowledged. The majority of medicines come from natural resources, and in particular a great number of bioactive mol-
ecules (more than 10, 000) have been isolated until now from the marine environment, with hundreds of new
compounds still being discovered every year [1]. The richest sources of sea natural products are invertebrates
The Giant Basal Spicule of Monorhaphis Sponge Revisited
with Porifera being the most prolific phylum. Sponge-derived bioactive compounds show the most varied
Andrzej Pisera1, Magdalena Łukowiak1, Konstantin Tabachnick2 & Hermann Ehrlich3 activities: antifungal, anti-HIV, antiviral, antibacterial, but the predominant action is cytotoxic/antitumor with
1
Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland. apis@twarda.pan.pl, mlu- more than 800 compounds so far identified in this category.
kowiak@twarda.pan.pl Sporadic observations on the behavior of the marine sponge Chondrosia reniformis pointed out a possible
2
P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 36, Nakhimovski prospect, Moscow, Russia, 117997. tabach- production of cytotoxic compounds in stress conditions able to kill neighboring organisms. The aim of this
nick@mail.ru work was to purify and possibly characterize the compound causing said activity by means of a step by step
3
Institute of Experimental Physics, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 23, 09599 Freiberg, Germany. hermann.ehrlich@ purification followed by in vitro cytotoxicity analyses (MTT test) on a series of human tumor cell lines (leu-
physik.tu-freiberg.de kemia, breast cancer, pulmonary carcinoma) as well as on healthy primary cells (fibroblast and blood mono-
Basal spicule of hexactinellid sponge Monorhaphis is probably the largest single biosilica- based structure nuclear cells). The MTT tests showed a predominant cytotoxicity on tumor cells compared to healthy cells,
on Earth. The single spicule can reach nearly 1 cm in diameter and over 2 meters of length. During the last thus pointing out a possible antitumor activity. Furthermore, preliminary experiments surprisingly showed that
decade, it became a model of hexactinellid spicules structure and formation. most cytotoxic/antitumor activity was confined to the protein fraction of the crude hydrophilic extract. Thus,
We have examined several new specimens of this spicule and have discovered that some descriptions and indifferent methods of protein fractionation were used to isolate the bioactive protein for a final high definition
terpretations of the Monorhaphis spicule structures reported previously by Müller and his co-workers (Wang mass spectrometry (HD-MS) characterization. Namely, the purification steps were: a 10 kDa-cut-off dialysis,
et al. 2011 with references) must be questioned. According to their observations, the majority of the spicule a 30% ammonium sulphate protein fractionation and a HPLC separation by gel filtration. After the latter step,
body is composed of regular smooth siliceous laminae, but two most external layers differ in morphology and a particular low-MW HPLC peak retained the antitumor activity, thus this fraction was separated in a 2D gel
structure. The most external layer called “banded ribbon layer” was first described as made of a solid fibrous electrophoresis showing the presence of three protein bands. The bands from the gel were then trypsin-digest-
collagen but later its siliceous composition has been proven. The sculpture of the second layer, occurring died and the derived peptides analyzed in HD-MS obtaining the sequence of a series of peptides.
rectly below, was described as depressions with elevated rims that housed sclerocytes. Finally, through an in silico analysis comparing the peptide sequences to the C. reniformis transcriptome
Our studies show that such complex structure characterize only some parts of the spicule and have confirmed previously obtained in our lab, we were able to identify three possible protein candidates for the cytotoxic/
that the ribbon layer is siliceous, not organic. We have found that, in opposition to a solid glassy structure of antitumor activity: a protein with a trefoil factor domain and two unknown proteins showing no homology to
all more internal lamellae, banded ribbon layer is porous and composed of granular silica. On the contrary to known sequences. Actually, homologues of the first protein from higher Metazoa already show in literature an
earlier reports, we can demonstrate that the penultimate layer is covered with regularly developed and distrib- involvement in stress conditions, especially in epithelial injuries. Finally, we plan for the future to obtain the
uted elevations, not with depressions. Those elevations fit tightly into depressions in the lower (overhanging) three proteins in recombinant form for further characterization studies.
surface of the banded ribbon layer. The structure of the penultimate layer is exactly the same as all internal la- Research supported by EU (FP7 grant agreement n: 266033 SPonge Enzyme End Cell for Innovative AppLi-
mella i.e. glassy and without visible porosity. It is worth to mention that the apparent depressions cannot house cation-SPECIAL).
sclerocytes, because in in later stage of development in hexactinellids occurs only sclerosyncytium. Our ob-
References
servations clearly show that the elevations in Monorhaphis spicules are developed by progressively stronger
1. Proksch P, Edrada RA, Ebel R. Appl Microbial Biotechnol, 2002, 59: 125-134
folding of the surface of superimposed thinner layers. It is not clear why and how such structures developed,
but we speculate that the outer banded ribbon layer of silica may be an adaptation to help sponge to keep on
the spicules and not to glide down on a very smooth silica surface. The elevations of the penultimate layer that Two new sesterterpenes isolated from the Antarctica sponge Phorbas bergmontae Hajdu
fit into depressions of the lower surface of banded ribbon layer help to stabilize (fix) this layer. & Teixeira, 2011
References
1. X. H. Wang, M. Wiens, H. C. Schröder, K. P. Jochum, U. Schloßmacher, H. Götz, H. Duschner, W. E. G. Müller, J. Experi- Hiren Solanki1 , Carlos Angulo-Preckler2, Kevin Calabro1, Navdeep Kaur1, Conxita Avila2 & Olivier P.
mental Biol. 214 (2011) 2047-2056. Thomas1
Financial support by the Polish National Science Center Grant 2016/21/B/ST10/02332 to A. Pisera. 1
National University of Ireland, Galway, School of Chemistry, Marine Biodiscovery, Ryan Institute, University Road, Galway,
Ireland.
2
University of Barcelona, Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates), Faculty of Biology, Biodiversity Research Institute (Ir-
BIO), Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. h.solanki1@nuigalway.ie
Chemical investigation of sponges has been mainly focused on tropical and temperate waters, while cold wa-
ter sponges have attracted much less attention. Among 18 sponges collected from Antarctic waters, 2 species
were selected as their extracts exhibited the highest antimicrobial and anti-predator or anti-biofouling activi-
196 197
10th World Sponge Conference Posters Ecology
ties. Chemical investigation of the first species identified as Phorbas bergmontae Hajdu & Teixeira, 2011 Posters Ecology
led to the isolation of three new sesterterpenes 1-3 but also of the already described analogues: suberitenone
B and oxaspirosuberitenone. The structure elucidation of the new compounds was performed mostly by NMR
North-western Australia: a sponge biodiversity hotspot
data analyses and mass spectrometry. Compound 1 and 2 exhibit an oxaspirosuberitenone skeleton while com-
pound 3 belongs to the typical suberitenone class. Compounds 1-3 mostly differ from the already described Jane Fromont1, 2, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab2, 3, Oliver Gomez1, 2, Merrick Ekins4, Monique
compounds from another sponge Suberites sp. from Antarctica only in positions 0-6 and 0-20 with an inversion Goverdina Geerruida Grol5, John N.A. Hooper4, 6
between the acetyl and the hydroxyl groups. 1
Department of Aquatic Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Locked Bag 49, Welshpool DC, WA 6986, Australia
2
Western Australian Marine Science Institution, Entrance 2 Brockway Road, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia
3
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Indian Ocean Marine Research Centre, The University of
Western Australia (MO96) 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley WA 6009, Australia m.abdulwahab@aims.gov.au
4
Queensland Museum, PO Box 3330, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
5
CoralWatch, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
6
Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
The biodiversity of sponges of the Pilbara region, north-western Australia, was assessed using datasets amal-
gamated from the Western Australian Museum and the Atlas of Living Australia databases. Using the Integrat-
ed Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia (IMCRA), differences in biodiversity between Pilbara
bioregions were also determined. The Pilbara accounts for a total of 1164 Linnean and morphospecies and is
considered to be a global biodiversity hotspot for marine sponges. A high level of “apparent endemism” was
recorded with 78% of species found in only one of six bioregions, and with less than 10% confirmed as widely
distributed. The Ningaloo, Pilbara Nearshore and Pilbara Offshore bioregions contain >250 species and are
recognised as having the highest conservation value, followed by the North West Shelf with 232 species.
Species compositions differed between bioregions, with those that are less spatially separated sharing more
species. Notably, the North West Province bioregion (110 species) exhibited the most distinct species com-
position, highlighting it as a unique habitat within the Pilbara. While sponge biodiversity is apparently high,
incomplete sampling effort in parts of the region was identified, with only two sampling events recorded for
the Central West Transition bioregion. Furthermore, only 15% of records in the dataset are presently described
(Linnean) species, highlighting the continuing need for taxonomic expertise for the conservation and manage-
ment of marine biodiversity resources.
This research was funded by the Western Australian Marine Science Institution (WAMSI) as part of a Dredg-
ing Science Program, and made possible through investment from Chevron Australia, Woodside Energy Lim-
ited and BHP Billiton as environmental offsets, and by co-investment from WAMSI Joint Venture partners.
This research was also enabled by data and information provided by Chevron Australia. The commercial enti-
ties had no role in data analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the presentation. The views expressed
herein are those of the authors and not necessarily those of WAMSI.
Silica concentration influence on sponge spicule dimensions

Belinda Alvarez1, Wim Clymans1, Gary Prentice3, Katharine Hendry3 & Daniel Conley1
1
Lund University, Department of Geology, Lund, Sweden. belinda.alvarez@geol.lu.se
2
Digital Optics, Auckland, New Zealand
3
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
Silicon isotope composition of sponge spicules has been positively correlated to the ambient silica (dissolved
Si) concentration and proposed as a good estimator of silica conditions in past oceans [1, 2]. In this work we
explored relationships between the dimensions of sponge spicules and the availability of silica in the sponge
habitat to identify potential morphometric variables that could complement the relationships derived from
isotopic studies.
Seventeen individuals belonging to 15 sponge species, with similar megascleres in their skeletons (styloids,
styles and subtylostyles) and collected at six stations with different concentrations of ambient silica (12, 56,
75, 84, 107 and 119 µM) were selected to explore these relationships. The, area, length and width (at 100 equi-
distant points along each spicule), were measured in 30 non-broken megasclere spicules of each individual.
Measurements were made on digital images of the spicules with an algorithm developed in V++ Precision
198 199
Digital Imaging System v 5.0 (Digital Optics, Ltd). assemblages along the eastern Adriatic Sea revealed high species richness and significant inter-site and inter-
depth variability of macrobenthic biodiversity. The aim of this work was to assess diversity of sponge taxa
The dimension of spicules based on the morphometric variables considered, showed a great variability among
present in the coralligenous of the Eastern Adriatic Sea. We analysed our database with over 2000 specimens
the selected species and no apparent correlation with the concentration of silica. The inter-specific variation in
of sponge species that we sampled and determined over the last 15 years from more than two hundred locations
the size of spicules is less at stations with DSi>75 µM. In those stations, species show a higher frequency of
along the Croatian coast. Among 125 determined species, 68 were recorded in coralligenous, but not exclu-
spicules in smaller size categories. The maximum dimensions are also recorded in these stations but not in a
sively, many of them were also present in the community of semi-dark caves. We also performed underwater
linear way in relation to the DSi concentration.
photo-sampling of coralligenous community dominated with the red gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) on six
The results indicate that the variability of spicule dimensions is more likely to be species-related than con- locations, three in the central and three in the north Adriatic. Analysis of photos revealed 46 distinct categories
trolled by the availability of silica or other environmental correlated parameters of their habitats. Extrapola- (taxa) of sponges. Among them 21 were possible to determine to a species level and 11 to a genus level. In our
tions of silica conditions in past environments derived from spicule dimensions found in fossil records or sedi- contribution we discuss these results in light of previous studies carried out elsewhere in the Mediterranean.
ment cores should be therefore carefully considered. Sizes and frequencies of size classes on the other hand
might continue to be useful morphometric characters to differentiate sponge species, despite some claims that
they are not constant within species. Carbon cycling by the deep-sea glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi
Martijn C. Bart1, Gabrielle J. Tompkins-MacDonald2, Jasper M. de Goeij1
Financial support by Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation to DJC is gratefully acknowledged.
1
References Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam,
Post Office Box 94248, 1090 GE Amsterdam, Netherlands m.c.bart@uva.nl
1. Hendry KR, Georg RB, Rickaby REM, Robinson LF, Halliday AN (2010) Deep ocean nutrients during the Last Glacial Maxi-
2
mum deduced from sponge silicon isotopic compositions. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 292: 290-300. Bedford Institute of Oceanography, 1 Challenger drive, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada
2. Hendry KR, Robinson LF (2012) The relationship between silicon isotope fractionation in sponges and silicic acid concentra- Deep-sea sponge grounds are abundant and complex reef structures on the ocean floor. They support rich as-
tion: Modern and core-top studies of biogenic opal. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 81: 1-12. sociated faunal communities and act as feeding grounds and nurseries for various commercial fish species1.
Despite their importance, deep-sea sponge grounds have received little to no attention as to how they function,
Initial report on nine newly discovered glass sponge reefs in British Columbia, Canada which hampers proper understanding of these vulnerable ecosystems. The emerging view is that sponges play
a key role in deep-sea food webs and biogeochemical cycles2, 3. We quantified the uptake, transfer, and release
Stephanie K. Archer1, Glenn Denison2 and Anya Dunham1
rates of dissolved and particulate organic carbon by the deep-sea glass sponge Vazella pourtalesi, using ex situ
1
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, 3190 Hammond Bay Road, Nanaimo, BC V9T 6N7, Canada flow chamber experiments. Preliminary results show that V. pourtalesi efficiently takes up a wide variety of
2
Marine Life Sanctuaries Society of British Columbia, PO Box 54193, Lonsdale West, North Vancouver, BC V7M 3L5. Stephanie. particulate organic carbon sources, and that bacterial uptake rates are on average eight times lower than for
Archer@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
encrusting tropical sponges. Additionally, V. pourtalesi seems not able to utilize viral particles. These results
Glass sponge reefs are built by dictyonine hexactinellid sponges. These sponges are characterized by fused provide the first indication on the ecological role of deep-sea V. pourtalesi glass sponges in carbon cycling and
spicules that result in the persistence of skeletal structural integrity after the sponges’ death. This property al- deep-sea ecosystems.
lows for reef formation as larval sponges settle on the structure provided by previous generations of sponges.
References
Glass sponge reefs have only been documented in shelf habitats in the North East Pacific from Portland
1. C. Cathalot, D. van Oevelen, T.J. Cox et al. Frontiers Mar. Sci., 2 (2015) 1-12.
Canal to the Strait of Georgia. Recently nine small reefs in Howe Sound, British Columbia, Canada, were
2. L. Rix, J.M. de Goeij, C.E. Mueller et al. Sci Rep. 6 (2016) 18715.
discovered by a citizen science group using a drop camera. Here we present the results of a survey of these
nine reefs using Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s ROV. A total of 19 transects (1-3 per reef) were conducted 3. A.S. Kahn, G. Yahel, J.W.F. Chu et al. Limnol. Oceanogr. 60 (2015) 78-88.
between September 29 and October 2, 2016. A forward facing high-definition video camera collected continu- Financial support by the EU Horizon2020, project, grant Agreement 679849, is gratefully acknowledged.
ous video used to assess megafauna community structure. A downward facing still camera automatically
took a photo every 15 seconds. The still photos were used to assess percent cover of live and standing dead Cohort Analysis and Kinship of the Hexactinellid Sponge Vazella pourtalesi on an
sponge. These reefs, similar to others in the Strait of Georgia, are constructed by Aphrocallistes vastus and
Artificial Substrate
Heterochone calyx. They are the shallowest known glass sponge reefs, with some reef pinnacles as shallow
as 20 m. The reefs have high live sponge cover ranging from 4 to 25%. Standing dead sponge cover was Lindsay Beazley1, Ellen Kenchington1, Sarah Thompson1, Joana R Xavier2, Fred Whoriskey3
also high ranging from 5 to 42%. We documented a diverse megafaunal community associated with the reefs 1
Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
including several species of sponges, fish, crabs, and other crustaceans. Overall these newly discovered reefs Lindsay.Beazley@dfo-mpo.gc.ca
appear healthy and represent a substantial increase in the number of known glass sponge reefs, an ecosystem 2
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box
that, until recently, was thought to be extinct. 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
3
Ocean Tracking Network, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Diversity of sponge species in the coralligenous community along the eastern Adriatic The hexactinellid Vazella pourtalesi, commonly known as the “Russian Hat” sponge, forms a globally unique
Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli , Silvija Kipson & Donat Petricioli
1 1 2 monospecific sponge ground on the Scotian Shelf off Nova Scotia, Canada. Under Fisheries and Oceans Can-
1
ada’s (DFO) 2009 Policy for Managing the Impact of Fishing on Sensitive Benthic Areas, two areas equating
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia. tatjana.bakran-
to 197 km2 were closed to all bottom fishing activities in 2013 to protect this unique population of sponges.
petricioli@biol.pmf.hr
2
It was recently discovered that a tracking array consisting of over 200 acoustic moorings situated off Nova
D.I.I.V. Ltd., for marine, freshwater and subterranean ecology, Obala Petra Lorinija 52, HR-23281 Sali, Croatia
Scotia from Halifax to the shelf break owned by Dalhousie University’s Ocean Tracking Network (OTN) is
Porifera is one of the most representative and diverse groups of animals present in the Mediterranean corallig- heavily biofouled by Vazella pourtalesi (Figure 1). This provides a unique opportunity to collect high quanti-
enous community. Up till now more than 300 species of sponges have been recorded in this habitat threatened ties of sponges of a known age during future servicing of these moorings. In collaboration with the EU- funded
with a number of human activities. Recent study of highly valuable but highly understudied coralligenous Horizon2020 SponGES project and the OTN, DFO is conducting size-frequency and cohort determination
200 201
analyses of Vazella pourtalesi collected from the moorings. A detailed kinship study that will investigate the by other biota, such as macroalgae and sponges. These shifts influence the dynamics of benthic reef popula-
genetic relatedness of sponges on the moorings and the dispersal distance between kin will also take place. tions. Sponges represent some of the most adaptable benthic organisms and may be found in diverse marine
Additionally, information on the spatial population structure, growth rate and basic reproductive biology will ecosystems. Yet, few have assessed sponge populations and their interaction with other reef biota. Here, we
be deduced from these samples. The results of these studies will serve to increase our understanding of the surveyed the benthic populations of tetillid ball sponges, tentatively identified as Cinachyrella sp., on four
ability of this species to recover in the face of anthropogenic impact and assess whether DFO’s two closure bommies in a tropical reef lagoon in Bolinao, northwestern Philippines. Ball sponges are common on these
areas are adequate for its conservation. bommies, with an average abundance of 3.6 individuals per sq. m. and an average size of 3.4 cm. The abun-
dance, size frequency distribution, and morphology of the ball sponges varied across bommies. Based on
spicule morphology and microbial profiling, the sponge balls could be classified into two groups that vary in
research and innovation programme (grant agreement 679849).
abundance between the eastern and westernmost bommies. Fine-scale differences in the population structure
of the sponges despite close proximity of the bommies within the reef may reflect differences in species dis-
A survey of the shallow water sponge fauna of the Cyprus island (Eastern- tribution as influenced by the gradient of physicochemical parameters in the environment. Interestingly, all
Mediterranean) the ball sponges exhibit frequent interactions with other biota, particularly the spaghetti sponge, Callyspongia
samarensis, as well as corals. Ball sponges also contribute to reef structure, forming the base of the territories
Marco Bertolino1, Alexia Setti1, Gabriele Costa1, Valentina Giussani2, Maurizio Pansini1 & Roberto
of farmer damselfish on the upper surface of the bommies. The tetillid sponges showed no obvious negative
Pronzato1
effects on other biota. However, further studies exploring its potential influence on recruitment of corals and
1
DiSTAV, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy marco.bertolino75@gmail.com other benthic organisms need to be conducted.
2
ARPAL - Dip. Biotossicologia ambientale, via Fontevivo 21L, 19125 La Spezia, Italy
References
The Mediterranean Sea, with over 650 sponge species recorded in total and a percentage of endemics around 1. van Soest RWM and Rutzler K (2002) Family Tetillidae Sollas, 1886. In Systema Porifera: A Guide to the Classification of
50%, is one of the marine areas richest of porifera. Notwithstanding this the sponge fauna of the Levantine Sponges. Hooper JNA and Van Soest RWM (eds). Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York.
Basin (30°-35° East of Greenwich) is still poorly known. As to Cyprus in particular, just one paper deals of 2. Cuvelier, M. L., Blake, E., Mulheron, R., McCarthy, P. J., Blackwelder, P., Thurber, R. L. V., & Lopez, J. V. (2014). Two dis-
freshwater sponges and other 3 report on 3 protected species of marine sponges. More detailed is the informa- tinct microbial communities revealed in the sponge Cinachyrella. Frontiers in Microbiology, 5, 1–12.
tion about commercial sponge fishery and its decline after the dramatic 1986 disease. Financial support by the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines is gratefully acknowl-
This first scuba diving survey of the shallow water Cyprus sponge fauna allowed to identify 32 sponge taxa in edged.
total (23 at species level and 8 at genus level) from 5 sampling sites at 2-15 m depth. Keratosa, with 15 species,
are the most common order. According to the presence/absence in the different sites, the most common species Antarctic Sponges and Climate Change: Responses from Individual to Community
are: Chondrosia reniformis (5/5), Crambe crambe (4/5), Haliclona (Rhizoniera) sarai, Phorbas fictitius and Levels
Sarcotragus spinosulus (3/5).
César A. Cárdenas1, Marcelo Gonzalez-Aravena1, Eduardo Hajdu2, Nicole Trefault3, Shane W.
From a biogeographic point of view the Cyprus sponge fauna shows a clear Atlanto- Mediterranean affinity Geange4 & James J. Bell5
(17 spp) without prevalence of species with either Mauritanic or Lusitanic affinity. Seven species (32%) out 1
of the 23 identified in total result Mediterranean endemics, a percentage significantly lower than that of the Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Punta Arenas, Chile. ccardenas@inach.cl
2
whole Mediterranean Sea. Ten sponge species are recorded in the Levantine Basin for the first time. The ma- Museu Nacional, Departamento de Invertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
jority of species are common and previously reported by several authors from Mediterranean Sea; only 1 spe- 3
Center for Genomics and Bioinformatics, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile.
cies (Petrosia (Petrosia) clavata) can be considered rare, being recorded no more than 6 times in the past. P. 4
Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand.
(Petrosia) clavata is here reported for the third time, but probably it was confused with P. (Petrosia) ficiformis. 5
School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
Focusing on the Keratosa, to which belong the majority of recorded taxa, the complete absence of Dendroc- The Antarctic Peninsula has undergone drastic changes in air and water temperature over the last fifty years
eratida could be ascribed to their actual rarity in the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. Darwinellidae), but also to their and continues to experience some of the most rapid climatic warming on the planet. The projected changes in
inconspicuous aspect. Among Dictyoceratida the family Irciniidae is represented by 7 taxa of Ircinia and 4 of temperature constitute major threats to ecosystem functioning, services and integrity, as they can affect key
Sarcotragus; the family Spongiidae by 2 taxa of the genus Spongia. Cyprus is one of the traditional sites of functional species and associated ecosystem processes. Sponges play important roles in community dynam-
fishery and trade of bath sponges. The severe diseases at the end of the last century virtually stopped this activ- ics, as microhabitat providers and also positively influencing diversity and composition of Antarctic benthic
ity, making very rare, or locally extinct, the 5 species of Spongia (S. lamella, S. mollissima, S. officinalis and communities. Recent evidence suggests their diversity and abundance in algae-dominated rocky reefs in the
S. zimocca) and 1 of Hippospongia (Hippospongia communis) supporting this fishery. The record of Spongia western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has been underestimated. This highlights that the existing knowledge on
zimocca could be an important sign of new recruitment of this traditionally exploited and much sought-after sponge assemblages and the functional roles they play in vast zones of the WAP is still incomplete. The long-
bath sponge. term goal of this work is to evaluate the utility of sponge species as indicators environmental perturbation with
Antarctic benthic communities.
For the sponge sampling Demetris and Periklis Kletou are gratefully acknowledged.
The objectives of this proposal, which are a step towards attaining the long-term goal, are to generate baseline
data on the distribution of Antarctic sponge species and their microbial communities against which future
Fine-scale population structure of tetillid sponges in a tropical reef lagoon
temperature-induced changes can be assessed, and to undertake initial evaluations of the effect of temperature
Cecilia Conaco, Michael Angelou Nada, Jake Ivan Baquiran & Patrick C. Cabaitan increases on the ecophysiological performance of Antarctic sponges. Sponge assemblages have been moni-
Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines pcabaitan@msi.upd.edu.ph tored for 2 years at different sites around Doumer Island (64°52’24’’S; 63°36’00’’W), Palmer Archipelago,
With the increasing incidence of disturbance caused by anthropogenic activities and thermal stress events Antarctic Peninsula. Preliminary results confirm previous evidence suggesting the presence of diverse sponge
related to climate change, many reefs have transformed from being dominated by corals to being dominated assemblages in zones that are typically dominated by canopy-forming algae (e.g. Himantothallus grandifo-
lius). In addition, high throughput sequencing shows the existence of diverse bacterial communities associ-
202 203
ated with different Antarctic sponges. It is critical to increase our understanding of the dynamics of Antarctic Deep-Sea sponges from the Cape Verde archipelago collected during RV Meteor cruise
sponges from a molecular to community level, which will help our understanding of current patterns, which M80/3
is essential for informing our ability to detect future changes in these communities resulting from increasing
temperatures. Frine Cardone1&*, Matthias López Correa2&, Jacek Raddatz3, Thor Hansteen4
1
Financial support by FONDECYT 11150129 is gratefully acknowledged. Department of Biology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
2
GeoZentrum Nordbayern (GZN), Universität Erlangen, Loewenichstr. 28, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany.
3
Goethe University, Institute of Geosciences, Altenhöfer Allee 1, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
New Ice-Free Areas in Antarctic shallow-waters: an Opportunity for Sponge 4
GEOMAR, Wischhofstr. 1-3, D-24148 Kiel, Germany.
Colonization? & These authors contributed equally to this work
Cristian Lagger1, César A. Cárdenas2 *Conference presenter: frine.cardone@uniba.it

1
Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), CONICET-UNC and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Uni- During RV-Meteor cruise M80/3 the submarine volcanoes of the Cape Verde archipelago have been examined
versidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina. with the ROV QUEST6000 to document and sample the volcanic rocks and the associated biological com-
2
Departamento Científico, Instituto Antártico Chileno, Punta Arenas, Chile. ccardenas@inach.cl munities of cold-water corals and sponges. Our current work is focused on creating a basic inventory of the
The Antarctic Peninsula has warmed significantly over recent decades, being considered among the fastest common sponge species and a description of the rare sponge species. The sponge samples have been collected
warming regions on Earth. This warming has profound influences on the cryosphere including ice shelf col- between 767 and 3753 m, corresponding to a temperature decline of 7.2 to 2.9°C and a salinity decline from
lapses and a decrease in extent and seasonality of sea-ice. Furthermore, the majority of glaciers have retreated 34.99 to 34.86 g/kg. The explored environments most commonly comprised volcanic rock escarpments with
during the last 60 years. Particularly, the Fourcade Glacier surrounding Potter Cove (South Shetland Island, fresh mafic rocks, which served as substrate for encrusting sponges. The second most abundant substrates
Antarctica) shows an accelerated retreat affecting the hydrographical characteristics of the cove; hence, driv- were Pleistocene to recent skeletons of cold-water corals which littered the flanks of the submarine volcanoes.
ing significant changes in the established benthic communities. In addition, the glacier retreat has also uncov- Sandy to muddy siliciclastic substrates were encountered only scarcely. Overall the sponge macrofauna was
ered a new rocky island representing an excellent opportunity to study colonization and succession processes dominated by Hexactinellidae mainly belonging to the subclass Hexasterophora. Aphrocallistes beatrix was a
in Antarctic ecosystems. We sampled the new island by photo-transects taken up to 30 m depth by SCUBA common element within the fossil Lophelia grounds between 767 and ~900 m depth. Several species of Cla-
diving, six years after that it was freed of ice (March 2010). Here, we report a particular benthic assemblage dorhizidae and other small hexactinellid sponges had been found in the framework of Hertwigia falcifera at
characterized by high species richness, diversity and structural complexity with a well-developed three-di- 1403 m depth. On the flanks of Cabo Verde Seamount at 950 m (N15°18’/W021°53’) the candelabrum-shaped
mensional structure, dominated by filter feeders at all depths. hexactinellid sponge Sarostegia oculata had been found associated with a large number of polychaetes placed
inside axial cavities of the branches. Furthermore, all the atrial cavities of the sponges were closed by a parch-
Sponges were the second most important group in terms of abundance in the new island with a mean of 3.03 ± ment, which contained planktonic foraminifera. Interestingly, these spots served as preferred settlement sites
0.32 percent cover. Total abundance of sponges decreased markedly across the bathymetric gradient, with the of zoanthids.
lowest cover (0.9 ± 0.31%) recorded at 30 m depth. The sponge Haliclona sp. 2 was the most abundant taxa,
representing between 25 and 70% of total sponge coverage. We registered large individuals reaching more We further examine the endolithic sponge inventory, based on their spicules and tissues encased in calcitic
than 50 cm in length (sponges of up to 0.02 m3). Considering if individuals have settled and grown for only six (e.g. Keratoisis) and aragonitic cold-water corals (e.g. Lophelia), which served as substrates. Their trace mor-
years, it will represent a high growth rate, higher than previously reported for demosponges in Polar Regions, phology is explored with the vacuum epoxy- cast embedding technique and SEM, revealing a rich ichnocoe-
hence confirming recent findings reported from East Antarctica and challenging the widely held assumption noses, dominated by fungal traces and bioeroding sponges.
of low velocity processes in Antarctic benthos. However, it also opens the question of whether these sponges
could have been present under the glacier in ice refuges and now have been exposed to open sea conditions. Diversity and abundancy of intertidal zone sponges on rocky shores of NSW, Australia:
Sedimentation will increase under the current scenario of glacier retreat, affecting filter- feeders and other patterns of species distributions, abundance and diversity.
sessile benthic organisms such as sponges, which may be vulnerable. For this reason, sponges may constitute
suitable indicators of climate induced perturbations along the Antarctic Peninsula. On the other hand, the Caroline Corodnis1, Andy Davis2
1
opening of new areas available for sponge colonization that could take place at previously unexpected veloc- School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. ccbds989@uowmail.edu.au
2
ity, shows the need for a better understanding on the interactions between physical and biological variables Director of the Institute for Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, School of Biological Sciences, University of
and how they affect sponge assemblages Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia.
A primary measure to manage biodiversity loss in marine ecosystems is to define priority areas for conser-
Financial support by FONDECYT 11150129 is gratefully acknowledged. vation based on biodiversity hotspots and the distribution of key organisms. Sponges (Porifera) are a highly
diverse group that, despite playing a wide range of important functional roles, still poorly represented in
monitoring and conservation programmes. They are also an important component of sessile benthic com-
munities, acting as competitors, symbionts, hosts of symbionts, consumers, and prey. I investigated sponge
diversity and distribution on the rocky intertidal shores of south eastern Australia. I used quantitative surveys
(2 hour timed searches) on 14 intertidal rock reefs along the Illawarra Coast, NSW, Australia. The relative
importance of sedimentation, wave exposure and habitat complexity was also examined at the between-reef
scale. In parallel, patterns in sponge biodiversity were compared with those for the phylum Mollusca, provid-
ing a more comprehensive assessment of the bioregional invertebrate fauna. My sponge survey resulted in 12
new occurrences of sponge species for the Illawarra Region, many of these undescribed. Although more data
are required to determine which variables are drivers of patterns of distribution and abundance. These data will
contribute formulating advice regarding to the establishment of comprehensive and representative intertidal
204 205
protected areas in the Hawkesbury Shelf Marine Bioregion of NSW, Australia. notably lower taxonomic richness characterize the barren state 15 sponge taxa. As for the habitus we noticed
References that those with massive, encrusting and insinuating sponges are in greater numbers in the EMA state while the
1. K. Benkendorff, A. Davis, Biodiversity and Conservation. 11 (2002) 1959-1973. boring ones are dominant in the ECA state.
2. N. Myers, R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, G. A. B. Fonseca, J. Kent, Nature. 403 (2000). References
3. J. Bell, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 79 (2008) 341-353. 1. C. Bonaviri, T. V. Fernandez , F. Badalamenti, P. Gianguzza, M. Di Lorenzo, & S. Riggio, Fish versus starfish predation
4. J. Wulff, Can. J. Zool. 84 (2006) 146-166. in controlling sea urchin populations in Mediterranean rocky shores. (2009) Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 382, 129-138.
2. K. N. Suding, K. L. Gross, & G. R. Houseman. Alternative states and positive feedbacks in restoration ecology. (2004).
Financial support by CAPPES Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. Trends Ecol. Evol., 19(1), 46-53.
Space-time evaluation of the composition and abundance of boring sponges on First characterization of the deep-sea sponge communities on seamounts of the
Abrolhos Bank shallow reefs, Bahia, Brazil Galapagos Marine Reserve
Fernanda Cervi1, Fernando Moraes1, Claudia Karez1, Rodrigo Moura2, Gilberto Amado-Filho1 Marie F. Creemers1, Salomé Buglass1, Henry Reiswig2, Sarah Griffiths3, Evelyn Taylor-Cox3, Robert
1
Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Pacheco Leão, 915/123. 22460-030, Rio de Ja- Winch3, Amanda Bates4, Patricia Martí Puig1
neiro, RJ, Brazil. 1
Charles Darwin Foundation, Santa Cruz, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. marie.creemers@alumni.ulg.ac.be
2 Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. 2
University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada
Boring sponges are key players in the ecology of coralline reefs. By removing minute carbonate particles 3
School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
(microchips), sponges contribute to the weakening of the reef framework while increase the production of 4
Ocean & Earth Sciences Department, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
fine sediments. They are positively affected by rising temperature, acidification and eutrophication, being Seamounts on the Galápagos platforms provide numerous ecosystem services of great economical interest
good bioindicators of local and global stressors. The Abrolhos Bank is the largest reef complex in the South for the tourism and fishery sectors. Recognized by the United Nations as priority habitats under international
Atlantic, harboring a unique biodiversity and providing several important ecosystem services. The aim of law, interest in seamounts has recently risen with regards to ensuring sustainable practices to manage human
the present work was to determine the composition and abundance of boring sponges along a spatial and activities and to conserve biodiversity. On the Galápagos platform, seamounts are estimated to be as numerous
temporal gradient on the Abrolhos Bank. Fixed photo-quadrats (1.800 images) and randomly line transects as 300; nonetheless, little is known about their faunal assemblages.
(400 m2) were employed on shallow (4-9 m depth) reefs from coastal (Pedra de Leste - PL) and mid-
Deep-sea sponges are one of the habitat-forming benthic taxa that can be observed around seamounts. In
shelf areas (Parcel dos Abrolhos - PAB). In the former methodology, sampling occurred in 2008- 2009 and
addition to their great economic interest for the pharmaceutical industry, deep-sea sponges enhance habitat
from 2013 to 2016, while in the latter it was in 2013 and 2016, always in the summer. Five species of boring
complexity and biodiversity. Due to their ecological importance, sponge conservation is crucial to preserving
sponges were recorded: Cliona carteri, C. delitrix, C. schmidti, C. varians & Siphonodictyon coralliphagum.
seamount ecosystems. Baseline information on deep-sea sponges is therefore necessary to increase our current
The most abundant species was C. carteri, reaching 20.4 ind.m-2 at PAB in 2014 and frequent in > 80% of
knowledge of the benthic fauna of seamounts and to improve the management of sponge-associated systems
the samples, followed by C. delitrix (maximum of 1.7 ind.m-2 at PAB in 2013 and frequent from 7- 20 % of
within the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR).
the samples). Mean cover of boring sponges was low (1.5 % at PAB and 0.006 % at PL) while density was
high (12.7 ind.m-2 PAB and 1.8 ind.m-2 PL), compared to other reefs in the Caribbean and Australia. Crustose With the upcoming plan for a new zonation scheme for the GMR, characterizing seamount habitats and bio-
coralline algae was the main substrate type bored (70%) by sponges. An increase in boring sponges abundance diversity has arisen as an important priority. Consequently, the Charles Darwin Foundation (CDF) initiated
was observed on Abrolhos shallow reefs from 2013, probably due to the environmental stress caused by the Seamounts of the Galápagos Marine Reserve project in partnership with the Galápagos National Park
higher seawater temperature, representing thermal anomalies during two consecutive summers (2013/2014). directorate (GNP).
Financial support by ANP/Brasoil, CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ. In order to explore seamounts of the GMR and establish a baseline inventory of their fauna, a cruise was con-
ducted aboard the E/V Nautilus and biological samples were collected on three seamounts by the Remotely
Operated Vehicle (ROV) Hercules. A total of thirteen species of sponges were morphologically identified, nine
Mediterranean Cystoseira forests vs. barren: the case of sponges
demosponges and four hexactinellids, whose eleven specimens are potentially new to sciences. Among the
Gabriele Costa1, Marco Bertolino1, Stefania Pinna2, Chiara Bonaviri3, Andrea Padiglia2-1, Roberto potential new species (84% of the specimens collected), one of each class is believed to belong to new genera,
Pronzato1 and Renata Manconi2 according to both morphological and genetics results.
1
Dipartimento per lo Studio del Territorio e delle sue Risorse (DISTAV), Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy These preliminary results encourage our team to further investigate the mysterious sponge biodiversity of the
2
Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio (DipNeT), Università degli Studi di Sassari, Sassari, Italy Galápagos seamounts and contribute to the maintenance and development of a sustainable management plan
3
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM), Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. gabrielecosta@me.com for the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
Mediterranean Cystoseira forests represent a suitable substrate for the recruitment of many benthic species. In
marine ecosystems at temperate latitudes, the reduction of predation or harvesting of sea urchins, Paracentro- Financial support by the MER Consortium Joint Program Board is gratefully acknowledged.
tus lividus (Lamarck, 1816) and Arbacia lixula (Linnaeus, 1758), can increase their abundance and provoke
a shift from EMA (Erected Macroalgae Assemblages) to ECA (Encrusting Coralline algae Assemblages) that Understanding Functional Morphology of the Sponge Aquiferous System by Using
characterizes the so-called “barren state” (Bonaviri et al., 2009). The transition from EMA to ECA state is Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Technique
expected to result in dramatic changes in community structure and ecosystem functioning and detrimental
effects on coastal fauna that uses macroalgae for shelter, recovery, food, and settlement. Moreover, positive Azraj S. Dahihande, Narsinh L. Thakur
feedback processes may prevent a return of the community to pristine conditions (Suding et al., 2004). In this azrajdahihande@gmail.com
paper, the Porifera taxonomic richness has been studied in EMA and ECA in six Mediterranean sites. In CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula- 403 004, Goa, India
total we have recorded 31 sponge taxa. Results revealed that the EMA state hosts 25 sponge taxa while a The aquiferous system, one of the major structural components of sponge morphology has multiple repeated
206 207
units called aquiferous modules1. Detailed 3D-reconstructions of sponge aquiferous system have been eluci- Financial support by The Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research (ALW-VENI #863.14.020) and the
dated with corrosion cast2, and synchrotron radiation based X-ray microtomography3. However, a working Lerner-Gray Fund for Marine Research (American Natural History Museum) is gratefully acknowledged.
model of the sponge aquiferous system is yet to be demonstrated. In the present investigation, Computed
Tomographic (CT scan) technique was applied to understand the functioning of the aquiferous system in live
Seagrass attributes and seascape patterns as drivers of sessile invertebrate distribution
specimens of sponge Ircinia fusca (massive growth form) and Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa (spherical growth
form). A radio opaque dye was used to obtain real time information of the water path inside the aquiferous in a coastal biogenic environment
system. Axial slices of the sponge CT scan revealed the progression of dye inside the canals. Interestingly, dye Marie-Claire Demers
released near the sponge base consistently followed the same path and exited from the nearest oscula. Similar Understanding the patterns of distribution of sessile epifaunal invertebrate communities in seagrass meadows
pattern was observed in the field experiments while estimating the sponge-pumping rate by using flourocien is an important precursor to determining the ecological processes shaping ecosystem function in this disappear-
dye. The pumping rate of I. fusca was 95-165 % higher than C. cf. cavernosa, which can be attributed to more ing habitat. To uncover patterns in the spatial distribution of sponges and ascidians within Posidonia australis
number of oscula, larger choanocyte chambers (histological observations) and wider canals (CT scan) in this meadows, I investigated small-scale biogenic characteristics, large-scale seascape patterns, and the abundance
sponge. Though the pattern of aquiferous system was similar in both sponges, CT scan images showed highly of a common seagrass-associated fish species. Linear regressions and generalised linear models were used to
convoluted canal system in C. cf. cavernosa, which explains the lower pumping rate. This investigation dem- determine the relationships between 21 predictor variables and several response variables. Response variables
onstrates the functional morphology of the sponge aquiferous system and highlights the potential application included; 1) sponge diversity, abundance and volume, 2) ascidian diversity and abundance, and 3) the abun-
of biomedical technique like CT scan in understanding the functional anatomy of marine invertebrates.
dance of two common sponge species (Haliclona spp. and Tedania (Tedania) sp.). Distributional patterns of
References sessile epifaunal invertebrates in seagrass meadows were influenced by both small-scale seagrass characteris-
1. Ereskovsky, A. V. (2003). Problems of coloniality, modularity, and individuality in sponges and special features of their mor- tics and large-scale seascape patterns. They were not affected by the abundance of a common fish species. The
phogeneses during growth and asexual reproduction. Russian Journal of Marine Biology, 29(1), S46-S56. scale over which patterns were apparent differed greatly between sponges and ascidians, suggesting that these
2. Bavestrello, G., & Burlando, B. (1988). The architecture of the canal systems of Petrosia ficiformis and Chondrosia reniformis different phyla respond to differing drivers of pattern. The biogenic characteristics of seagrass such as the
studied by corrosion casts (Porifera, Demospongiae). Zoomorphology, 108(3), 161-166.
density and length of shoots were found to be important determinants of sponge distribution. Hydrodynamic
3. Nickel, M., Donath, T., Schweikert, M., & Beckmann, F. (2006). Functional morphology of Tethya species (Porifera): 1.
baffling and nutrient availability are thought to play a role in this interaction. The distribution of a common
Quantitative 3D-analysis of Tethya wilhelma by synchrotron radiation based X-ray microtomography. Zoomorphology,
125(4), 209-223. sponge species complex, Haliclona spp. was found to be influenced by depth. This species is a suspected pho-
totroph and its distribution is believed to be dependent on irradiance associated with depth. Seascape patterns
Acknowledgement: We are grateful to The Director of National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR). We thank
influenced the distribution of ascidians inhabiting seagrass meadows. Meadows neighbouring abundant reefal
Suyash Naik, Shriraj Jakhalekar and Aabha Deshpande for help with the fieldwork. We greatly appreciate
habitats consistently harboured low ascidian species richness. This study provided an initial investigation of
the efforts and helpful suggestions from Vinayak Mestry, Ganpat Sawant, Shukur Shaikh and Dr. Charudutt
the factors driving this threatened community and should be perceived as an important stepping stone in de-
Sambhaji for scanning the sponge samples. This work was supported by CSIR funded project ‘Ocean Finder’
signing future experiments. I conclude by highlighting the importance of manipulative experiments to further
(PSC0105).
explore the underlying processes driving the patterns identified in this study.
What processes shape sponge biodiversity patterns? Re-examining the under-explored NW Pacific abyssal sponge assemblages of the Kuril-
Christiaan A. de Leeuw1, Rosemary Gillespie2, Agustin Capriati1, Leontine E. Becking1, 2, 3 Kamchatka and Okhotsk Sea
1
Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands, christiaan.deleeuw@wur.nl Rachel Downey1, Melanie Fuchs3 & Dorte Janussen2
2
Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA 1
School of Environment & Society, Australia National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
3
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands Conference presenter: rachel.downey@anu.edu.au
The abundance and composition of species in communities is determined by multiple stochastic and deter- 2
Senckenberg Natural History Museum & Research Institute, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
ministic processes. However, the complexity of most marine ecosystems makes it difficult to independently 3
Goethe Universität, Frankfurt am Main, 60555, Germany
investigate factors contributing to the assembly of communities.
Chronic under-sampling is evident in all marine taxa that inhabit remote and open ocean regions, and particu-
Here, we aim to test the relative contribution of neutral dispersal limitation versus selective environments in larly deep-sea habitats at bathyal to hadal depths. The abyssal realm (3000 – 6000 m depth) is one key region
the formation of sponge biodiversity patterns. We compare 17 marine lakes in Papua, Indonesia, which are of in which considerable research effort is essential in order to fully understand global biodiversity, assess current
comparable ages and sizes, but vary in environmental regimes and in degree of connection to the open sea. and future climatological and ecological trends, and implement effective conservation management. The NW
Marine lakes can be found in geographical clusters and represent a unique combination of multiple heteroge- Pacific is considerably under-sampled for sponges at all depths, with less than 1% of global sponge records
neous environments with varying degrees of connection to the open sea, drawing from the same species pool found in this sector1.
(the surrounding sea and mangroves). These lakes thus represent multiple replicates of community assembly The abyssal sponge fauna of the NW Pacific region has been re-examined during the recent collaborative
under varying environments. Environmental conditions are stable within lakes and range from similar to the German and Russian KuramBio (Kurile-Kamchatka Biodiversity Study) and SokhoBio (Sea of Okhotsk Bio-
surrounding sea to very harsh: temperatures from 30-42 °C, pH 7.1-8.3, salinity 11-31 ppt. diversity Study) expeditions. Combining our new sponge data with rare previous expedition data from this
Using a combination of genetic and morphological data to identify species and their evolutionary history, region has enhanced our understanding of the abyssal sponge fauna. Our new research highlights the patchi-
and replicates of photo transects, we assessed species abundance, distributions and community phylogenet- ness, rarity, high biomass of glass sponges and the exceptional and unique richness of the carnivorous sponge
ics per lake. Preliminary results show that the formation of sponge biodiversity patterns is largely shaped by family in this region2. We discuss faunal connectivity and processes that are potentially driving the distribution
deterministic processes related to environment. Particularly when the environment is harsh (i.e. extreme high patterns and richness that we see in the NW Pacific. The importance of utilising several forms of sampling
temperature or low salinity), diversity is significantly lower. However, stochastic processes such as priority equipment in the collection of abyssal sponges is illustrated within this study.
effects likely also play a role, especially on species composition.
208 209
References 50 to 83 m and volumes of 936 m3 to 2291 m3 have been investigated. All of them are karst in origin. In the
1. OBIS, 2014. Data from the Ocean Biogeographic Information System. Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of investigated caves, we inventoried 10 sponge species based on preliminary morphological analysis. All re-
UNESCO. Web. http://www.iobis.org (consulted on 2014/04/16). corded species belong to the class Demospongiae and have previously been recorded also in adjacent open sea
2. Downey RV, & Janussen, D. 2015. New insights into the abyssal sponge fauna of the Kurile–Kamchatka plain and trench waters. These species are tolerant to different hydrological conditions, mostly temperature and salinity. Some
region (Northwest Pacific). Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 111, 34-43.
of them have wide geographical distribution. Sponge distribution in all investigated caves in general is similar,
Financial support by the Australian Graduate Research Training Programme is gratefully acknowledged. but there are differences of species composition and distribution depending on cave relief and hydrodynamics.
The species composition of sponges from the semi-submerged caves of Bulgaria is quite different from the
New insights into the temporal and spatial impacts of the Larsen AB ice shelf collapse sponge composition in Crimea caves.
on sponge assemblages Financial support by grants from Russian Foundation for Basic Research n° 15-04-07554 is gratefully ac-
knowledged.
Downey Rachel1, 2, Laura Fillinger3, Dorte Janussen2, Tomas Lundälv4 & Claudio Richter3
1
School of Environment & Society, Australia National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
Conference presenter: rachel.downey@anu.edu.au
Integrative investigation of an unprecedented epizootic event affecting endemic sponges
2
Senckenberg Natural History Museum & Research Institute, Frankfurt am Main, 60325, Germany
of Lake Baikal
3
The Swedish Institute for the Marine Environment, University of Gothenburg, Sweden Alexander Ereskovsky1, Annabelle Voorhoeve1, Stéphane Greff1, Lubov I. Chernogor2, Sandrine
4
Alfred Wegener Institute, 27568 Bremerhaven, Germany Chenesseau1, Igor Khanaev2, Sergey I. Belikov2, Olivier P. Thomas3, Thierry Pérez1
Regional warming in the western sector of the Antarctic has been observed since the 1950s. In 1995, this 1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, Mar-
warming led to the collapse of the Larsen A ice-shelf, followed by the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002. Research seille, France
expeditions in 2007, 2011, and 2013 were conducted by a multi-disciplinary team to track and monitor the 2
Limnological Institute of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ulan-Batorskaya 3, Irkutsk 664033 Russia
ecological and oceanographic changes in this region1. 3
National University of Ireland Galway, Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry, Galway, Ireland.
Our project assesses how sponge assemblages have responded to ice-shelf collapse in the Larsen AB region. The Baikal is an emblematic lake listed by UNESCO among the World Heritage Sites, harboring an exception-
Sponges play a key role in Southern Ocean benthic communities, important both for biomass and as a habitat al biodiversity with an unusual rate of endemism, which is currently experiencing an unprecedented ecological
for many other organisms in the Antarctic. We utilise taxonomy, ROV imagery, and environmental data to crisis. One possible explanation is a rapid change of the water quality due to tourism development along the
understand sponge response to ice-shelf collapse. Pioneer and depth traits are applied to determine changes in Baikal shores combined to a lack of wastewater treatment plan.
the ecological succession of sponge assemblages and connectivity with the shelf and deep-sea. Sponges are keystone components of the aquatic ecosystem functioning. They are well known for their bio-
Our project highlights the importance of hexactinellids as pioneers and colonisers in this region. Utilising the logical responses facing changes in water quality. Among eighteen sponge species mostly endemic to Lake
powerful combination of ROV imagery and taxonomic identification, we have observed an unprecedented Baikal, one of them, Lubomirskia baikalensis (Pallas, 1773) is a large erect growth form shaping underwater
doubling and tripling respectively of hexactinellid sponge biomass and abundance at Larsen A 2. Our results landscapes.
explore how sponges are one of the ecological ‘winners’ of the Larsen ice-shelf collapse. We present herein a preliminary study which takes place in the framework of a French-Russian collaboration.
References It aims at the understanding of the mechanisms behind the disease outbreaks, and its putative relationship with
1. Gutt, J., Barratt, I., Domack, E., et al. 2010. Biodiversity change after climate- induced ice-shelf collapse in the Antarctic. other ecological events such as bloom of green algae Spirogyra colonizing the Lake bottom and/or develop-
Deep-Sea Research II. doi:10.1016/j.dsr2.2010.05.024 ment of cyanobacterial veils often observed on sponge surface. Among symptoms of disease, the most striking
2. Fillinger, L., Janussen, D., Lundalv, T., Richter, C. 2013. Rapid glass sponge expansion after climate-induced Antarctic ice one is true “sponge bleachings”, similar to those observed in tropical coral reefs, and which is likely related to
shelf collapse. Current Biology, Vol. 23. pp. 1330-1334 the release of their symbiotic dinobionts. Various approaches were used to identify some putative pathogens,
Financial support by Ant-ERA (SCAR Antarctic Scientific Research Programme) and Australian Graduate and to assess the physiological disorder they induce. We present results on a) cytological investigation of ne-
Research Training Programme are gratefully acknowledged. crotic tissues in order to localize putative pathogens or to highlight effects on tissue and cell organization; b)
metabolomics in order to assess the consequences of bleaching on the sponge metabolism and especially on
Sponges in semi-submerged caves of the North of Bulgaria (Black Sea) its ability to produce chemical defenses.
Alexander V. Ereskovsky1, 2, Oleg A. Kovtun3, Konstantin K. Pronin3, Dirk Erpenbeck4 Financial support by grants from PRC CNRS - RFBR n° 216483 & 16-54-150007 is gratefully acknowledged.
1
Mediterranean Institute of Marine and Terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology (IMBE), Aix Marseille University, CNRS, IRD, Sta-
tion marine d’Endoume, rue de la Batterie des Lions, 13007 Marseille France Sponge species associated with Posidonia oceanica meadows along the coast of the
2
Biological Faculty, Saint-Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya nab. 7/9, St. Petersburg, Russia Aegean Sea (Turkey)
3
Odessa National I. I. Mechnikov University, st. Dvoryanska, 2, Odessa, 65026 Ukraine Alper Evcen, Melih Ertan Çinar
4
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology & Geobiology and GeoBioCenter, Ludwig- Maximilians- Uni- Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Hydrobiology, 35100, Bornava, İzmir. alperevcen@gmail.com
versität München, Munich, Germany,
Posidonia oceanica is a sea grass endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Its complex rhizome network and large
Marine caves have revealed the unique biocoenotic and ecological characteristics of these habitats. Sessile leaves provide a variety of microhabitats for benthic species. The studies on the sponge diversity associated
benthic species associated with cave habitats typically show a marked zonation from the cave entrance to the with P. oceanica are scarce and limited with some areas in the Mediterranean Sea. The present study aims to
inward end of the cave. Sponges can dominate in cave habitats. In the present work sponge biodiversity and elucidate the sponge community structures in P. oceanica meadows in the eastern Mediterranean. A plenty of
their spatial variability in three semi- submerged caves was surveyed in a region poorly explored for its cav- replicated benthic samples were collected at 28 stations at depths ranging from 0 to 35 m in summer 2016 by
ernicolous biodiversity, i.e. the North of Bulgaria (Black Sea). Three semi-submerged caves with lengths of scuba–diving and snorkeling. In the preliminary analysis of samples, we found a total 25 species belonging
210 211
3 classis and 12 orders. The frequently species in the area were Aplysina aerophoba, Spirastrella cunctatrix, ated to O. mirabilis, but less frequently. More than 43% of the brittlestar preferred digitate sponge shapes, and
Crambe crambe, Chondrilla nucula, Ircinia variabilis and Sarcotragus foetidus. The majority of species were 39.6%, conulose surface type. Although we did not see any preference in relationship to the basibiont color, O.
found to be settled on the rhizome layer of the sea grass, but Sycon raphanus occurred both on leaves and mirabilis is a generalist guest/epibiont with a slight preference to live on organisms with erect shape and co-
rhizomes. The diversity of sponges changed with regards to depths and locations. nulose surface. This way, it can hug on sponge’s substrate, but does not hide from possible predators. To study
the interactions between exotic and native species is essential to understand how the non-indigenous species
Keywords: Sponge, Porifera, Posidonia oceanica, Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean Sea
act on the new environments, and further experimental assays are being prepared to analyze if this association
is related to physical and/or chemical mechanisms.
Glass Sponge Distribution in Relation to Abiotic Factors and Predators – A Large-Scale
References
Regional Study in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica 1. G. Hendler, A.E. Migotto, C.R.R. Ventura, L. Wilk, Coral Reefs 31 (2012) 1005.
Luisa Federwisch , Santiago Pineda Metz , Nils Owsianowski , Dieter Gerdes , Dieter Piepenburg
1, 2 1, 2 1 1 1 2. M. C. Mantelatto, L.F. Vidon, R.B. Silveira, C. Menegola, R.M. Rocha, J.C. Creed, Mar. Biodiv. Rec. 9:8 (2016) doi10.1186/
& Claudio Richter1, 2 s41200-016-0013-x.
1 Financial support by CAPES AUXPE CIMAR 1986/2014 is gratefully acknowledged.
Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany luisa.federwisch@awi.de
2
University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
Glass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida) are important structuring components of the benthos in Antarctic Mediterranean Deep-Sea Sponges From The MedSeaCan And CorSeaCan Cruises
shelf regions. They can grow up to 2 m in height and form extensive sponge beds in some areas, dominating Maïa Fourt1, Nicole Boury-Esnault1, Jean Vacelet1, Thierry Pérez1, Adrien Goujard2, Pierre
the benthic biomass and providing habitat for a variety of other animals. However, much of their ecology is Chevaldonné1 & the MedSeaCan-CorSeaCan technical & scientific teams
still unknown to date, including the factors determining their distribution and abundance. 1
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Uni-
In the current study, we investigate glass sponge distribution and abundance in the south-eastern Weddell Sea versité, Station Marine d’Endoume, rue Batterie des Lions 13007 Marseille, France
in relation to environmental factors (water mass characteristics, currents, ice cover), as well as food availabil- 2
GIS Posidonie, Campus de Luminy, Océanomed, Case 901, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, France
ity and abundance of predators. During two recent expeditions with RV Polarstern in 2013/14 and 2015/16, we The MedSeaCan and CorSeaCan cruises took place along the French continental shelf margin, from the Span-
collected photos and videos of the ocean floor by using different gear equipped with HD cameras: an Ocean ish border to Monaco (MedSeaCan) and along the western coast of Corsica (CorSeaCan). These two series of
Floor Observation System (OFOS), a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), and a multi grab (MG). For each of cruises were the very first attempt to systematically explore the French Mediterranean deep-sea canyons. In
28 stations, 30 images are selected and analysed for abundance and species composition of glass sponges and this area, the canyon heads, as well as the offshore rocky banks of the continental shelf were explored between
their predators, as well as substrate characteristics. 100 and 600 m. The surveys of 43 sites (34 canyons and 9 rocky banks) were all conducted with a manned
In addition to that, we measured temperature, salinity, concentrations of dissolved and particulate silicon, and submersible and an ROV. The surveys aimed at providing a reference state of the ecosystem through direct
bacterial cell numbers. Furthermore, model and/or satellite data on current strength, mean annual ice cover observation and the collection of photographic, video and biological samples, all integrated in a georeferenced
and chlorophyll a concentration as a proxy for productivity will be included in the study. Glass sponge abun- database. Images and data treatment revealed the important presence of Porifera and its specific diversity. For
dance will be analysed in relation to the environmental data and predator abundance in order to identify the this phylum, although some taxonomical difficulties where encountered, we have significantly extended our
factors determining the abundance and distribution of glass sponges in the south-eastern Weddell Sea. Our knowledge on the bathymetrical and geographical distribution of species common along the explored area (e.g.
findings will provide an important baseline to assess how glass sponge communities might change in a chang- Poecillastra compressa, Thenea muricata, Rhizaxinella spp.). New localisations of some rarely encountered
ing Antarctic environment. species (e.g. Lycopodina hypogea, Haliclona (Halichoclona) magna, Leiodermatium pfeifferae, Stylocordyla
pellita) have been recorded, and for some of them the living context has been observed for the first time in
the Mediterranean Sea (Cladorhiza cf. abyssicola). Finally these explorations have allowed the description
Biological habitat preference of the exotic ophiuroid Ophiothela mirabilis on marine of three new Hexactinellida in the genera Sympagella, Farrea and Tretodictyum as well as new biomolecules
sponges from Brazil (aromatic alkaloid from Latrunculia citharistae and steroidal saponins from P. compressa), some of them be-
Humberto Fortunato1, 2, Gisele Lobo Hajdu2 ing bioactive. The prominence of sponges in some parts of the deep rocky habitats of the Mediterranean has
1
led us to revise the existing French typology of deep-sea habitats by adding a ‘facies of large sponges’.
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. hfmfortu-
nato@gmail.com References
2
Laboratório de Genética Marinha, IBRAG, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1. G. Genta-Jouve, N. Francezon, A. Puissant, P. Auberger, J. Vacelet, T. Perez, A. Fontana, A.A. Mourabit, O.P. Thomas,
Structure elucidation of the new citharoxazole from the Mediterranean deep- sea sponge Latrunculia (Biannulata) citharistae.
Space is the most limiting factor in marine shallow waters. Brittlestars are commonly found associated to ma- Magnetic Resonance in Chemistry 49 (2011) 533–536.
rine sponges with low species-specific interactions. Although, the non-indigenous Ophiothela mirabilis has 2. N. Boury-Esnault, J. Vacelet, H.M. Reiswig, M. Fourt, R. Aguilar, P. Chevaldonné, Mediterranean hexactinellid sponges, with
been observed since 2000 in almost the entire coast of Brazil, interacting with more than 30 sessile or seden- the description of a new Sympagella species (Porifera, Hexactinellida). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the
tary benthic species (Hendler et al. 2012; Mantelatto et al. 2016), any quantitative study was applied. Our aim UK 95 (2015) 1353–1364.
was to quantify the density of exotic Echinodermata on the sponges’ basebionts and to relate these interactions 3. M. Fourt, A. Goujard, T. Pérez, J. Vacelet, P. Chevaldonné, the scientific team of the MedSeaCan and CorSeaCan cruises,
with growth type and surface form of these marine sponges. All possible interactions were photographed from French Mediterranean submarine canyons and deep rocky banks: a regional view for adapted conservation measures, in: Pro-
2013 to 2016, at 25 different sites, from Ceará to Rio de Janeiro states. However, we only found ophiuroids ceedings of the 1st Mediterranean Symposium on the Conservation of Dark Habitats (Portoroz, Slovenia, 31 October 2014).
RAC/SPA Publ., Tunis (2014) 33–38.
at Bahia and Rio de Janeiro states. All ophiuroids found on the sponges were counted. We found a strong
4. N. Boury-Esnault, J. Vacelet, M. Dubois, A Goujart, M. Fourt, T. Pérez, P. Chevaldonné New hexactinellid sponges from deep
positive correlation between sponges’ abundance and ophiuroid’s density (r=0.79). We observed 37 sponge Mediterranean canyons. Zootaxa (2017).
species, represented by 261 individuals with eight different morphotypes and 14 types of surface. Of 5122
Financial support by French Marine Protected Areas Agency (AAMP), the Mistral / Biodivmex program, the
non-indigenous ophiuroids encountered, 32% were over Mycale angulosa and 26.3% over Callyspongia sp. 2.
Labex “Objectif Terre - Bassin Méditerranéen (OT-Med)”.
Desmapsamma anchorata (10.3%) and Monanchora arbuscula (8.9%) were also observed commonly associ-
212 213
The availability of map resources for the distribution, degradation status and threats to World Register of marine Cave Species (WoRCS): a tool for evaluating sponge diversity
sponge assemblages in the European Seas – initial baselines in the MERCES project in marine caves and anchialine systems of the world
Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Thanos Dailianis1, Nadia Papadopoulou1, Katerina Sevastou1, Christopher J. Vasilis Gerovasileiou1, Alejandro Martínez2, Leontine E. Becking3, 4, Guilherme Muricy5, Fernando
Smith1, Teresa Amaro2, Trine Bekkby3, Meri Bilan4, Christoffer Boström5, Emma Cebrian6, Carlo Álvarez6, Geoff Boxshall7, William F. Humphreys8, Damià Jaume9, Peter J. van Hengstum10, Hiroshi
Cerrano2, Roberto Danovaro2, Dario Fiorentino7, Simonetta Fraschetti8, Karine Gagnon5, Cristina Yamasaki11, Nicole Boury-Esnault12, Thierry Perez12, Eleni Voultsiadou13, Stefanie Dekeyzer14, Wim
Gambi2, Anthony Grehan9, Bernat Hereu10, Silvija Kipson11, Jonne Kotta12, Cristina Linares10, Decock14, Bart Vanhoorne14, Leen Vandepitte14, Nicolas Bailly1, 15, Thomas M. Iliffe10
Martina Milanese13, Telmo Morato4, Henn Ojaveer12, Helen Orav-Kotta12, Antonio Sarà13, Rachael 1
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece, vgerovas@hcmr.gr;2 CNR-ISE, Italy; 3 Marine Animal Ecology, Animal Science
Scrimgeour14, İnci Tüney Kızılkaya15, Elizabeth Grace Tunka- Eronat15 Group, Wageningen University, Netherlands; 4 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands; 5 Departamento de Invertebrados, Mu-
1
Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Greece, vgerovas@hcmr.gr; 2 Università Politecnica delle Marche, Italy; 3 Norwegian seu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 6 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico; 7 Depart-
Institute for Water Research, Norway; 4 Instituto do Mar Centro da Universidade dos Açores, Portugal; 5 Åbo Akademi University, ment of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, UK; 8 Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Australia;
Finland; 6 Institut d’Ecologia Aquàtica, Universitat de Girona, Spain; 7 Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany; 8 Consorzio Nazionale 9
IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, Spain; 10 Texas A&M University at Galveston, USA; 11
Interuniversitario per le Scienze del Mare, Italy; 9 National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland; 10 Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity; Museum für Naturkunde, Germany; 12 IMBE-UMR7263 CNRS, Universite´ d’Aix-
University of Barcelona, Spain, 11 Faculty of Science - University of Zagreb, Croatia; 12 University of Marseille, Station Marine d’Endoume, France; 13 School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece; 14 Flanders
Tartu, Estonia; 13 Studio Associato GAIA, Italy; 14 UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre, United Marine Institute/Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee (VLIZ), Belgium; 15 FishBase Information and Research Group, Philippines
Kingdom; 15 Mediterranean Conservation Society, Turkey As reservoirs of sponge diversity, marine caves have attracted the interest of sponge researchers from around
Within the MERCES project (http://www.merces-project.eu/), one of the first objectives is to catalogue exist- the world at an early stage. The need to compile all the existing largely scattered information on the sponge
ing and available maps for marine habitats, along with their degradation status and restoration potential in diversity of this unique ecosystem has been recently recognized and some regional overviews came out. The
the European Seas. In order to reach this objective, an extensive review has been performed and a catalogue World Register of marine Cave Species – WoRCS (www.marinespecies.org/worcs), a Thematic Species Data-
compiled with mapping sources for (a) marine habitats, (b) degraded marine habitats, and (c) pressures and base of the World Register of Marine Species – WoRMS, offers a valuable resource for an integrated approach
mechanisms that could potentially drive key-habitat changes in them. In its current form, the MERCES WP1 to this issue. The aim of WoRCS is to create a comprehensive taxonomic and ecological database of species
catalogue includes a total of approximately 900 entries with meta-data regarding various marine habitats, as- known from marine caves and anchialine environments worldwide. Within this thematic database, the cave-
semblages and marine areas. These entries include published records, web resources, and grey literature (i.e. related information is managed by the WoRCS thematic editors in collaboration with the taxonomic editors of
project reports, technical documents, and unpublished data). Information about sponge assemblages covers WoRMS, who manage the taxonomic content. The database is an online open source and includes information
only 6% of the catalogue’s entries highlighting a potential gap in relevant broad- scale mapping initiatives. on the biology, ecology, and distribution of all species. Data on sponge distribution in marine caves are linked
In half of the available sources (52%), sponge assemblages were found together with those of anthozoans to the Gazetteer of the Marine and Anchialine Systems of the World, which is part of the Marine Regions
(e.g. cold water corals, coral gardens, gorgonian forests), suggesting that these two biological features of- information system and includes geographical and geological information for all study areas. Currently, the
ten co-exist and/or are treated together in broad-scale mapping initiatives. Available mapping sources for database includes 1629 species belonging to 19 phyla as well as 573 relevant literature sources. With 423 ac-
sponge assemblages mainly concern the deep-sea (53%) and sublittoral hard substrate habitats (31%) of the cepted species, Porifera is the richest in species phylum of sessile metazoans in the database, covering 26%
North-East Atlantic Ocean (55%) and the Mediterranean Sea (38%). More specifically, the main habitats/as- of the existing records. Demosponges predominate with 365 species, followed by 33 calcareans, 24 homo-
semblages identified were deep-sea sponge aggregations and mixed coral/sponge fields, sublittoral rocky and scleromorphs and 1 hexactinellid. In their attempt to catalogue the world sponge diversity in marine caves,
coralligenous beds. Several information sources underline a significant – though not quantified – decline in the WoRCS thematic editors and collaborators have initiated an exhaustive overview of all sources, including
deep sponge fields, along with recorded mortality events for the shallow ones. The most frequently highlighted unpublished data from their expeditions. Herein the followed methodology, available sources and tools along
threats for these assemblages are: bottom trawling, climate change, dumping, land-based activities, harvest- with preliminary results of this initiative are presented. The main goal of this initiative is to describe distribu-
ing, minerals exploration, scientific research, and marine litter. Interestingly, most of the catalogue entries tion patterns in this fragmented ecosystem, to highlight unique elements of sponge diversity and provide a
(71%) were derived from grey literature, indicating a valuable – yet often overlooked – source of information. baseline for future conservation actions.
This research has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation pro-
gramme under grant agreement No 689518 (MERCES: Marine Ecosystem Restoration in Changing European Sponge biodiversity of the shallow sublittoral Antarctic Peninsula
Seas).
Claire Goodwin 1, Katharine Hendry2, Jade Berman3
1
Atlantic Reference Centre, Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St Andrews, NB, Canada claire.goodwin@huntsmanmarine.ca
2
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, UK
3
Ulster Wildlife Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Currently the diversity and abundance of sponges on shallow Antarctic reefs is likely to have been signifi-
cantly underestimated (Cardenas et al. 2016). The difficulty of identifying sponges in situ has led to them be-
ing recorded simply as ‘Porifera’ in many studies, despite often being the dominant phylum on Antarctic hard
substrates. We collected sponge specimens from 22 sites (0-24m depth) spanning from King George Island,
South Shetland Islands (62°12.185’S) to Jenny Island, Marguerite Bay (67°43.325’S). Sampling was under-
taken by SCUBA which enabled study of the large boulders and bedrock walls, these tend to be particularly
sponge rich and unlikely be well sampled by remote methods. The survey was carried out from a 26.5m ves-
sel which enabled access to sites inaccessible to larger vessels; these included little studied areas such as the
Biscoe Islands. In total 309 specimens were collected encompassing 24 species of which four were new to
science. Records of the appearance of sponge were obtained, including some which have not previously been
214 215
seen in situ, and these are being developed into a resource for researchers working in this area. References
1. Tompkins-Macdonald, G. J. & Leys, S. P, Marine Biology. 154 (2008) 973–984
References
1. C.A. Cárdenas, E.M. Newcombe, E. Hajdu, M. Gonzales-Aravena, S.W. Geange, and J.J. Bell, Polar Biology 35 (2016): 1, 2. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Pacific Region Coral and Sponge Conservation Strategy. (2010).
30532. Financial support by NSERC Strategic Network (CHONe) and NSERC Discovery/RTI grants to Sally P. Leys
Financial support by the Leverhulme Trust (RPG–2012–615), Antarctic Science Bursary, the Trans-Antarctic is gratefully acknowledged.
Association, the Shackleton Scholarship Fund and the Royal Society is gratefully acknowledged.
Prince Albert’s underwater caves: Sponge fauna of unusual artificial reefs at Monaco
Engaging recreational SCUBA divers in recording sponge biodiversity Marie Grenier1, César Ruiz1, Nicolas Bonnet2, Christophe Lejeusne3, Jean Vacelet1, Raphael Simonet2,
Claire Goodwin1, Bernard Picton2, Charlotte Bolton3 Pierre Chevaldonné1, Thierry Pérez1
1
1
Atlantic Reference Centre, Huntsman Marine Science Centre, St Andrews, NB, Canada claire.goodwin@huntsmanmarine.ca Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie marine et continentale, CNRS, IRD, Aix Marseille Université, Avignon Uni-
2 versité, Station Marine d’Endoume, rue Batterie des Lions 13007 Marseille, France
National Museums Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland
2
3 Marine Conservation Society, Ross-on-Wye, UK Direction de l’Environnement, 3 avenue de Fontvieille 98000 Principauté de Monaco.
3
Seasearch is a project for volunteer sports divers who have an interest in what they are seeing underwater, UPMC Université Paris 6, Sorbonne Université, UMR 7144, Station Biologique de Roscoff, 29688 Roscoff, France
want to learn more, and want to help protect the marine environment around the coast of Britain and Ireland. Fifteen years ago, Monaco extended its main harbor seaward by constructing additional jetties. One of these
The main aim is to map near-shore habitats and species. Engaging volunteers in recording some of the more was a “floating” concrete structure, 145 m long and 30 m wide, set on a cuboid hollow base about 40 m high.
difficult and less charismatic taxonomic groups, such as porifera, can be challenging. There can be issues with This basal structure was flooded with seawater through holes left open in the concrete at 22-23 m, that are
ensuring correct identifications, compounded by a lack of identification resources aimed at divers. However, wide enough (1 m) to allow scientific divers to enter. They are therefore artificial mimics of underwater caves
the records obtained are extremely valuable in determining distribution and status of species. Here we discuss of various configurations and confinement patterns. The first type is a series of 8 cuboid vertical caves (called
some of the benefits and challenges involved in engaging volunteers in sponge recording and the tools and “caissons”), going from 14 m to 38 m depth, with a main entrance at 22 m and 2 smaller communications with
resources that have proved useful. the open sea at 14 m. The second type (called “cathedrale”) consists in one very large cavity, going from 23
m to 39 m depth, with 4 openings in its ceiling. Since the entrances are narrow, these rooms present vast areas
that are totally dark, with very low water circulation, high degree of confinement, and thus severe oligotrophy.
In situ arrests of glass sponge (Hexactinellida) feeding currents in response to The entrances being shallower than their deepest parts, these structures tend to trap denser cold waters year-
suspended sediments round. This environmental context is similar to that of some natural underwater caves and deep sea habitats.
Nathan Grant & Sally P. Leys1 In 2005, we began a survey of these original mesocosms to follow the recruitment and the development of
1
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, 116 Street & 85 Avenue, Edmonton, Canada ngrant@ualberta.ca benthic communities expected to include some representatives of natural underwater caves. Temperature re-
Off the Pacific coast of Canada, glass sponges (Class Hexactinellida) form deep-water reefs, akin to shallow- gime was followed hourly in different structures and at various depths (6 data loggers), together with an an-
water coral reefs. They feed, respire and recycle nutrients at the reefs via continuous pumping. In 2008, Tomp- nual survey of the colonization dynamics at three distances from the entrance inside the two types of “caves”
kins-MacDonald and Leys showed that in flow through tanks, hexactinellids temporarily halt their feeding (total of 6 locations and 60 photo-quadrats/yr). Each exploration was used to complete a species inventory,
currents when stimulated by sediment. This behaviour, termed the “arrest-recovery response”, is thought to be with a special attention to sponges. The long term monitoring showed a quick colonization: the highest species
a protective response against stimuli like suspended sediments that may clog or damage a sponge’s aquiferous diversity was surprisingly recorded in 2007. However, it was followed by a stabilisation and fluctuations at a
system. In a laboratory experiment, the introduction of suspended sediment caused action potentials to tra- lower level. In 2015, ten years after the survey began, highest species diversity is half what it was in 2007. The
verse the glass sponge syncytial tissue and induce an “arrest” of excurrent flow1. This arrest behaviour, while most remote and confined areas are as expected displaying very low diversity values. The highest colonization
protective, limits the time available to a sponge for feeding and respiration which may have a negative effect was observed at 20 m, near the entrances of “caissons” and the lowest at 35 m, in both sites of the “cathedrale”.
on a sponge’s health. Sediment suspended by bottom-trawling near the reefs could be a behavioural instigator After 15 years, although the mobile fauna is clearly dominated by cave species (mysids, decapod crustaceans,
that permanently harms the sponge reefs. In 2015 an experiment was carried out at Fraser Reef, a kilometer- teleost fish), the sponge fauna of these artificial caves is composed of a mixture of opportunistic species,
long sponge reef in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, Canada, to assess whether sediment triggers feed- rather common in harbor conditions (e.g. Crambe crambe, Chondrosia reniformis), and of cave-dwelling spe-
ing current arrests in the field. Flowmeters were placed over sponge oscula to measure excurrent flow. Ambi- cies (e.g. Diplastrella bistellata, Haliclona fulva, Merlia deficiens, Oscarella microlobata, Oscarella viridis,
ent flow and turbidity were recorded with an acoustic Doppler current profiler and optical backscatter sensors Plakina trilopha). These concrete artificial caves appear too unstable for a sessile community to settle and
respectively. Sediment was suspended upstream of the sponges using the remote operated vehicle ROPOS. mature on the long term. Indeed we observed that the smooth concrete surfaces did not allow for large growth
We found that reef-building glass sponges do arrest their feeding currents in the field. Eight of the recorded forms to hold in time, and regular accumulations of dying organisms on the floor likely induced some anoxic
feeding current arrests were highly correlated with increased suspended sediment concentrations. Fisheries events in the deepest parts of these systems.
and Oceans Canada has recently established the Hecate Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound sponge reefs as
Canada’s largest Marine Protected Area2. However, a 200 m adaptive management zone adjacent to the reefs
would allow potential trawl fisheries adjacent to the sponges. During a 2017 research cruise to the Hecate
Strait sponge reef, we aim to quantify the cost feeding current arrests have on sponge health and determine
the threshold concentration of suspended sediments that induce arrests of glass sponge feeding currents. By
comparing the threshold of response with concentrations of sediments suspended by bottom-trawling we can
determine the distance from the reefs that trawling no longer influences sponge health. Our results show that
suspended sediment does affect glass sponges, and suggests that a substantial buffer zone excluding bottom-
contact fishing is needed for adequate and enduring protection of the sponge reefs.
216 217
Genetic Population Structure of Ircinia campana and Spheciospongia vesparium in the dilution and the antibiotic Aeroplysinin-1, however, no novel OTUs were isolated in this study. Only 1.8% of
Greater Caribbean the OTUs were observed in both the cultured fractions and the sponge community, which was dominated by
Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria.
Sarah Griffiths1, Donald Behringer2, 3, Mark Butler IV4, Thierry Pérez5, Evelyn Taylor-Cox1 and
Richard Preziosi1 Conclusion: The largest part of the sponge-associated microbial community remains uncultivated despite
1 tailor made media designs and a high throughput cultivation approach. Nonetheless, the media formulations
Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, UK.
Griffiths.sarahm@gmail.com developed here have potential as enrichment media for specific microbial groups.
2
School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Florida, Gaines- 1. Siegl, A. et al. Single-cell genomics reveals the lifestyle of Poribacteria, a candidate phylum symbiotically associated with
ville, Florida, USA. marine sponges. ISME J. 5, 61–70 (2011).
3
Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA. 2. Kamke, J. et al. Single-cell genomics reveals complex carbohydrate degradation patterns in poribacterial symbionts of marine
4
Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA. sponges. ISME J. 7, 2287–300 (2013).
5
Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d’Ecologie Marine et Continentale, UMR CNRS 7263, IRD 237, Aix Marseille
Université, Marseille, France. The distribution of Ostur in relation to physical variables within the Faroe-Shetland
In the Caribbean seascape sponges are abundant, biodiverse and have many varied and important functional Channel
roles. Understanding how genetic diversity is distributed spatially is important for defining population units,
inferring connectivity, gene flow and dispersal capabilities, and predicting resilience. In this study, we investi- Joshua Davison1, Nils Piechaud1, Phil Hosegood1, Kerry L. Howell1
gate the genetic population structure of two common Caribbean demosponges: Ircinia campana (vase sponge; 1
Marine Institute, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, UK. joshua.davison@students.plymouth.ac.uk
Dictyoceratida, Irciniidae) and Spheciospongia vesparium (loggerhead sponge; Clionaida, Clionaidae). These The range of ecological functions and ecosystem services provided by deep-sea sponge aggregations has
large sponges are dominant members of hard bottom ecosystems in the Florida Keys (Florida, USA), where resulted in these habitats being considered Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems under United Nations General As-
sponge communities have suffered mass mortalities caused by cyanobacterial blooms. This has had suspected sembly Resolution 61/105. Understanding the distribution of these habitats is critical to future spatial manage-
knock-on effects through the ecosystem, including on associated faunal abundances, and on the suscep- ment efforts, and the key to predicting their distribution lies in understanding the role of environmental driv-
tibility of the ecosystem to further blooms. Both species are also common and often conspicuous members ers. Accumulations of large suspension feeders are hypothesised to aggregate near the shelf break in regions
of coral reef and lagoon ecosystems throughout the Caribbean. In this study, we use newly developed micro- of internal wave formation. The causal link is thought to be an increase in the supply of food related to the
satellite markers to study genetic population structure in these two species at various spatial scales. Samples incidence of internal waves which results in resuspension of particulate organic matter on which the sponges
were collected from several locations across the geographic range of distribution of the species (including feed. There is, however, almost no empirical evidence to support this hypothesis for deep-sea sponge aggre-
fine-scale sampling in the Florida Keys), and levels of genetic diversity and its distribution were examined gations, although there is strong circumstantial evidence. We tested the relationship between sponge density
within and among locations. This research contributes to the understanding of Caribbean sponge population and oceanographic variability (as a measure of internal wave presence) for a known sponge aggregation in the
dynamics, and will help to inform ecosystem restoration efforts for vulnerable sponge communities in the Faroe-Shetland Channel.
Florida Keys by enabling predictions of resilience and recovery patterns among mortality-affected locations.
18 video transects, ranging from 422-979m depth were conducted in the study region. 220 images were anal-
Financial support by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is gratefully acknowledged. ysed and all taxa identified to morphotypes and quantified. Temperature and salinity data from 18 CTDs were
obtained from the British Oceanographic data centre spanning 18 years (1984-2002), and variability in both
Integrating (Meta)genomics data into sponge symbiont cultivation calculated over the depth range. Linear regression was used to test the relationship between sponge density
and temperature variability. The model showed a statistically significant relationship between sponge density
Johanna Gutleben, Catarina Carolina Sales e Santos Loureiro, Hauke Smidt, Detmer Sipkema
and temperature variation, with the highest sponge densities occurring at depths of greatest temperature vari-
Laboratory of Microbiology, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE Wageningen, Netherlands. johanna.gutleben@wur.nl ability. Greatest particulate flux and current velocity occurred deeper than the depth of known sponge aggrega-
Introduction: Marine sponges (Porifera) harbour distinct and diverse microbial communities. These symbi- tions suggesting these areas are sub optimal for sponge aggregation presence. Our data broadly support current
onts potentially produce sponge-derived, pharmaceutically interesting metabolites and hence cultivation of theory on drivers of deep sea sponge aggregation distribution.
these microbes has gained focus in the scientific community. However, most microbial symbionts have evaded
Financial support by the UK Department for Trade and Industry and Plymouth University is gratefully ac-
cultivation to date, thus a promising approach is to mine meta-omics data for in silico physiological traits that
knowledged.
can be integrated in high-throughput cultivation strategies.
Goals: This study aimed to integrate genomic information into the design of novel cultivation media and
Oases of diversity: East-Mediterranean mesophotic sponge grounds
develop a high-throughput experimental strategy targeting the cultivation and isolation of the sponge- associ-
ated candidate phylum Poribacteria. Additionally, this work set out to increase the cultivable fraction of the Tal Idan 1, Sigal Shefer1, 2, Tamar Feldstein 1, 2, Ruth Yahel 3, Dorothée Huchon1, 2, Micha Ilan1, *
microbial community associated with the sponge Aplysina aerophoba. 1
Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
Methodology: A collection of low-nutrient media was designed based on the predicted carbohydrate degrada- 2
The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv
tion metabolism of Poribacteria1, 2. To further optimize the medium design, we aimed to mimic conditions 6997801, Israel
from the sponge mesohyl niche by adding the sponge-derived antibiotic Aeroplysinin-1. In total, 240 cultiva- 3
Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Givat Shaul, Jerusalem 95463, Israel
tion conditions were created, and isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Although sponges are a diverse and abundant phylum, data regarding East-Mediterranean sponge communi-
Results: 1758 colonies were picked, and 1463 PCR products were analysed, resulting in a total of 128 culti- ties are scarce, outdated, and limited to shallow water (1, 2, 3). This research aims to expand the knowledge
vated OTUs. Amplicon sequencing revealed that no Poribacteria isolates were obtained. Nearly 70% of iso- of the sponge fauna along the Mediterranean shore of Israel by studying a diversity of habitats. Among the
lates were Alphaproteobacteria, of which Pseudovibrio and Ruegeria OTUs were the only two OTUs isolated examined habitats, are the newly-discovered mesophotic sponge grounds that lie on a submerged sandstone
from all media. Phylogenetic diversity varied significantly in different media and was influenced by medium ridge at 100-130 m depth, and studied here using a remotely- operated vehicle (ROV). On that ridge, are two
218 219
of the studied locations, Herzliya and Atlit, in the form of a series of pinnacles raising ca. 30m above the sea Time to Revisit the Western Indian Ocean Ecoregions and Hotspots: A Numerical
floor. The third location, Haifa, is an extension of the terrestrial Carmel mountain ridge, elevated up to 40m Zoogeographical Analysis Using Sponges as a Case Study
from the surrounding sea floor. In the mesophotic ecosystems, sponges are the phylum with the highest live
coverage and serve as environmental engineers creating complex three dimensional structures that attract in- Liesl Janson1*, Steve Kirkman1 and Toufiek Samaai1,2
vertebrates and fish. 1
Department of Environmental Affairs, Branch Oceans and Coasts, Oceans and Coasts Research, Marine Biodiversity and
Ecosystems Research, Cape Town, South Africa.
During quantitative surveys conducted at the three locations, the ROV was used to take photo–quadrats as 2
MARE, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.. ljanson@environment.gov.za
well as samples. The sponge grounds were found to maintain rich and diverse communities, with 47, 52 and
In the phase of changing climate and disturbance and loss of marine habitats, conservation of at least a rep-
65 species in Atlit, Haifa and Herzliya respectively. The maximal species overlap between any two sites was
resentative sample of the ecosystem diversity in global biodiversity hotspots has become a priority. This is
63%, and only 26% of the species were found in all three sites (Figure 1). Several of the mesophotic species
where biogeography can provide information for conservation, through demarcation of ecoregions, based
are documented for the first time from the Levant basin, while others might be novel species. The mesophotic
exclusively on the actual species distributions. The tropical Indo-West & East Pacific is the largest coastal
species include some that disappeared from the east Mediterranean shallower habitats decades ago, and were
realm on earth with the WIO been partitioned into 9 ecoregions by Spalding et al. (2007). An analysis of the
re-discovered as flourishing in the mesophotic habitats. We suggest that the mesophotic sponge grounds may
large-scale patterns of sponge species richness has, however, never been performed in the WIO. Hence, the
serve as refugia for species stressed by the rising temperatures in shallow waters, and by other anthropogenic
present analysis attempts (1) to determine the zoogeography of the shallow-water sponges, (2) whether they
disturbances affecting mostly the shallower coastal habitats.
correlate with the WIO ecoregions as proposed by Spalding et al. (2007), (3) how sponge biodiversity is
References distributed in the WIO. Records of WIO marine sponges were compiled from (1) all known published and
1. Gottlieb E (1959) Study of the benthos in Haifa Bay: ecology and zoogeography of invertebrates. PhD Diss Hebrew Univer- unpublished records and observations as well as from (2) collections. A species presence/absence matrix
sity Jerusalem with a resolution of 1° latitude/longitude was constructed. Species matrices in equal operational geographi-
2. Levi C (1957) Spongiaires des cotes d’Israel. Bulletin of the Research Council of Israel 6B:201-212 cal units were subjected initially to a chronological analysis, where the species richness hotspots, centers of
3. Tsurnamal M (1968) Studies on the Porifera of the Mediterranean Littoral of Israel. PhD Diss Hebrew University Jerusalem endemism and areas of endemism were mapped. Subsequently the data matrices were numerically analysed
Financial support by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of National Infrastructures, Energy with (a) a phenetic approach: cluster analysis approach and (b) a parsimony approach: parsimony analysis of
and Water Resources, and Israel Nature and Parks Authority, is gratefully acknowledged. endemism (PAE), where the chronological areas of endemism are numerically confirmed. Results of chrono-
logical mapping provide insights for conservation prioritization in the southern and northern extremes of the
Studies on sexual reproduction and secondary metabolite profile of the sponge Ircinia WIO. Chronological as well as the numerical identification of areas of endemism clearly define the Natal- ,
Mozambique Channel- and Mascarene Plateau ecoregions as biogeographical barriers within the WIO. Spe-
fusca (Carter) (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida) cies turnover is also at its lowest within and between the Mascarene Plateau, Somali Bassin and Mozambique
Shriraj S. Jakhalekar & Narsinh L. Thakur Channel ecoregions. On the other hand, species turnover is at its largest at the southern extreme. i.e. at
CSIR National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula 403 004, Goa, India. the boundary between Natal and Delagoa ecoregions. The biogeographic ecoregionalisation reconfirms the
Sexual reproduction in sponges with emphasis on formation of gametes, embryonic development, larval mor- current ecoregions as identified by Spalding et al. (2007). As a serendipitous discovery, we found that Rapo-
phogenesis and post-larval-settlement growth has been studied using light and electron microscopy in some port’s rule does not hold in the WIO.
species of family Irciniidae Gray (order Dictyoceratida Minchin). Though there are about 450+ marine sponge Financial support by the Department of Environmental Affairs: Oceans & Coasts Branch is gratefully ac-
species recorded from the Indian coast, no information is available on sexual reproduction of these organisms. knowledged.
Sexual reproduction in Ircinia fusca (Carter), collected from the central west coast of India, was monitored
over a period of two years. Eggs, spermatocysts and developing embryos in the brooding chambers were stud-
Sponge communities of the Antarctic Peninsula: influence of environmental variables on
ied by standard histological methods (microtechnique) and light microscopy. It was observed that I. fusca is a
hermaphrodite ovoviviparous sponge and reproduces during the post-monsoon season (November–February). species composition and richness
Reproductive effort of the sponge was found to be highest in the months of December and January. Sponges Dorte Janussen1, Daniel Kersken1
produce diverse secondary metabolites. Trade-off between the secondary metabolite production and primary 1
Department Marine Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum, Senckenberganlage 25, 61325 Frankfurt a.
biological processes, like growth and reproduction, has been demonstrated in sponges, which support the M., Germany
‘optimal defense theory’. To understand the possible relation between reproduction and secondary metabolite
Sponge communities on the Antarctic continental shelf currently represent one of the most extensive sponge
production in I. fusca, metabolic profiles of the sponge were analysed using LC-MS and HPLC during its re-
grounds in the world, and all sponge classes are known to occur in the Southern Ocean. Main objectives of
productive and non- reproductive phases. Noticeable difference in metabolic profiles of I. fusca was observed
this study conducted at the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula were (1) to identify all sampled sponges and (2) to
during reproductive and non-reproductive periods. Present study describes and illustrates the sexual reproduc-
investigate whether the species composition and species richness of Southern Ocean sponge communities in
tion in I. fusca and suggests its possible influence on the secondary metabolite production, which further needs
the area of the Antarctic Peninsula are significantly influenced by environmental variables. The studied mate-
to be investigated in detail.
rial originated from 25 AGT catches and was sampled during the expedition ANT-XXIX/3 of RV Polarstern.
Samples were collected in three large-scale areas in the vicinity of the Antarctic Peninsula: Bransfield Strait,
Drake Passage and Weddell Sea. The following six environmental variables were measured from bottom water
samples (except for sea-ice cover): depth (m), light transmission (%), oxygen (lmol/kg), salinity, sea-ice cover
(%) and temperature (oC).
Two hundred and sixty-three sponge samples were analyzed, and 81 species of 33 genera from all Porifera
classes were identified. Total numbers of sponge species per sample station ranged from 1 to 29. A detrended
correspondence analysis and a backward-stepwise model selection were performed to check whether species
220 221
composition and richness were significantly influenced by environmental variables. The analyses revealed that cea in the White Sea. The fouling communities that develop on artificial substrata were chosen as a model of
none of the measured environmental variables significantly influenced species composition but that species epibenthic assemblage involving H. panicea. The dominant competitor of long-term fouling communities in
richness was significantly influenced by (1) temperature and (2) the combination of temperature and depth. the White Sea is either blue mussel Mytilus edulis or solitary ascidia Styela rustica, but H. panicea is optional
Results of this study are of crucial importance for development, performance and assessment of future protec- component of these assemblages (Khalaman 2001). Individuals of H. panicea are distributed in a mosaic man-
tion strategies in case of ongoing climatic changes at the Antarctic Peninsula. ner and do not extend over large areas as a continuous growth. However, H. panicea essentially modifies a
References fouling community where the sponge is (Khalaman & Komendantov 2011). By means of laboratory and field
1. D. Kersken, B. Feldmeyer, D. Janussen, Polar Biol. 39 (2016) 851–862 (DOI 10.1007/s00300-015-1875-9). experiments the following facts were revealed.
Financial support by the DFG (project JA-1163/17-1) is gratefully acknowledged. 1. The survival and growth rates of H. panicea are extremely low in mussels’ fouling community. The vicinity
of adult specimens of S. rustica also negatively impacts on growth rate of the sponge (Khalaman & Komen-
dantov 2016).
Ecology of Halichondria corrugata, a Common Endemic species in the Northern Gulf of
Mexico 2. Excretory-secretory products (ESPs) of most mass fouling animals such as bivalve M. edulis and Hiatella
arctica, ascidia S. rustica and Molgula citrina have a negative influence on settlement and metamorphosis of
Kathleen Kaiser the sponge larvae, but ESPs of brown algae Saccharina latissima promote these processes (Khalaman et al.
Department of Biology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA kkaiser@bio.fsu.edu 2011).
The Florida Gulf of Mexico coast extends over both tropical and subtropical zones resulting in an intermin- 3. Whereas low concentrations of ESPs of H. panicea significantly stimulate metamorphosis of conspecific
gling of fauna typical to both zones. Cold winter water temperatures historically limited the distribution of larvae, moderate and high concentrations of these products kill those larvae (Khalaman et al. 2014).
many tropical species and allowed sub-tropical species to thrive. In the past 60 years average winter sea sur-
face temperatures have increased 2-3°C in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, potentially allowing range expansion 4. The restoration of H. panicea after the post spawning degradation lasts not less than two years.
of tropical species and extinction of endemics. While poleward range expansion is possible for species along Thus, wide expansion of H. panicea in fouling communities of the White Sea can be restrained both by a com-
the Atlantic coast, species in the Gulf of Mexico face land barriers that prevent northward movement. Hali- petitive ability of other epibenthic organisms and by some biological traits of this sponge. The brown algae S.
chondria corrugata Diaz, van Soest & Pomponi, 1993 is endemic to the northern Gulf of Mexico and may be latissima is likely to facilitate an invasion of H. panicea in fouling communities.
threatened by extinction due to its limited distribution. The natural history of this species is unknown, and we
References
have started identifying factors that influence its growth and distribution.
G.R. Russ. Oecologia. 53 (1982) 12-19.
H. corrugata population dynamics and growth rate are influenced by factors specific to their habitat. In fouling D. Barthel. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 32 (1986) 291-298.
communities, growth may be influenced by light availability as this sponge harbors photosynthetic symbionts. S. Thomassen, H.U. Riisgård, Mar.Ecol. Prog. Ser. 128 (1995) 239-246. P.E.J. Dyrynda. Dev. Comp. Immun. 7 (1983) 621-624.
On the other hand, in seagrass beds, population dynamics are influenced by predatory control. The sea star, A.S. Knowlton, R.C. Highsmith. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 197 (2000) 285-291.
Echinaster spinulosus feeds on H. corrugata in seagrass beds, but the sponge is able to escape predation by V.V. Khalaman. Rus. J. Mar. Biol. 27 (2001) 227-237.
associating with decorator crabs. Time-series census surveys of H. corrugata, E. spinulosus, and the decorator V.V. Khalaman, A.Yu. Komendantov. Rus. J. Ecology 42 (2011) 493-501. V.V. Khalaman, A.Yu. Komendantov. Biol. Bull. (Rus.).
crab suggest that sponge abundance is influenced by decorator crab abundance, particularly when E. spinu- 43(1) (2016) 69-74.
losus is abundant. Habitat also appears to influence genetic relatedness of H. corrugata populations. Somatic V.V. Khalaman, Yu. I. Mukhina, A.Yu. Komendantov. Rus. J. Mar. Biol. 37 (2011) 494-500.
tissue grafts, which provide an approximation of clone membership, reveal that H. corrugata individuals from V.V. Khalaman, N.M. Korchagina, A.Yu. Komendantov. Rus. J. Mar. Biol. 40 (2014) 36-42.
seagrass communities readily fuse while individuals from fouling communities do not. This suggests that H.
corrugata in fouling communities recruit as larvae while H. corrugata in seagrass beds are propagated via Shallow-Water Sponge Restoration in Florida Bay
asexual fragmentation.
Shelly Krueger1
Financial support by the PADI Foundation, and FSUCML Graduate Student Research Scholarship is grate-
1
fully acknowledged. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Florida Sea Grant, Gainesville, Florida, United States. shellyk-
rueger@ufl.edu
Sponges are the dominant features of the nearshore hard-bottom habitats of the Florida Keys, where more than
Achilles’ Heels and Trojan Horse of the Ecologically Aggressive Sponge Halichondria 60 sponge species provide ecosystem services by filtering the water of picoplankton and providing structural
panicea (Pallas, 1766) complexity and essential fish habitat for a diverse array of fish and invertebrates. Unfortunately, a series of
Vyacheslav V. Khalaman1, Alexander Yu. Komendantov1, Yulia I. Mukhina2 Tatyana G. Shaposhnikova2 harmful cyanobacteria blooms in the early 1990s, 2007 and 2013 caused massive sponge die-offs, resulting
in the decimation of sponge communities in Florida Bay. 22 of the 24 most common shallow-water sponge
1
The White Sea Biological Station, Zoological Institute RAS, St. Petersburg, Russia. VKhalaman@gmail.com
species experienced >90% mortality rate. Recovery is protracted because sponge larval duration is short (6-8
2
St.-Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
hours) and currents within Florida Bay do not transport larvae far from the parent sponges. To accelerate
Some marine epibenthic species can be regarded as ‘ecologically aggressive’ organisms. These organisms pos-
sponge recolonization in Florida Bay, a research-outreach partnership was created between the University of
sess a high growth rate and they are able to grow well over both clear surface and substrata which were previ-
Florida/Florida Sea Grant, Old Dominion University, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
ously occupied by other sessile animals and plants. Most of ecologically aggressive species are sponges (Russ
and multiple non-governmental agencies to scale-up sponge restoration using novel techniques developed by
1982). One of them is Halichondria panicea (Pallas 1766) wide spreading in North Atlantic and North Pacific.
Dr. Mark Butler at Old Dominion University. 8 transplant species (loggerhead Spheciospongia vesparium,
In spite of high growth rate (Barthel 1986; Thomassen & Riisgård 1995) and toxicity (Dyrynda 1983) this
golfball Cinachyrella australiensis, vase Ircinia campana, stinker Ircinia felix, brown branching, sheepswool
sponge nowhere occupies all available hard substrata. It would hold for the White Sea too, where in contrast to
Hippospongia lachne, glove Spongia graminea, and yellow Spongia barbara) were propagated at 4 nurseries
Alaska’s shore (Knowlton & Highsmith 2000) any predator, which would be able to regulate abundance of H.
and 9 research sites to establish best management practices with the program goal to restore >15, 000 sponges
panicea, does not inhabit. So, we tried to ascertain other biotic factors that contain the expansion of H. pani-
in Florida Bay. Raising stakeholder awareness about the ecosystem services sponges provide is critical, as they
222 223
are the dominant filter feeders in Florida Bay and essential habitat for two economic drivers in the Florida We observed that Heteropia sp. was reproductive throughout the study. The reproductive elementes were found
Keys: spiny lobster Panulirus argus and bonefish Albula vulpes. Florida Sea Grant facilitated the education spread in the mesohyl of the sponge. Embryos were incubated in the mesohyl until the larvae were released,
and outreach component to foster community involvement via a multimedia campaign using local radio, characterizing the species as viviparous, as expected for the class Calcarea.We found, in November 2015, the
newspapers, fact sheets, and events to train volunteers to assist with sponge restoration. Community involve- highest density means of oocytes and larvae, with 30.72 ± 14.83 oocytes.mm-²and 17.13 ± 14.82 larvae.mm-2,
ment is an important component to engender stakeholder support, and increasingly, research grants in the respectively. Embryos were more abundant in October and November 2015, with densities of 13.46 ± 3.94
United States are requiring an outreach component. Organizations like Florida Sea Grant can assist scientists embryos.mm-2 and 13.14 ± 10.61 embryos.mm-2, respectively. The wet weight of the sponges does not seem to
to share their research with non-scientists, and to facilitate the organization of volunteer events to propagate influence in the reproduction output of the species. However, among the environmental parameters, the model
and transplant sponges for ecosystem restoration. containing a combination of the one and two months delay of the clorophyll, the low tide of the month, and
the one and three months delay of the temperature was the one that better explained the reproductive dynamics
Today’s environmental conditions influence in the tomorrow’s reproduction of five of Heteropia sp. These results were expected because some studies that relate environmental parameters as a
possible response to the reproductive effort of marine invertebrates show that temperature may influence the
tropical demosponges reproductive effort. In this way, we can affirm that the combination of environmental parameters can influence
Emilio Lanna, Bruno Cajado, Jéssica da Hora, Ubaldo Porto, Carine Santos, the reproductive effort of Heteropia sp. This study shows that the large fecundity of Heteropia sp. reinforces
Vivian Vasconcellos the possibility of the species be an invasive organism. If its invasive status is proved to be false, at least our
results indicates that it is has a reproductive pottential to colonize new areas.
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. emiliolanna@gmail.com
The Orton’s rule predicts that reproduction of tropical marine invertebrates should be continuous due to the Financial support by CNPq, FAPESB, PROPCI-PRODOC-UFBA are gratefully acknowledged.
low variation of the environmental conditions in this region. Although this rule was already questioned for
several invertebrate lineages, with some exceptions, this rule seems to still be useful for sponges. Nonethe- Sexual reproduction of Dysidea janiae, a tropical Dictyoceratida in association with a
less, a strong bias in the number of studies in temperate areas weakens the rule, being the Tropical Western calcareous alga
Atlantic Ocean one of the largest gaps in our knowledge. We investigated the reproductive cycle and the fe-
cundity of five species of Demospongiae in Salvador, Brazil, aiming to determine the effect of some environ- Bruno Cajado & Emilio Lanna
mental parameters (EPs) on the timing, population engagement in reproduction and the fecundity of the spe- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. emiliolanna@gmail.com
cies. The populations of Aplysina solangeae, Cladocroce caelum, Desmapsamma anchorata, Dysidea janiae The dyctioceratid Dysidea janiae lives with the endozoic calcified red alga Jania adhaerens that supports its
and Tedania ignis reproduced continuously from June 2013 to July 2015, with low percentage of indi- skeleton. It is one of the most abundant sponges at Todos os Santos Bay, Northeastern of Brazil, but basic
viduals engaged in reproduction and low fecundity. For each species, we found a set of models containing aspects of its reproductive biology remains unknown. Therefore, we conducted a 2-year long study (June
different EPs to explain the investigated reproductive traits. In general, the effect of the EPs on the percentage 2013 to September 2015) to describe the gametogenesis and embryogenesis of this species and to analyse
of reproductive individuals and in fecundity was delayed in one to three months. Temperature was one of the the influence of algae thalli on reproduction. We collected ten samples per month and analysed them through
factors that best explained the reproduction of the species, with a delay of one month being the factor most histological methods. Dysidea janiae is viviparous and gonochoristic with a continuous but small reproductive
consistently found among the models. Our findings suggest that the Orton’s rule is partially sustained, as the effort, ratifying the pattern detected in others shallow-water tropical sponges. Spermatogenesis and oogen-
species reproduced continuously, but challenges the lack of the influence of the temperature and other EPs in esis were asynchronous among individuals, with different cohorts co-occurring in both males and females.
the reproduction of sponges. As these animals are important components of the benthos, global warming may Spermatogonia maturation was also asynchronous at the spermatic cyst level, with three different stages oc-
affect the local communities and ecosystems by changing the reproductive dynamics of sponges. curring at the same time in the same cyst. Spermatic cysts [56.6 (±11.92) µm (mean±SE) in diameter] were
Financial support by CNPq, CAPES, FAPESB, PROPCI-PRODOC-UFBA are gratefully acknowledged. typically ovoid, surrounded by a thin follicle of flattened cells and were larger than oocytes [43.8 (±14.45)
µm]. A layer of nurse cells appeared at the beginning of oocytes maturation and remained until the embryonic
stage. Initially the nurse cells formed a monolayer, but we observed an increase in the number of layers until
Reproductive cycle and fecundity of Heteropia sp. (Calcarea, Porifera): a putative non- the early-embryonic stage. At late-embryonic stage there was a decrease in the number of nurse cells layers
indigenous sponge in the Atlantic Tropical Ocean and an increase on the size of the embryo [162.1 (±20.55) µm]. Cleavages were chaotic, generating cells with
Vanessa Batista, Emilio Lanna different sizes with no clear pattern of distribution. The cells of the embryo acquired the yolk granules from
the nurse cells apparently by their transient pseudopodia. Embryonic development leaded to a parenchymella
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. nessabatista_nti@hotmail.com emiliolanna@gmail.com larva [181.7 (±17.09) µm], as well as in others Dictyoceratida. The mature parenchymella was solid and
Heterotopia sp. belongs to the subclass Calcaronea and the family Heteropiidae. It has been considered a bullet-shaped with amoebocytes-like cells with evident nucleus internally; there were basophils and compact
potentially introduced specie in Brazilian waters, as individuals of the species are conspicuous in harbors and amoebocytes-like cells below the mono-stratified cylindrical-shaped epithelium. The asynchrony within the
ports along the Brazilian coast. To investigate the reproductive cycle of this putative alien species is important spermatic cyst is unusual in Demosponges, but their size and the female reproductive elements are similar to
to better understand its invasion as well as the ecological aspects affecting this dynamics. Therefore, this work others Dictyoceratida. This alga-sponge symbiosis is apparently obligatory and it seems that there were a high
aims to investigate the reproductive biology of Heteropia sp. on the coast of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. We also specificity in the settlement of the larva, because the reproductive elements were not always near to the algae
investigated the effects of some environmental factors on the reproductive dynamics of Heteropia sp. For this thalli, despite it occupied a large area at the sponge tissue. As no algae propagule are found within the larvae,
work, 10 specimens were collected monthly during 13 months, from april 2015 to april 2016, using formalin the acquisition of the algae by the sponge is probably caused by a trial and error relationship of the larvae,
4% for fixation. After the fixation period (24 h), we weighted the specimens and proceeded with the samples surviving only those that find J. adhaerens after being spawned.
for a standard histology protocol. In order to evaluate the effect of the environmental factors on the reproduc-
tive cycle, we obtained data from specific websites for each environmental parameter studied (chlorophyll, Financial support by PROPCI-PRODOC/UFBA, CNPq and FAPESB are gratefully acknowledged.
precipitation, low tides, photoperiod), except for the temperature, which was obtained by a dattaloger posi-
tioned near the collection site. We ran simple and multiple linear regression analyzes to evaluate the relation-
ship of the environment with reproduction of Heteropia.
224 225
External and internal anatomy of Cladocroce caelum (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae) Financial support by NSERC-CGSM and CHONE II is gratefully acknowledged.
Jéssica da Hora and Emilio Lanna
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. [jessiedahora@gmail.com; emiliolanna@gmail.com] Using Compound Specific Isotopic Analysis of Amino Acids to Discern Trophic Mode in
Morphological characters are essential for the understanding of phylogenetic trees, being of pivotal impor- Sponges From Shallow to Mesophotic Depths
tance those studies focusing on the anatomy of organisms. Most Demospongiae have choanocytes in contact Keir J. Macartney1, Michael P. Lesser1*
with the mesohyl, while in the majority of the sponges of Haplosclerida, the choanocytes are separated from 1
University of New Hampshire, School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, Durham NH, USA,
the mesohyl by pinacocytes. The haplosclerid Cladocroce caelum is found along all the Brazilian coast, but
*Contact author: mpl@unh.edu
little is known about their biology. It is an abundant sponge at Salvador city coast and it has several associated
organisms, being important for the maintenance of local biodiversity. In addition, to understand the anatomy On coral reefs around the world, but particularly in the Caribbean, sponges are ubiquitous, functionally impor-
of C. caelum can help to uncover gaps in the phylogeny of Haplosclerida and even Demospongiae. Thus, the tant, and increase in size and diversity from shallow to mesophotic depths (3-150 m). Sponges play an impor-
objective of this work was to describe the organization and body structure of Cladocroce caelum aiming to un- tant role in benthic-pelagic coupling via filtration of large quantities of picoplankton and picoeukaryotes, and
derstand whether the organization of the aquiferous system is similar to other studied Haplosclerida. Fragments many sponges harbour symbiotic cyanobacteria and contribute fixed carbon via photoautotrophy. Therefore,
of specimens were collected through skin dive at different localities in Salvador, NE, Brazil. The fragments understanding the trophic ecology of sponges is an important component of their roles n coral reefs. One ap-
were subjected to standard histological techniques and transmission and scanning electron microscopies. It proach to assessing the trophic mode (i.e., dependence of photoautotrophy versus heterotrophy) and trophic
was noted that C. caelum has, in general, repent or repent-branched habits. The species had an exopinacoderm position is to use carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions. Our previous work has used this approach over
composed of a monolayer of pinacocytes, which also delineates the inhalant and exhalant canals. The mesohyl shallow to mesophotic depths and while significant differences in δ13C and δ15N values over the depth gradient
is poorly developed and is formed by collagen fibrils, spongin fibers of the multi-spicular tracts, and few cell were detected our ability to discriminate between the use of different trophic resources is limited the isotopic
types, such as archeocytes and collencytes. The choanocyte chambers occupy a large portion of the sponge compositions represent a mixed signal of the sponge host and its microbiome that is difficult to unravel. Im-
tissue, forming a dense choanosome. The choanocyte chambers of C. caelum present an apopyle delimited by provements in isotopic approaches include the use of compound specific isotopic analysis (CSIA) of amino ac-
flattened apopylar cells, differently from others haplosclerids that usually have cone cells delimiting the apo- ids. This approach promises to improve our ability to assess the trophic ecology of sponges along a shallow to
pyles. Analyzing the main cells and structures of C. caelum it can be observed that they agree with what has mesophotic depth gradient. In CSIA both δ15N (trophic versus source amino acids) and δ13C (essential versus
been observed in demosponges. However, the choanocyte chambers of C. caelum are not in agreement with non- essential amino acids) values can be used effectively to unravel trophic sources and metabolic processes
the classifications proposed for others demosponges, existing the possibility that it has a different (new) pat- with better resolution than bulk tissue isotope analysis (1).
tern of organization of choanocyte chambers, besides presenting some peculiarities probably relevant for the Preliminary δ13C values of amino acids from samples of the sponge Xestospongia muta shows that most
phylogeny of Haplosclerida. The description of the external and internal morphology of Cladocroce caelum essential amino acids become more positive with increasing depth (10, 30, 61 and 91 m) and that leucine,
can contribute to a better knowledge of the evolution of Porifera. isoleucine and phenylalanine showed statistically significant (ANOVA: P<0.05) depth differences. Similarly,
Financial support by CNPq, FAPESB, PROPCI-PRODOC/UFBA are gratefully acknowledged. δ13C values of the non-essential amino acid aspartic acid showed a similar, and significant, pattern of decreas-
ing δ13C values with increasing depth. Looking qualitatively at the isotopic values of sponges and potential
end members consumed by sponges that include bacterioplankton and microalgae (eukaryotic and prokaryotic
Distribution, diversity, and function of glass sponge (Porifera, Hexactinellida) reefs in picoplankton) as previously described (2), the preliminary data suggest an increased reliance on heterotrophic
Hecate Strait, British Columbia, Canada bacteria with increasing depth. Looking more systematically at several sponge species as well as both detrital
Lauren Law1, Sally Leys and water column end members is predicted to be significantly more quantitative in discerning carbon and
1
nitrogen flow through the shallow to mesophotic depth range when including the latest analytical approaches
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. lkl@ualberta.ca
for amino acid CSIA
Glass sponge reefs are unique to Hecate Strait, British Columbia, Canada and are among the most ecologically
productive ecosystems on the planet. They function in deep-sea nutrient recycling and form complex habitat References
1. Boecklen WJ, Yarnes CT, Cook BA, James AC (2011) On the use of stable isotopes in trophic ecology. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 42:
structures that increase biodiversity. The Government of Canada recently established the reefs as a marine
411-440
protected area (MPA) to curtail threats from trawling and oil/gas exploration. The proposed MPA boundar-
2. Larsen T, Ventura M, Andersen N, O’Brien DM, Piatkowski U, McCarthy MD (2013) Tracing carbon sources through aquatic
ies were determined from reef polygons mapped using multibeam echosounders, which to date remains the and terrestrial food webs using amino acid stable isotope fingerprinting. PLoS ONE 8: e73441
only prediction of reef locations. Furthermore, progress in effectively managing and monitoring this MPA is
Financial support by NSF is gratefully acknowledged.
currently hindered by a lack of baseline data on reef distribution, diversity, and function. We used a remotely
operated vehicle (ROV) in 2015 to conduct photographic surveys of the reefs and analyzed the images to map
reef distribution and determine the community structure of resident fauna. Within the regions predicted to be Photographic bioeroding sponges in turbid environments
reef by multibeam mapping, only 30% of the area can be considered functional reef while another 10% of reef Joe Marlow1, Jamaluddin Jompa2, James Bell1
lies outside these regions. The local species abundance of fish and crustaceans is 67% higher on highly rugose
1
reef features compared to flat non-reef structures. Animals are associated with the reef at a species-specific Victoria University of Wellington, School of Biological Sciences, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand.
level in which squat lobsters and rockfish are commonly found on live and dead glass sponge while shrimp Joe.marlow@vuw.ac.nz
2
and flatfishes correspond to buried glass sponge. The reefs are also an important host to numerous non-hexac- Research and Development Centre on Marine, Coastal and Small Islands, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
tinellid sponges, including a new species of the encrusting sponge Desmacella. Species of Desmacella may Bioeroding sponges are thought to be a comparatively resilient group to the factors that stress and kill corals,
be more widespread than previously imagined, but it is still unknown whether these species live parasitically and are increasing in abundance on many degraded reefs globally. Many of these bioeroding sponge species
or symbiotically on the reefs. This study garners baseline data for the Government of Canada to improve their harbour endosymbiotic Symbiodinium dinoflagellates, an association that aids bioerosion rates and sponge
capacity at monitoring changes in the health and function of sponge reef ecosystems. growth. As reef degradation at local scales, particularly in South East Asia, is often associated with watershed-
226 227
based pollution (and associated turbidity) we also examined the capacity of one such zooxanthellate sponge premonsoon and 7.9 to 8.1 during postmonsoon season, whereas average temperatures ranged from 23.3°C
to photoacclimate to reductions in light availability. We investigated photoacclimation of Cliona cf. orientalis to 31.5°C. We observed levels of mean SPM between 24.01 mg/L and 22.90 mg/L during the study period.
on reefs in Indonesia using light reducing shades (70 & 95% reduction) and in situ PAM fluorometry over a Settlement of filamentous algae on bleached coral colonies was higher compared to non-bleached colonies and
period of 25 days and after 14 days of recovery. C. cf. orientalis demonstrated an ability to photoacclimate to coral substrate infested with the bioeroding sponge. We confirmed the occurrence of species from the Cliona
levels of extreme light reduction and recover within a relatively short period of time. A lack of corresponding viridis and the Cliona celata complex. In situ observations monitored lateral expansion of Cliona spp. spread-
tissue loss or evidence of necrosis during this period suggests that these sponges may not be obligative photo- ing over the surface of coral rubble and live corals. The sponge infestations were mainly observed on coral
trophs and that symbiont derived nutrition is primarily facilitating bioerosion. species such as Porites compressa, Favites melicerum, Pseudosiderastrea tayami and Turbinaria mesenterina.
We determined (1) an infestation frequency by these sponges for 25% of the sclerectinians in the MMS and
Financial support by Victoria University of Wellington and Operation Wallacea is gratefully acknowledged.
15 % at Grande Island and, (2) that sponge bioerosion by the Cliona spp. caused detachment and dislodge-
ment of live coral, thus affecting their survival. Prelimanary results indicated that lateral growth of Cliona sp.
Adaptive mechanisms and physiological effects of suspended and settled sediment on 1 (aff. viridis), reached about 5 cm yr-1, overgrowing and infesting live coral. By relating environmental data
barrel sponges to sponge occurrences, we concluded that variability in pH, temperature and sedimentation in the study areas
resulted in different levels of abundance and coverage of bioeroding sponges and turf algae. The sponges and
Emily McGrath
algae increased with lowered pH, and higher rates of sedimentation on reefs that had experienced elevated
Victoria University of Wellington. emily.mcgrath@vuw.ac.nz levels of temperature. The increased dominance of Cliona spp. and algae appeared to be an important indica-
Coral reefs across the Indo-Pacific are among the most diverse in the world but remain vulnerable to the tor for reduced coral reef health and was interpreted as a warning sign for coral reef deteriotion on the west
multitude of stressors affecting global reef health. Coastal development and resultant sedimentation are of coast of India.
particular concern in this region. Sponges are important components of coral reef communities and would be
expected to be negatively affected by sedimentation, yet in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia, Financial support: We acknowledge financial support from Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commis-
degraded reefs characterised by high levels of sedimentation and low coral cover support large populations sion (Project code GAP2871) and United Nation Development programme ( Project code GAP 2858).
of the ecologically important giant barrel sponge Xestospongia testudinaria (Lamarck 1815). Barrel sponges
largely influence abiotic and biotic water characteristics, yet tolerance and responses to sedimentation are un- New approaches to quantifying bioerosion by endolithic sponge populations:
known. This study examined the physiological effects of short-term exposure of X. testudinaria to suspended applications to the coral reefs of Grand Cayman
sediment. When exposed to environmentally relevant suspended sedimentation concentrations of 75 and 150
mg l-l X. testudinaria respiration rates increased compared to controls; this suggests that suspended sediment Gary Murphy 1, Chris Perry1, Paul Chin2 and Croy McCoy2
1
exposure has significant effects on sponge physiology. Sponge mucus production as a mechanism to remove Geography Department, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK. garymurphy1@gmail.com
2
settled sediment was reported for the first time and sediment clearance was filmed in situ over the course of 24 Department of Environment, Cayman Islands Government, Cayman Islands
hours. Sponges produced mucus in response to settled sediment addition, with a mean clearance rate of 10.82 Bioerosion is a critical process on coral reefs, influencing reef structural integrity and complexity and gen-
± 2.04% h-1 (sediment size fractions 63-250 µm). Mucus production is an effective but slow mechanism al- erating significant amounts of sediment. While the excavating sponges are known to be amongst the most
lowing sponges to survive in high sedimentation environments. Our results show that there are likely to be important fauna within macroborer communities, their contribution to total bioerosion on coral reefs is not
energetic consequences for sponges living sedimented environments, which may influence the energy avail- well understood; census surveys are rarely employed by monitoring agencies, and there is little data on the
able for other demographic processes. erosion rates of different species. Here, we estimate bioerosion rates for two Caribbean sponge species with
different growth forms (Siphonodictyon brevitubulatum — α-form and Cliona tenuis — β-form) and describe
new approaches to estimating bioerosion by sponge communities. By categorising the growth form of differ-
Cliona aff. viridis as a possible bioindicator on a tropical coral reef experiencing
ent species, suitable growth form related bioerosion rates were applied to census survey data, along with
multiple sources of stress a previously published rate for Cliona delitrix (γ-form), to estimate bioerosion by sponge communities on
Sambhaji G. Mote *1, Kalyan De1, Afreen Hussain1, Christine H.L. Schönberg3, Toufiek Samaai2 & Grand Cayman reefs. Results indicate distinct habitat preferences for the two most abundant sponge species,
Baban S. Ingole1 Cliona tenuis and Cliona caribbaea. Mean sponge bioerosion across eight sites was 0.1 kg CaCO3 m-2
1 yr-1. Visible cover by α-growth-form excavating sponges caused a disproportionately high level of bioerosion
CSIR–National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India.
in comparison with cover by β-growth-form species. Therefore, it is important to consider growth forms and
* sambhajimote41@gmail.com
2
excavation strategies when assessing bioerosion by sponge communities. Our present level of understanding
Department of Environmental Affairs, Oceans & Coasts Research, Cape Town, South Africa.
of bioerosion by sponge species is limited, and more research is clearly required. However, the approaches de-
3
University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia. scribed here can generate instant, meaningful results on sponge abundance and bioerosion and would comple-
Due to environmental changes over the last few decades, bioerosion rates of calcium carbonate materials ment many current benthic monitoring regimes. Furthermore, they create a framework for the provision of
appear to be increasing globally, a process that can be driven by sponges. In the Indian region studies on data, which is relevant to both coral reef management and to developing our understanding of how bioerod-
sponge-coral interactions and on the ecology of bioerosion are very scarce. However, some faunistic studies ing sponge populations influence reef structure and carbonate budgets.
had reported Cliona viridis complex species, which have been described as bioindicators for coral reef health.
We conducted shallow reef surveys (3-8 m) in the Malvan Marine Sanctuary (MMS) and at Grande Island Financial support by the University of Exeter and the Cayman Islands Department of Environment is grate-
on the west coast of India Nov. 2015-Dec. 2016 using 50 m line intercept transects. We monitored live coral fully acknowledged.
coverage, growth rates and coverage of coral boring sponges together with environmental factors (suspended
particulate matter, nutrient concentrations, pH, salinity and temperature). Sponges were identified by morpho-
logical and molecular means using ITS1 and 28S RNA.
At the sample sites at the west coast of India the aqueous pH in the sampling areas ranged from 8.0 to 8.1 in
228 229
Using siliceous spicules in the Posidonia oceanica “matte” to discover past dynamics of and the average mass growth rate of the large-scale explant was 1831.5%. The final survival rate of the sponge
the sponge community. was about 65%. According to the results, we suggest that explant experiment on the sponge should be done
around April to May when the water temperature is warm enough for sponge to heal more easily. The large-
Alice Oprandi1, Gabriele Costa1, Maurizio Pansini1, Giorgio Bavestrello1 & Marco Bertolino1 scale explant of the M. phyllophila successfully acquired considerable sponge biomass, which is an ideal way
1
DiSTAV, Università degli Studi di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genova, Italy. oprandi.ali@alice.it to solve the supply problem of natural products.
The skeleton of most of sponge species consist of siliceous spicules. After the sponge death, siliceous spic-
ules persist for a long time in the sediments contrasting dissolution and represent a valuable tool to assess the Keratosa sponges stranded on the Sardinia coasts: a long term study
diversity of past sponge communities (Bertolino et al., 2012). The reduced re-suspension occurring within
the meadows of the sea-grass Posidonia oceanica, makes these habitats a stable deposit for sponge spic- Andrea Padiglia1, 2, Renata Manconi2, Tiziana Cubeddu3, Roberto Pronzato1
ules, trapped in a coherent sedimentary sequence inside the network of rhizomes progressively buried, called 1
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell’Ambiente e della Vita, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
‘matte’ and interpretable on a temporal scale. 2
Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
3
By means of a vertical corer manually operated during sections of diving work, we collected samples of sedi- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy andreapadiglia@alice.it
ment (in triplicate) along the matte profile, at 0.5 m and 2 m depth, respectively, in the P. oceanica meadow Taxonomic richness and geographic distribution of sponges were evaluated on the basis of stranded sponges
of Punta Pedale (Eastern Ligurian Sea). Sponge spicule amounts were evaluated by microscopical analyses. collection along the Sardinia Island shores for testing the efficiency of a revisited ancient sampling method.
Significant differences were found between the number of entire spicules occurring in the shallower matte of Long term monitoring (ca. 20 years) resulted in the collection of more than 2000 specimens of Keratosa in 54
P. oceanica (7756 ± 6457 spicules g-1) compared with that from the deeper sediment (2911 ± 1628 spicules sites scattered along ca. 1900 Km of the Tyrrhenian Sea and Sardinian Sea coasts.
g-1). The percentage of spicules showing marks of dissolution never exceeded 15% of the total spicule number
We recorded 20 species of the order Dictyoceratida belonging to 7 genera i.e. Ircinia, Sarcotragus, Sca-
in all the studied samples. The only recognizable genus of demosponge found in the deeper layer is Geodia,
larispongia, Cacospongia, Fasciospongia, Spongia, and Hippospongia of Irciniidae, Spongiidae, and Tho-
identified on the base of its sterrasters. This genus is also present in the shallower layer together with spicules
rectidae. Some rare species were recorded. The most common species is H. communis (28 out 54 sites). All
coming from species of Chondrilla, Suberites, Cliona, Dercitus, Agelas and Crella. It is remarkable that Geo-
the six Mediterranean species of Spongia are widespread. As for the Mediterranean species of Irciniidae we
dia is nowadays no more present in the Posidonia meadow area.
recorded 5 out 7 species of Ircinia and 4 out 4 species of Sarcotragus. The three species of Thorectidae are
The record of a layer of sediment rich in sponge spicules at a depth of 50-60 cm inside the mattes of P. oce- less abundant (<10 records). Among other Demospongiae only stranded specimens of Axinella damicornis
anica, confirms previous data coming from other meadows of the Ligurian Eastern Riviera (Bertolino et al., were also found.
2012). The temporal variations of sponge abundance in the studied place, resulting from the spicule trend, is
From a biogeographic point of view, the comparison among the four selected sectors of Sardinia (N, E, S, and
probably due to historical anthropogenic disturbances. In fact the low spicule content of the deep layer reflects
W) shows strict similarity (>85 %) between West and North coasts, while South and East coasts differ widely
the impact of the construction of the littoral road along the western board of the meadow occurred at the begin-
in composition of sponge assemblages. Comparing the stranded sponge fauna (Irciniidae, Spongiidae, and
ning of the twentieth century. The sponge rich layer could represent a period of recovering that was stopped
Thorectidae) of Eastern and Western Sardinian coasts vs. literature data (mainly SCUBA records) referred to
by the rapid urban development that occurred in this part of the Ligurian Riviera in the sixties of 1900 with a
the Balearic/Catalan seas (Spanish coasts) and the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italian coasts), the result is the similarity
deep impact on the littoral benthic assemblage of the area.
of the Balearic/Catalan/Tyrrhenian dataset, while the Sardinian dataset diverges notably.
References
A similar comparison of stranded sponges vs. the in situ sponge assemblages (snorkeling and SCUBA records)
1. M. Bertolino, B. Calcinai, S. Capellacci, C. Cerrano, A. Lafratta, M. Pansini, A. Penna, G. Bavestrello. Posidonia oceanica
meadows as sponge spicule traps. Ital. J. Zool. 79(2) (2012) 231-238. of a target site (MPA Capo Caccia-Isola Piana) in NW-Sardinia shows low similarity (67%).
The presence and wide distribution of all Mediterranean species of bath sponges in Sardinia represent posi-
Research on Annual Growth and Large-scale Transplantation of Red Sponge, Mycale tive evidence of the conservation status of these threatened species after the widespread epidemic diseases
phyllophila (Porifera: Demospongiae) of the last decades of the past century. Finally this simple, low cost sampling method seems to be absolutely
powerful and sustainable for monitoring large coastal areas worldwide to assess the presence of species with
Huilong Ou1, Dexiang Wang1, Jing Zhao1, Jun Chen1 & Shaoxiong Ding1 conspicuous spongin skeleton e.g. many Keratosa taxa.
1
State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, college of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xia-
Research financially supported by Isola dell’Asinara Marine Protected Area, BAMMBO Project‘Sustainable
men University, Xiamen, China, 361102
Production of Biologically Active Molecules of Marine Based Origin’ (FP7 KBBE-2010-4-265896), INTER-
In order to solve the supply shortage of pharmaceutical sponges as well as to promote mining of active prod- REG-EU, PRIN-MIUR, Regione Autonoma Sardegna (RAS-LR7/2007-CRP-60215-2012), Master&Back
ucts and selection screening, our research focuses on the annual growth rate and large-scale transplantation of (RAS), and Fondazione Banco Sardegna.
the sponge Mycale phyllophila which is a common species in coastal water of Fujian, China. For the experi-
ment of annual growth rate, an approach of aquaculture in situ using nylon ropes and randomly picked up 30
individuals of sponges for cultivation was applied. The growth rate of every single individual was recorded
monthly, and the temperature and light of the seawater were record automatically during the experiment. The
growth rate of M. phyllophila correlated significantly with seawater temperature (p<0.05). In summer, the
growth rate of sponge length was up to (541.47±103.68) % and the perimeter growth rate is up to 229.63%.
The growth strategies of M. phyllophila were that they prefer to occupy more growing space by covering the
substrate before expanding their thickness. For the large- scale transplantation of the red sponge, the nylon
ropes were used as the substrates for sponge to attach. Altogether about 23, 170 pieces of sponge in the field
were explanted, from June 27th, 2013 to September 10th, 2014 the day they were harvested. The initial biomass
of the sponge used for the large-scale explant is 98.28 kg and finally 1.8 tons of sponge biomass was harvested,
230 231
Demospongiae taxonomy and diversity at two sites within the Western Indian Ocean that species posses different intrinsic strategies to gain or protect space. These strategies are associated to
region diverse mechanisms of growth rate, growth forms (plasticity in displacing their tissue), and/ or production of
allelochemicals. Thanks to the intensive monitoring carried out in different and short times, it was possible to
Robyn P. Payne1, Toufiek Samaai2, 3, Mark J. Gibbons1, Sven Kerwath4 & Denham Parker4 verify fast growth plasticity of the species M. microsigmatosa. Because the dynamism, and short time span of
1
University of the Western Cape, Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, Private Bag X17, Bellville 7535, Cape the interactions between species of mangrove sponges it is important to make observations over time, and not
Town, South Africa robynppayne@gmail.com single time-point observations, since one could arrive to wrong conclusions.
2
Department of Environmental Affairs, Oceans and Coasts Research, PO Box 52126, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town,
South Africa
3
Spatial-temporal variation of natural sponge interactions associated with Rhizophora
Marine Research Institute (MA-RE), University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa
4
mangle roots in Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries: Fisheries Branch, Private Bag X2, Rogge Bay 8012, Cape Town, South
Africa Jeannette Pérez1, Cruz-Motta, J.J.2, Díaz, M.C.3
Since 2014, two South African-led projects have been underway to document the Demospongiae diversity at 1
Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela. perezjeannette@gmail.com
two sites within the Western Indian Ocean. The first entailed an expedition to Walters Shoal, a poorly studied 2
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico.
shallow seamount located on the South Madagascar Ridge. Sponges were collected via SCUBA and a roughed 3
Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA.
benthic dredge, from the peak and down two opposing slopes of the seamount, to a depth of 500 m. Completed
in 2015, the findings of this study will be presented. The roots of Rhizophora mangle in the Caribbean sea serves as substrate for a great diversity of marine
sponges, Both abiotic and biotic factors make the system structure very dynamic in time. The scope of this
The second site is the Amathole region of the Eastern Cape (South Africa), which encompasses the Amathole study was to evaluate the intra and interspecific interactions natural of sponges at different spatial and tempo-
Marine Protected Area. Historically, the sponge fauna of this region has been documented in a handful of ral scales, associated with R. mangle roots in the Morrocoy National Park, Venezuela. Three localities were
taxonomic papers that describe new species or records but lack detailed descriptions and require taxonomic selected according to their oceanic influence (protected, medium and exposed), where the frequency of oc-
revision. Thus, as a component of the Imida Frontiers Project (ACEP IV), the aim is to investigate the shallow- currence of different species of sponges and the direct interactions between them were estimated. In total 538
water Demospongiae diversity within the region. The connectivity between this area and adjacent regions will roots were evaluated (76% presented sponges) and a total of 32 species were identified. The total frequency
also be assessed, as well as the spatial variability of sponge assemblages according to a bathymetric gradient. of pairs of interactions increased according to the local oceanic influence, ie, the protected locality had the
Sampling was undertaken in 2016, during two cruises aboard the RV Ellen Khuzwayo, where over one thou- lowest frequency (N = 6) and the biggest exposed location (N = 102). Mycale microsigmatosa was the most
sand sponges were collected via a roughed benthic dredge across depths of 20 to 200 m. In addition, 43 ROV frequent species in interacting with neighboring sponges both in the protected and exposed localities, while
dives were completed in January/February 2017, providing insight into in situ sponge assemblages. This study Tedania ignis was in the intermediate locality. Interaction matrices and hierarchical networks of overgrowth
is expected to discover range extensions and species new to science, with the data further used to identify varied spatially and temporally, either in the species involved or in their hierarchical position. The dynamics
ecologically sensitive areas, as well as aid the management of these habitats and the commercially important of interactions between some sponges in these systems seem to be very dynamic in short time, so that their
fishes they support. studies should consider the history and evolution between them.
Financial support was provided by the African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme (ACEP (DST-NRF); Grant
Number 97969). Resources were provided by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Hatchability of gemmules in Spongillidae and Metaniidae (Porifera: Spongillida) at
Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB) and
different inland waters
the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON).
Ludimila Calheira1, Emilio Lanna2 & Ulisses Pinheiro1
Experimental manipulation in interspecific interactions among 3 species of sponges 1
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Zoologia, Recife, Brazil. uspinheiro@hotmail.com
associated with roots of Rhizophora mangle. 2
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil.
Inland waters experience extreme environmental conditions, nevertheless the fauna has several adaptive strate-
Jeannette Pérez1, Cruz-Motta, J.J.2, Díaz, M.C.3
gies for these unfavorable conditions (Manconi & Pronzato 2007). Freshwater sponges produce resisting bod-
1
Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela. perezjeannette@gmail.com ies that contain totipotent cells and specialized spicules peculiar to armed gemmules called gemmuloscleres.
2
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico. Completely formed gemmules exhibit low metabolic rates and may become dormant (Manconi & Pronzato
3
Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University, Dania Beach, FL 33004, USA. 2002). Most freshwater sponges undergo a period of dormancy at some time during the year, typically dur-
In the Caribbean, the roots of Rhizophora mangle serve as substrate for a great diversity and abundance of ing periods of environmental stress, until hatching occurs (Reiswig et al. 2009). Until now, few species had
sponge species. Since these species distribution has been found to be very variable in small scales (between their hatchability tested against different environmental conditions. Here we test the hatching capacity of the
roots), we explore the potential role of spatial interactions between sponge species as one of the processes that gemmules of two species: Tubella variabilis (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1973) (Spongillidae) and Drulia
could explain this variability. This study had the objective to experimentally place common mangrove associ- ctenosclera Volkmer & Mothes, 1981 (Metaniidae) from freshwater sponges in different inland waters from
ated sponge species (Biemna. caribea, Mycale microsigmatosa and Tedania ignis) to interact in their natural Northeastern Brazil. Three treatments were tested for hatching (T): T1 (water of Tubella variabilis collection
environment and to follow the dynamics of these interactions in time. Our experimental design included all site); T2 (water of Drulia ctenosclera collection site); T3 (mineral water). For each treatment, three replicates
possible combinations between pairs of species, varying the availability of the substrate between them and with 30 gemmules were used. The gemmules were observed daily during 30 days. Data analysis was per-
the density of sponges. Photographic records were taken at different times for 94 days. Each studied species formed using ANOVA and a posteriori Tukey test. Results showed that there was a significant difference (p <
presented different strategies in gaining or protecting their space. B. caribea maintained and gained new 0.001) between treatments and between species, but there was no significant difference between the species in
space until it interacted directly with the other two species, and overgrew them, without apparent damage to the treatments. Thus, we can infer that there is a difference on hatchability of gemmules in different types of
their tissues; M. microsigmatosa evaded the contact with the other species, growing in the opposite direction water, even those with similar morphological complexity. Results clearly show that each species has a differ-
or displacing its tissue onto the free substrate; while T. ignis only maintained its space. These results suggest ent capacity of hatching.
232 233
References coral recruits were recorded through examination of the plates, and the percent coverage of coral, sponge and
1. R. Manconi, R. Pronzato. Suborder Spongillina subord. nov.: Freshwater sponges. In: Hooper JNA, van Soest RWM (eds) macro-algae was quantified in the surrounding area of the plates using image analysis software. Coral recruit
Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, New York, (2002) pp 921- density was found to be positively related to the surrounding percent coral cover but no relationship was found
1021
with sponge cover.
2. R. Manconi, R. Pronzato. Gemmules as a key structure for the adaptive radiation of freshwater sponges: a morphofunctional
and biogeographic study. In: Custódio MR, Hajdu E, Lobo-Hadju G, Muricy G (eds) Porifera Research:Biodiversity, Innova- Financial support provided by the HBCU-UP program at the University of the Virgin Islands, a NOAA CRCP
tion and Sustainability, Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, (2007) pp 61-77. grant to M. Brandt, D. Gochfeld, and J. Olson, and Virgin Islands EPSCoR.
3. H.M. Reiswig, T.M. Frost, A. Ricciardi. Porifera. In: Thorp JH, Covich AP (eds), Ecology and Classification of North Ameri-
can Freshwater Invertebrates, Elsevier, Academic Press, New York, (2009) pp 91-123.
Is the Gibraltar Strait the real southern boundary for Northeast Atlantic sponges?
Financial support by FACEPE (Fundação de Amparo a Ciência e Tecnologia de Pernambuco) and CNPq (Na-
tional Counsel of Technological and Scientific Development) is gratefully acknowledged. Ana Ramos1, Fran Ramil2 & Marcos González-Porto2
1
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50-52, Vigo (Pontevedra) Spain. ana.
Sponges of the Langseth Ridge: Mapping sponge distributions under ice with a towed ramos@vi.ieo.es
2
camera / sonar platform Faculty of Marine Sciences, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas.-Marcosende, Vigo (Pontevedra), Spain
The location and protection of especially vulnerable habitats, as cold-water coral reefs or long-lived sponge
Autun Purser1, Simon Dreutter1, Beate Slaby2, Hans Tore Rapp3, Ute Hentschel2 & Antje Boetius1, 4, 5
grounds, has recently turned a priority aim of deep-sea biological research and deep-sea fisheries management
1
Deep Sea Ecology and Technology, Alfred Wegener Institute, Bremerhaven, Germany Autun.purser@awi.de (FAO, 2009).
2
Marine Microbiology, GEOMAR Helmholz Centre for Ocean Research, Geomar, Kiel, Germany Although the Northwest African deep-sea benthos is still poorly know, the trawling surveys carried out in
3
Department of Biology and KG Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway the framework of Spanish and Norwegian surveys provided a large- scale overview on the distribution of
4
Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Bremen, Germany megabenthos biodiversity in this area (Ramos et al., 2015). Within the 1225 trawl stations accomplished from
5
MARUM, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany Guinea to the Strait of Gibraltar between 20 and 2000 m depth, the sponges reached an occurrence of 40%
During the recent 2016 PS101 Polarstern cruise to the Langseth Ridge in the high Arctic (87oN 60oE) a modi- (546 stations), but only the 1.1% of the abundance and 8.0% of the megabenthic biomass (wet weight). Be-
fied camera sled incorporating forward looking and side scan sonar systems was used to collect image, video tween the Strait of Gibraltar (36ºN) to Cape Blanc latitude (21ºN), mainly in northern Moroccan and Western
and acoustic data across a selection of sponge dominated ecosystems. The region surveyed is covered by ice Saharan slope, hexactinellids and demosponges constituted high diverse and abundant taxa, reaching to 45%
throughout the year and therefore challenging to survey by remotely operated or autonomous vehicles. of benthic biomass (Ramos et al., 2015). An impressive amount of sponges are currently conserved as part of
the EcoAfrik’ faunistic collections (Vigo, Spain) for its later study.
The tethered system was successfully towed at a flight height of 1.5 – 3.5 m through ice by Polarstern, col-
lecting data from the peaks and flanks of three seamounts marking the intersection of the Langseth Ridge with Among the main and more frequent species, we have identified the big demosponges Geodia megastrella, Geo-
the ultra-slow spreading Gakkel Ridge rift valley. Throughout numerous survey dives georeferenced optical dia barretti, Isops pachydermata and Leiodermatium lynceus, and the glass sponges Pheronema carpenteri,
and acoustic data were collected showing the peaks of the seamounts (shallowest peak ~580m depth) to be Aphrocallistes beatrix, Regadrella phoenix and Hyalonema spp. Nevertheless, South to Cape Blanc, along the
almost fully covered by 20 – 30 cm diameter astrophorid sponges, to depths of approaching 1200 m. Indi- Mauritanian slope, sponges are practically absent. Despite the intensive deep-water sampling program carried
vidual sponges could be readily identified in the side scan sonar data at distances of up to ~40 m to the port out during the four Maurit surveys (325 trawl stations between 80 and 2000 m depth), comparable sponge
and starboard sides of the vehicle. grounds were not found (Ramil and Ramos, in press). In this area, the big Geodiidae seems constrained to
hard bottoms habitats: canyon edges and Wolofs’ seamount (Ramos et al., in press) and the sponge fauna of
Here we present high resolution images and 3D mosaics of the sponge communities surveyed, acoustic maps the slope soft bottoms was only represented by small-sized species. Environmental factors linked to the exis-
of their distribution and initial interpretations of these results. tence of different hydrological conditions (upwelling, primary productivity, oxygen concentrations, etc.) and
Funding: Cruise PS101was funded AWI via Grant No. AWI_PS100_01. BS, HTR and UH received support geomorphological features (unstable muddy bottoms, turbiditic currents, sediment slides) southwards Cape
for this study through the SponGES project funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and in- Blanc, could explain the pattern of sponges distribution along this Northeast Atlantic area.
novation programme (grant agreement 679849). References
FAO (2009) International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas. Rome, 73pp.
An Analysis of the Relationship between Sponge Cover and Coral Recruitment Ramil & Ramos. In: Ramos et al. (eds.) Deep-sea ecosystems off Mauritania: Research of marine biodiversity and habitats in the
NW African margin. Springer (in press).
Tia Rabsatt1, Andia Chaves-Fonnegra1, Marilyn Brandt1 Lauren Olinger1, Deborah Gochfeld2, Julie Ramos et al. (2015) In: Valdés & Déniz González (eds) Oceanographic and biological features in the Canary Current Large Ma-
Olson3 rine Ecosystem. IOC Tech. Ser. 115: 231-244.
1 Ramos, A., Sanz, J.L, Ramil, F. (eds.) Deep-sea ecosystems off Mauritania: Research of marine biodiversity and habitats in NW
University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, USA
2
University of Mississippi, University, MS, USA African margin. Springer, Heidelberg (in press).
3
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
Corals play an important role in coral reef ecosystems, including providing habitat and food to other organisms
on the reef. Coral cover has declined drastically over the last several decades due to several factors, including
coastal development and climate change. In contrast, sponge cover has been increasing on some reefs. In this
project, we hypothesized that increases in sponge cover is inhibiting coral recruitment. To test his hypothesis,
we deployed recruitment tiles at six shallow water reef sites surrounding the island of St. Thomas, US Virgin
Islands. After six months, the surrounding area of recruit tiles was photographed and the tiles were collected
for analysis. A second set of tiles was then deployed and collected after an additional six months. Numbers of
234 235
Sponge grounds of seamounts along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge – Diversity, Large-scale distribution of bird’s nest sponge Pheronema carpenteri (Thomson, 1869)
distribution patterns and oceanographic setting along Northwest African slope
Hans Tore Rapp1, Marte Torkildsen1, Adriana Alvizu1, Francisca C. Carvalho1, Tone Ulvatn1, Bernt Pilar Ríos1,3, Marcos González-Porto2, Fran Ramil2 and Ana Ramos1
R. Olsen1, Martyn Roberts2, Andy Davies2, Furu Mienis3, Joana Xavier1 1 InstitutoEspañol de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Subida a Radio Faro 50-52, Vigo, (Pontevedra) Spain. pilar.
1 Department of Biology and KG Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020, Bergen, rios.lopez@gmail.com
2 Facultad de Ciencias del Mar. Universidad de Vigo. Campus Lagoas-Marcosende. Vigo 36310. Pontevedra. Spain
Norway. hans.rapp@uib.no
2School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, LL59 5AB, Wales 3 Departamento de Zoología y Antropología Física, Universidad de Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
3 NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, P.O. box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg - Texel, The Netherlands
Pheronema carpenteri (Thomson, 1869) is a deep-sea hexactinellid that can be found forming dense aggrega-
Several multidisciplinary surveys made by UoB to the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge (AMOR) have revealed tions, which are considered particularly vulnerable to extractive anthropogenic activities (Xavier et al., 2015).
deep-sea ecosystems of conservation importance such as hydrothermal vents, cold seeps and seamounts in The species has been previously recorded in North Atlantic European margin and Mediterranean Sea between
this area. Several seamounts along the Mohns- and Knipovich Ridges have been explored, with special em- 90 and 4789 m depth (Tabachnick, 2014), and in Moroccan slope from 355 to 2077 m depth (Boury-Esnault
phasis on the Schultz massif, a large seamount rising from 3500 to approximately 550 m depth. Fine-scale et al., 1996; Barthel et al., 1996).
bathymetric mapping was done by use of AUV and ROV-mounted multibeam sonars, water mass character-
We present the distribution, occurrence, abundance and biomass patterns of P. carpenteri along Northwest
istics have been investigated by extensive use of CTD and analysis of water samples. Biological sampling by Africa margin, based on the collections and quantitative data obtained during the 11 Spanish and Norwegian
means of ROV, sleds, trawls and cores, supported by high-definition video imagery capture, revealed seem-
trawling surveys (2004-2012) carried out from the Gibraltar Strait (36ºN) to Sierra Leone border (8ºN) be-
ingly rich and undisturbed benthic communities mostly dominated by sponges, anthozoans and ascidians. tween 20 m to 2000 m depth (Ramos et al., 2015).
Here we report our findings regarding the composition and distribution of sponge-dominated communities
along a depth gradient (summit, slope and base) of this seamount. The summit and shallower areas (550-700 Nest sponges were collected in 112 of the 1225 trawl stations, which represent an occurrence of the 8.4% in
m) are inhabited mainly by dense aggregations of glass sponges (Schaudinnia rosea, Trichasterina borealis, Northwest Africa. However, if we consider only the locations where sponges were gathered (546 stations), its
Scyphidium septentrionale and Asconema foliata) along with tetractinellids (Geodia parva, G. hentscheli, occurrence reached the 20.5%, representing, moreover, almost one third of the numerical abundances (29.3%)
G. phlegraei and Stelletta raphidiophora). The slope is characterized by G. hentscheli and the hexactinellid and the half of the sponges wet weight (50.2%).
Amphidiscella monai while the deeper areas (>2000 m depth) are dominated by the demosponges Radiella The main distribution feature is that P. carpenteri was only found in Moroccan and Western Saharan slope,
sarsi, Tentorium semisuberites and Thenea abyssorum alongside with the glass sponges A. monai, Caulopha- being completely absent south of Cape Blanc. From Cape Spartel (north Morocco, 35º32’N) to south of Cape
cus arcticus and Asconema megaatrialia, revealing a shift in the community composition with depth. Deeper Barbas (21º39´), P. carpenteri spread in an almost continuous band between 512 and 1861 m depth, but show-
areas with barren grounds are characterized by highly abundant calcareous sponges. The dominating sponge ing a significant decreasing trend in its mean occurrence along these 14 degrees of latitude. The main picks of
fauna found on the Schultz massif represent a core group of ground-forming species shared between a num- density and biomass were located in Sahara waters, between Cape Boujador and Dackla (26ºN-25ºN) where
ber of seamounts along this ridge system. we found local densities that reached to 1,700 individuals and 150 kg by 0.1 km2. However, considering the
Financial support by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to the SponG- global sponge’s assemblages, the density and biomass of P. carpenteri exhibited opposite patterns, being the
ES project (grant agreement 679849) is gratefully acknowledged. first relatively highest Northern Morocco (84%), and the second ones in Sahara waters (81%).
The possible relationships of these distribution patterns with the hydrological factors that shape this Eastern
Solitons shape Antarctic hexactinellid sponge communities Boundary Upwelling System are discussed and the main Pheronema aggregations are identified for laying a
baseline for the protecting of this vulnerable habitat.
Claudio Richter1, Laura Fillinger2, Dorte Janussen3, Tomas Lundälv4, Luisa Federwisch2, Nils
Owsianowski2, Moritz Holtappels2 References
Barthel, D., Tendal, O.S., Thiel, H. (1996) Marine Ecology 17 (4): 603-616.
1
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung & Universität Bremen
Boury-Esnault, N., Pansini, M., Uriz, M.J. (1994) Mém Mus nat d’Hist natl, 160: 1-174. Ramos et al. (2015) In: Valdés & Déniz
2
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung
González (eds) Oceanographic and biological features in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem. IOC Tech. Ser. 115:
3
Forschungsinstitut & Naturmuseum Senckenberg 231-244.
4
Sven Lovén Centre for Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg Tabachnick, K.A. (2014) Invertebrate Zoology, 11(1): 231–239.
Non-linear solitary internal waves (or solitons) are generated where strong tidal flows interact with topogra- Xavier, J.B., Tojeira, I., van Soest, R.W.M. (2015) J Mar Biol Ass UK, 95(7): 1389–1394.
phy in stratified waters. Here we report on gargantuan solitons (>200 m amplitude) in the Antarctic peninsula
region likely resulting from the interaction of tidal flows with the ice shelf. Mixing of surface production and Light dependent allelopathic activity of the tropic sponge Pseudoceratina sp.
resuspension of bedload material may enhance microbial processes in the benthic boundary layer and favour
growth conditions for hexactinellid sponges. Soliton-enhanced sponge growth and dispersal of propagules Sven Rohde1, Peter Schupp1
may have helped to boost the growth of hexactinellid sponges following the collapse of the Larsen A ice 1
University of Oldenburg, ICBM, Oldenburg, Germany.
shelf. Sponges knocked over in the direction of current jets (>1 m/s) testify to the importance of rare events Coral reefs face dramatic shifts in their community composition and abundance of species. An increasing
in shaping Antarctic megafaunal communities. number of reports states that sponges are becoming more abundant and in some areas the dominating benthic
organisms on coral reefs. In some locations like the Caribbean there is increasing evidence that coral reefs
are shifting from coral dominated to sponge dominated reefs. So far, it is disputable whether sponges just
profit from newly available space due to coral decline, or whether the actual environmental conditions favour
sponges and allow them to outcompete corals actively.
One potential mechanism why sponges are successful competitors is the production of bioactive compounds.
236 237
It has been well established that sponges use secondary metabolites to defend themselves against predatory Value-added in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials from Freshwater Sponges
fish and invertebrate predators. Studies on sponge allelopathic compounds are however mostly lacking. We
Nisit Ruengsawang1, Petch Suthiporn1, Wilailak Chuchuay2, Narumon Sangpradub3 & Renata
investigated the chemical ecology of a particular dominating sponge (Pseudoceratina sp.) in the Gulf of Thai-
Manconi4
land. This sponge was covering large areas of the benthic substrate and overgrew various other invertebrate
species including corals. Bioactivity screenings of Pseudoceratina extracts demonstrated weak antimicrobial 1Division of Biology, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep, Bangkok, Thailand nisit.r@rmutk.ac.th
activity, but highly active antifeeding properties. Pseudoceratina is harbouring photosynthetic microbial sym- 2Division of Industrial Product Development, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep, Bangkok, Thailand
bionts and it is unknown whether the sponge or the symbionts are producing the active metabolites. In order 3Department of Biology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
to investigate allelopathic activities of Pseudoceratina and the source of the active compounds, we conducted 4Dipartimento di Scienze della Natura e del Territorio, Università di Sassari, Sassari, Italy
field experiments with competing coral species under different light regimes. We assessed whether the holo- Biodiversity surveys of freshwater sponges in Northeast Thailand highlighted that sponges e.g. Corvospongil-
biont Pseudoceratina is reducing the fitness of corals by allelopathic means and whether it is the sponge or la spp. commonly colonize cages of fish culture (tilapia) in rivers and reservoirs. The high amount of sponge
the symbionts producing the allelopathic agents. The results give further insight whether sponges are actively biomass clog the nets and limit water circulation in and out the cages causing various harms for fishermen. We
outcompeting competitors by production of bioactive compounds or if they are opportunistically occupying attempted to manage this problem by various approaches in the framework of an applied research project. We
free space from dead coral substrate. focus on a) the development of sustainable management of freshwater sponges in the tropics, b) the improve-
ment of pottery quality by introducing a valuable biomaterial (SiO2 spicules) in the traditional manufacturing
process to increase the value-added in Thai pottery, and c) the support on eco-friendly wild aquaculture by
Decadal dynamics of Indonesian sponge assemblage: roles of endogenous and exogenous reducing its impact by bioremediation (sponges filtering activity) to gain positive effects on food security,
drivers habitat modification, and conservation of wild fisheries as traditional practice in Southeast Asia. Sponges
Alberto Rovellini1, Matthew Dunn2, Elizabeth A. Fulton3, Shane A. Richards3, David J. Smith4, were collected after fish harvesting, when cages were cleaned by air-drying for cage maintenance. Appropri-
Jamaluddin Jompa5, Nicole S. Webster6 and James J. Bell1 ated ratio of mixture clay including clay, sand and siliceous spicules were tested for shrinkage and strength of
pottery. New designed products were created for value-added from traditional products. Prototype products
Conference presenter: James.Bell@vuw.ac.nz
1 School were tested, and consumer willingness to pay for sponge pottery was also examined. An educational program
of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
2 National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Wellington, New Zealand to involve local populations in sustainable exploitation of natural resources was also planned.
3CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia References
4Coral Reef Research Unit, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom 1. R. Manconi, N. Ruengsawang, V. Vannachak, C. Hanjavanit, N. Sangpradub, R. Pronzato, J. Limno. 3320 (2013) 313-326.
5Universitas Hasanuddin, Department of Marine Science, Makassar, Indonesia 2. N. Ruengsawang, N. Sangpradub, C. Hanjavanit, R. Manconi, Zootaxa. 3320 (2012) 47-55.
6Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
3. S. K. Mcintosh, K. C. MacDonald. J. Field Archaeol. 16 (1989) 489–494.
Despite the many functional roles that sponges perform on tropical coral reefs1,2, information about popula- This work was financial support by Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep.
tion dynamics and temporal changes in species composition of sponge assemblages is limited. In this study,
we considered temporal variation in an Indonesian coral reef sponge assemblage over 12 years. Sponge den-
Combining Metabarcoding and Metabolomics to better understand the ecological
sity followed a very consistent pattern of initial growth, following decline and final recovery over the studied
period. A combination of unconstrained and constrained ordination methods3 showed that species composition success of Homoscleromorpha sponges in underwater caves
varied over time too, and that a few abundant sponge taxa were responsible for the observed dynamics. This César Ruiz1, Thierry Pérez1, Olivier P. Thomas2
suggests that either one or a combination of multiple drivers may affect several species in the assemblage4. 1
Institut Méditerranéen de biodiversité et d’Ecologie Marine et Continental (IMBE), UMR CNRS 7263, IRD 237, Aix-Marseille
We tested a set of three hypotheses to identify these potential drivers: correlation of sponge density with water Université, Avignon Université, Station Marine d’Endoume, Marseille, France. cesar.ruiz@imbe.fr
temperature (I) and fish abundance (II), and presence of density-dependent regulation (III). Sponge density 2
National University of Ireland Galway, Marine Biodiscovery, School of Chemistry, University Road, Galway, Ireland.
showed no correlation with the mean satellite-derived sea surface temperature (climatologies from December
to March) preceding each sampling (I). Abundance of spongivores was weakly correlated with sponge density Underwater caves are original habitats of ecological interest. Indeed they can be considered extreme due to
at the studied reef (R2 0.65, p-value 0.056). However, abundance of herbivores and invertivores showed a marked physical gradients such as light, hydrodynamics and food availability which make them good me-
strong positive correlation with sponge density, suggesting that these fish guilds might respond to the same socosms of deep sea ecosystems. Underwater cave ecosystems were mostly studied in the few places of the
covariates driving sponges (II). A deterministic demographic model of sponge dynamics, incorporating the Mediterranean Sea, often focusing on specific taxonomic groups. Overall, those studies revealed similar fau-
assumption of density dependence, was fitted to population growth data, but it could not capture apparent lo- nistic traits and ecological functioning. Homoscleromorpha sponges are well represented in underwater caves,
cal fluctuations. This means that density-dependence alone could not be identified as a driver of the observed and some species can be cave-exclusive. However, very little is known about the factors explaining their eco-
dynamics (III). We conclude that sponge density can fluctuate by as much as one order of magnitude in a logical success in such a constraining environment. We hypothesized that the microbiome and/or metabolome
few years, driven by the dynamics of a few dominant species. This pattern may result from a synergy of of these sponges may confer adaptation capability. On a large collection of samples from Mediterranean and
exogenous and endogenous drivers, as none of the tested covariates was able to explain the dynamics of the Caribbean submarine caves, we undertook metabarcoding and metabolomic fingerprinting analyses to identify
assemblage alone. The remarkable variations in density and composition of this sponge assemblage over time putative patterns in microbial and chemical diversity that may be related to sponges’ ecological habit. Some of
highlight the value of long-term datasets when studying natural systems. these patterns seem to be explained by the taxonomy of the sponge and/or the geographical area, so these two
approaches can be used in integrative taxonomy. More interesting, we have found that ecological traits like
References habitat occupation inside caves (semi-obscure, obscure) or species distribution can be explained by the pres-
1. J. L. Wulff, Can. J. Zool. 84 (2006) 146–166 ence of particular microbial groups or the production of exclusive metabolites. Our results seem to confirm our
2. J. J. Bell, Estuar. Coast. and Shelf. Sci. 79-3 (2008) 341-353 former hypothesis, however the functional role of those microorganisms and metabolites must be analyzed to
3. M. J. Anderson & T. J. Willis, Ecology 84-2 (2003) 511-525 understand their contribution to the adaptation of Homoscleromorpha sponges to marine caves.
4. C. L. J. Frid, P. R. Garwood, L. A. Robinson, J. Marine Syst. 77-3 (2009) 227-236
This work takes place in the framework of the LIA MARRIO, and was funded by the CNRS, the Total Founda-
238 239
tion and Colciencias-Colfuturo. published since then, with the exception of the genus transfer, first to Xytopsaga by De Laubenfels (1936),
based on the type specimen and other specimens collected during the same expedition, and lately to Fibulia by
South Orkney Islands: a poorly sponge-studied region of the White Continent. Results van Soest (2007). Burton´s original description consisted in a synthetic paragraph and a draw of two complete
specimens, with only few measures (and no ilustrations) of the spicules. In this contribution, we add
of Argentinean Antarctic Cruises 2012 and 2014
5 recent records of the species in Burdwood Bank about 90 years after its original (and unique) collection and
Laura Schejter1, Javier Cristobo2 & Pilar Ríos2
record date, from samples collected during research cruises developed during 2013 and 2016, both onboard
1. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) & Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo the RV “Puerto Deseado”. We update the bathymetric range of the species from 81-267m (in Burton, 1932) to
Pesquero (INIDEP-ARGENTINA). 608 m. We also describe and provide images of the yellow-brownish coloration in the living specimens and we
Paseo Victoria Ocampo Nº1, 7600, Mar del Plata, Argentina. schejter@inidep.edu.ar
present, for the first time, SEM images of all the spicules, with the recorded range of measures for Burdwood
2. Instituto Español de Oceanografía. Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Av. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Asturias,
Bank. Based on the evidence and a bibliographic review, this is an endemic species from Malvinas/ Burdwood
Spain.
Bank region, and the oceanographic conditions (Malvinas Current) are probably related with the distribution
The South Orkney Islands are among the poorest studied areas regarding sponge fauna in Antarctica. In 1986
pattern.
the Spanish Expedition Antártida 8611 sampled 6 stations in the region, but the sponge data remains unpub-
lished. Sará et al. (1992) reviewed the demosponge fauna of Antarctica and the South Orkney region had re- References
corded only 8 species. Lately, van Soest et al. (2012) mentioned 9 species for the same region. A recent search Burton, M. (1932). Discovery Reports.6: 237-392, pls 48-57.
through OBIS database for this marine Ecoregion recorded about 300 unpublished records, most of them not Laubenfels, M.W. De. (1936). Carnegie Institute of Washington Publication 467 (Tortugas Laboratory Paper 30) 1-225, pls 1-22.
identified to species level (R. Downey, pers. comm.). These numbers highlight a gap in the knowledge of van Soest, R. (2007). Fibulia myxillioides (Burton, 1932). In: Van Soest et al. (2016).World Porifera Database (accessed in Feb-
ruary 2017).
the South Orkney fauna. During two Argentinean Antarctic Research Cruises (2012 and 2014) onboard R/V
“Puerto Deseado” 17 sites in the mentioned region were sampled. Sponge samples were separated from trawl Financial support: CONICET, INIDEP (Argentina) and PICT 2013-0629 to LS.
catches and constituted in 4 sites the main component of the catch in terms of relative biomass. Sponge rich-
ness per site varied between 1 and 20 (based on morphotypes, and including hexactinellids). Biogeographic and bathymetric distribution of coral-eroding sponges
A list of the recorded Demospongiae (mainly Poecilosclerida) comprised a total of 32 taxa of which 1 is a new Christine H.L. Schönberg1, James K.-H. Fang2, José-Luis Carballo3, Max Wisshak4 and Lydia Beuck4
species (Coelosphaera (Coelosphaera) sp. nov.) and at least 21 are new records for Orkney islands. Orders 1
School of Earth and Environment and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
Spirophorida, Astrophorida, some species of Haplosclerida and Class Hexactinellida were also recorded and christine.schonberg@uwa.edu.au
are still in study. The best represented species in the sampled stations were: Iophon unicorne, I. gaussi, Lis- 2
Benthic Resources and Processes Research Group, Institute of Marine Research, 5005 Bergen, Norway
sodendoryx (Ectyodoryx) ramilobosa, Tedania (Tedaniopsis) tantula. Other new records for the area were: 3
Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mazatlán 82040, México
Raspailia (Hymeraphiopsis) irregularis, Myxilla (Burtonanchora) lissostyla, M. (Myxilla) mollis, Mycale ty- 4
Senckenberg am Meer, Marine Research Department, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
lotornota, M. fibrosa, Clathria (Axosuberites) cf. nidificata, Artemisina apollinis, Crella (Pytheas) crassa, Environmental change is progressing at an alarming rate and leads to widespread coral demise. Bioeroding
Isodictya cf. kerguelenensis, I. verrucosa, I. lankesteri, Microxina charcoti, M. benedeni, Inflatella belli, Ca- sponges have been called bioindicators of environmental change on coral reefs, they are thought to be compar-
lyx cf. arcuarius, Myxodoryx hanitschi, Axinella antarctica, Haliclona (Gellius) sp., and Haliclona sp. Except atively resistant to environmental stress, and they can potentially drive reef carbonate budgets further towards
for Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata (also recorded), Iophon unicorne and Calyx arcuarius the other species have net erosion. Some species of bioeroding sponges received much attention, but others have not been mentioned
never been formally recorded in South Orkney Islands. in the literature since their original description. This situation obstructs our progress in research. We therefore
References synthesized available published data across all 260 accepted and 13 presently undescribed species, generating
Sarà M, Balduzzi A, Barbieri M, Bavestrello G & Burlando B (1992). Biogeographic traits and checklist of Antarctic demo- annotated faunistic checklists per bioregion and presenting global distribution patterns (Schönberg et al. in
sponges. Polar Biology 12: 559-585. press). We strongly suggest that ‘cosmopolitan’ species are usually species complexes that need to be resolved
Van Soest RWM, Boury-Esnault N, Vacelet J, Dohrmann M, Erpenbeck D, De Voogd NJ, Santodomingo N, Vanhoorne B, with molecular means. The best-studied area in shallow waters is the Caribbean, harbouring one fourth of all
Kelly M & Hooper JNA (2012) Global Diversity of Sponges (Porifera). PLoS ONE 7(4): e35105. doi:10.1371/journal.
known species, but global patterns are more strongly influenced by Indo-Pacific species. We have inadequate
pone.0035105
knowledge on the species from shallow depths in the NE Indic, of the central Pacific and Japan. Along a
Financial Support: Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero y Dirección Nacional del Antár- bathymetric gradient the composition of taxa changes, favouring clionaids in depths less than 100 m, while
tico (Argentina). PICT 2013-0629 to LS. Spiroxya, Alectona, Delectona and small species of Siphonodictyon become dominant at greater depth. Over-
all, bioeroding sponges in deep water are much less well studied (18% of the evaluated species, see below)
Contribution to the description of Fibulia myxillioides (Burton, 1932) and new records than in shallow and warm waters (77%). At many locations bioeroding sponges have not been studied since
of the species at Burdwood Bank, after 90 years of its unique collection date the 1800s, and it would be desirable to conduct new surveys that involve morphological as well as molecular
species identification.
Laura Schejter1, Javier Cristobo2, Pilar Ríos2
References
1
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero (INIDEP), Mar del Plata, Argentina. schejter@inidep.edu.ar C. H. L. Schönberg, J. K.-H. Fang, J.-L. Carballo. Bioeroding sponges and the future of coral reefs. In: J. J. Bell, J.-L. Carballo
2 (eds) Climate change, ocean acidification and sponges. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg (in press).
Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Centro Oceanográfico de Gijón, Av. Príncipe de Asturias 70 bis, 33212 Gijón, Astur-
ias, Spain.
Fibulia myxillioides (Burton, 1932) was described as Plumocolumella myxilliodes based on the specimens
collected in the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands region onboard RRS “William Scoresby” in 1927 and 1928. The
species was recorded in 9 sites in the mentioned area, and its distribution comprises Malvinas Is. and Burd-
wood Bank (SW Atlantic Ocean). However, besides these records, no information regarding this species was
240 241
Coelocarteria singaporensis – an unexpected bioeroding sponge? 3.2 per site). The southern stations from 41° South to 45° South on the other hand were dominated by Demo-
spongiae (54 specimens/ 13.5 per site), with only a low abundance of Hexactinellida (2 specimens/ 0.5 per
Christine H.L. Schönberg1
site).
1
School of Earth and Environment and Oceans Institute, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. chris-
tine.schonberg@uwa.edu.au Sponge diversity comprised the orders Hadromerida, Halichondrida, Haplosclerida, Lithistida, Poeciloscle-
rida, Tetractinellida, Verongida and several yet to be identified demosponge species. Hexactinellida diversity
Historically, only the papillate and encrusting Clionaidae, the Thoosidae, and Siphonodictyon spp. were re-
included the orders Amphidiscosida, Hexactinosida, Lyssacinosida and several yet to be identified species.
garded as sponges that erode calcium carbonate. Over time it was recognized that massive Clionaidae, the Spi-
rastrellidae, Zyzzya and Cornulella spp. are also bioeroders. Bioerosion capabilities of some other groups and One difference that was noted between the different ROV stations was that sponges in general were more com-
species have been discussed, i.e. whether they actively erode or only insinuate themselves into pre- existing mon on hard substrate, i.e., volcanic bedrock, while they were rare to absent on slopes dominated by muddy
cavities where they ‘nestle’ (Cornulum, Amorphinopsis, Dercitus, Holoxea, Triptolemma and Samus spp.). A sediment with occasional pumice rocks. Several of the northern sites were also geologically active (e.g. Raoul
paper by de Laubenfels (1954) and a recent publication by Rützler et al. (2014) described further unusual and Island, Maccauley Island), and had much higher abundances of Octocorals compared to sponges. Since most
unexpected sponge species as bioeroders (Haliclona, Timea, Aplysinella and Suberea spp.), which suggests Octocorals also require hard substrate for attachment, it appears that sponges prefer different hard substrate
that the ability to bioerode may be much more widely distributed across sponge taxa than previously thought. compared to the Octocorals, which seemed rather abundant on the pumice substrate. As these are just prelimi-
During fieldwork on the central Great Barrier Reef, another such sponge was found that was not expected to nary observations directly form the recent SONNE Expedition SO254, further analysis as to possible factors
bioerode: Coelocarteria singaporensis (Carter, 1883). C. singaporensis is a massive-fistular sponge that lives contributing to the observed sponge distribution are ongoing, such as investigations on differences in water
either buried in sediments or fills gaps and cracks in coral rock. A piece broken off a specimen attached to chemistry and nutrients among the different sites.
coral rock showed that marginal tissue had penetrated into the rock, and that the sponge body was surrounded Financial support by BMBF 03G0254A, SO254 PORIBUGNEWZ is gratefully acknowledged.
with bioerosion chambers. This is the first isodictyid reported as being a bioeroder. Future sampling of repli-
cate specimens will allow more detailed investigations and confirmation of its bioeroder status. At this stage,
I hypothesise that bioerosion capabilities in sponges commonly co-occur with a tendency to inhabit sediments How to Protect a Mesophotic Sponge Ground – A Case Study
(psammobiosis) and the habit to agglutinate or incorporate calcareous debris (see Schönberg 2016). It is there- Sigal Shefer1, 2, Tal Idan1, Tamar Feldstein1, 2, Ruth Yahel3, Dorothée Huchon1, 2, Micha Ilan1
fore not unlikely that sponge taxa that commonly contain species with endopsammic or particle-collecting 1
Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
tendencies will reveal further bioeroders.
2
The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv
References 6997801, Israel
1. M. W. de Laubenfels. The sponges of the West-Central Pacific. Oregon State Monogr, Studies Zool 7 (1954) 1-320. 3
Science Division, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Givat Shaul, Jerusalem 95463, Israel
2. K. Rützler, C. Piantoni, R. W. M. van Soest, M. C. Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier
reef near Carrie Bow Cay. Zootaxa 3805 (2014) 1-29. In recent years explorations for natural gas and oil have been carried out along the Israeli coast of the Mediter-
3. C. H. L. Schönberg. Happy relationships between marine sponges and sediments – a review and some observations from Aus-
ranean, as a future center for the petroleum industry. Last November, the Israel Ministry of Energy launched
tralia. J Mar Biol Ass UK 96 (2016) 493-514. a competitive process for new offshore exploration licenses, after more than four years during which sea ex-
ploration permits were not given. The new process offers 24 blocks within Israel’s exclusive economic zone,
Sponges don’t like pumice, they like hard rock! containing an estimated 6.6 billion oil barrels and about 2, 137 billion m3 of natural gas. Some of these blocks
are located in proximity to newly-discovered mesophotic sponge grounds. In these mesophotic ecosystems,
Peter J. Schupp1, Sven Rohde1, Sadie Mills2, Jackson Cahn3, Kathrin Busch4, Tanja Stratmann5, sponges create complex structures that attract both invertebrates and fish, thereby serving as environmental
Dennis Versluis1, Lars-Eric Petersen1, Michelle Kelly6, Tessa Clemens1, Gert Wörheide7 engineers and creating marine oases in an otherwise a relatively homogeneous environment. The proposed
1
Institut for Chemistry and Biology oft he marine Environment (ICBM), Carl-von-Ossietzky University physical activities (e.g. drilling, pipeline installation, structure or vessel anchoring to sea bottom, piling-up of
Oldenburg, Schleusenstr. 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany drilling cuttings), have the potential to cause irreversible physical damage to benthic rock habitats. Moreover,
Peter.schupp@uni-oldenburg.de the drilling lubricants and thin sediment deriving from such excavations and suspended in the water column,
2
NIWA, 301 Evans Bay Parade, Greta Point, Wellington, New Zealand could cover and clog the sponges’ filtering apparatus.
3
Institute of Microbiology, ETH Zurich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland The Ministry of Energy launched a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in order that gas and oil ex-
4
GEOMAR, Marine Microbiology, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, D-24105 Kiel, Germany ploration and production could be carried out while also maintaining the normal and sustainable functioning
5
NIOZ – Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke, Netherlands of the ecological marine environment, with minimum interference, disturbances, and damage. The habitat
6 mapping team defined four vulnerability levels: 1. Low 2. Moderate; 3. High; 4. Very high (unique species).
NIWA, 41 Market Place, Viaduct Harbour, Auckland, New Zealand
7
Our aim was to assess the level of vulnerability applicable to the local mesophotic sponge ground. The data
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333
we provided were collected during six expeditions to the Herzliya deep site (~100m, using ROV), at which 98
München, Germany
sponge specimens were sampled from four pinnacles. We found that the sponge grounds maintain a rich and
During the deep-water expedition aboard the German research vessel SONNE (cruise SO254) in February
diverse community with an estimated 63 species, and a high sponge percentage cover (~35%). Some of the
2017 a total of 211 sponges were collected on a North-South transect from 29° South to 49° South along the
mesophotic species are documented for the first time from the Levant basin, while others might be novel spe-
East coast of New Zealand. Those sponges, as well as other invertebrates, were collected with the remotely
cies. Moreover, a comparison revealed only a slight overlap between the shallow and the mesophotic sponge
operated vehicle (ROV) ROV KIEL 6000 from as shallow as 100 m down to 4200 m water depth. A total of
communities along the Israeli coast, with merely nine species that thrive across this entire depth range. Those
360 specimens were collected by the ROV. Taxonomic identification using traditional microscopy as well as
species that are confined to the mesophotic depth along the Israeli coast, grow at shallower depths in other
through DNA barcoding are ongoing.
parts of the Mediterranean. The findings that the sponge grounds contain species unique to the Levant Basin,
A first analysis revealed that at the northern stations from 29° South to 39° South were dominated by Hexac- the significant difference found between pinnacles, and that the mesophotic community may also serves as a
tinellida (total of 102 specimens/ 7.3 per site) with Demospongiae being less abundant (total of 45 specimens/ refuge and possible breeding ground for other species, helped us to convince the decision-makers to give the
242 243
mesophotic sponge ground at the Herzliya site the highest vulnerability level. We suggest that this approach Calcarea on the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight, Australia
could serve as a case study for science-based conservation.
Shirley Sorokin1, Michelle Klautau2, Lisa Goudie3, Andrea Crowther4, Jane Fromont5, Anita Mary
George6, Sam McCormack7, Muhammad Azmi Abdul Wahab8
Trade-off between growth, reproduction and spatial competition of the intertidal 1
SARDI Aquatic Sciences, West Beach, Adelaide, South Australia shirley.sorokin@sa.gov.au
marine sponge Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa 2
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
Anshika Singh and Narsinh L. Thakur 3
Lisa Goudie consultancy, Sandringham, Victoria
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula 403 004, Goa, India anshika.singh17@gmail.com 4
South Australian Museum, North Tce, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
In space-limited environment like intertidal rock pools, sessile marine organisms maintain their space by us- 5
Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia, Australia
ing allelochemicals, the production of which may influence their primary life processes such as growth and 6
Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
reproduction. In the present investigation, growth, regeneration and asexual reproduction (budding) of the 7
marine sponge Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa were monitored in presence and absence of the spatial compe- 8
Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, Western Australia
tition from its aggressive neighbour zoanthids, Zoanthus sansibaricus. The field experiments were carried
out by tagging sponges growing with and without competitor in intertidal rock pools at Anjuna - Goa, central A broad-ranging benthic survey in the Great Australian Bight (GAB) identified a diverse calcareous sponge
west coast of India, for two consecutive years. The sponges growing with the zoanthids showed significant fauna in shallower waters (≤ 200 m depth) and an apparent absence of the group in deeper waters (400 m to
(p<0.05) reduction in their growth (36-69%), regeneration (30-76%) and asexual reproduction (45-60%). 3000 m). Sponges were sampled, along with other benthos, at depth-stratified stations in December 2015, as
Analysis of sponge’s crude extract for secondary metabolites led to the isolation of a cytotoxic compound part of the first characterisation of deep benthic communities in the GAB. Of the sponge species collected,
‘ß-sitosterol’, the production of which was recorded highest (34-87%) in sponges, growing with zoanthids. At 16% were Calcarea, and apart from Leucetta sp. all the specimens were small (< 5 cm in length). In total,
its natural concentration, this compound showed significant toxicity (LD50=92.9ppm) to symbiotic zooxan- they made up 1.8% of the overall sponge biomass. Twenty-nine species of Calcarea were identified, 12 of the
thellae of zoanthids, which indicates its possible role in allelopathic interaction of the sponge with its spatial subclass Calcaronea and 17 of the subclass Calcinea. The most diverse genus was Ascoleucetta and the most
competitor. The present investigation shows interplay between primary (growth, regeneration, reproduction) widespread species was Leucettusa lancifera. Seven species are new to science: Ascoleucetta (four species),
and secondary (spatial competition) life processes of the marine sponge and supports earlier reported obser- Ute n. sp. (one species), Ernstia n. sp. (one species) and Leucettusa n. sp. (one species). Calcarea have been
vations of trade-off hypothesis. thought to be depth-limited by the oceans’ Calcium Compensation Depth, but previous work has shown that
this occurs deeper than 1000 m in the GAB1 and so the apparent depth limitation of Calcarea may not be due
Financial support by PSC0105 (Ocean Finder) is gratefully acknowledged. spicule solubility but to other factors. The benthic collection was part of the first characterisation of deep
benthic communities in the Great Australian Bight ecosystem to provide a baseline for monitoring future
Biogeographic Connectivity of Sponge Communities in the Tropical Atlantic anthropogenic impacts. This work was funded by the Great Australian Bight Research Program, a collabora-
tion between BP, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University
Marc Slattery 1, 2, Michael P. Lesser3, Deborah J. Gochfeld2, M. Cristina Diaz4, Elizabeth Kintzing3 of Adelaide, and Flinders University. The Program aims to provide a whole-of-system understanding of the
1
Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, Oxford MS, USA environmental, economic and social values of the region; providing an information source for all to use.
slattery@olemiss.edu References
2
National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford MS, USA 1. N.P. James, Y. Bone and T. Kurtis Kyser, J. Sed. Res 75(3) (2005) 457-467
3
School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham NH, USA
4
***, Nova Southeastern University, *** FL, USA Dominance and diversity of deep-water sponges on the shelf edge and slope of the Great
Sponges are one of the most diverse marine taxa and an increasingly dominant constituent of tropical Atlan- Australian Bight, South Australia
tic coral reefs. The ecological importance of these sponges is unequivocal. They provide important food and
Shirley Sorokin1, Lisa Goudie2
habitat for a variety of coral reef species, play a significant role in benthic-pelagic coupling via filtration of
bacterioplankton, and they can either stabilize or degrade the reef matrix. In addition, symbiotic microbes 1
SARDI Aquatic Sciences, West Beach, Adelaide, South Australia shirley.sorokin@sa.gov.au
represent both phototrophic conduits of energy for coral reef communities and a major source of nitrogen 2
Lisa Goudie consultancy, Sandringham, Victoria
cycling. Although our knowledge of sponge ecology has increased dramatically over the last few decades, Sponges constituted over a quarter of the species count (191 spp., 28%) and biomass (27%) in invertebrate
there are still many questions to be answered. Key among these questions is the degree of spatial variability benthic collections along depth-stratified stations (200 - 3000 m depth) in the Great Australian Bight, southern
in sponge diversity between reefs, and the role this plays in the structure and function of coral reefs. As shal- Australia. Two species dominated the sponge biomass. The haplosclerid fan sponge Callyspongia (Callyspon-
low coral reefs worldwide are increasingly degraded by natural and anthropogenic stressors, mesophotic coral gia) sp. made up 27% of the total sponge biomass and dominated the shelf edge (200 m) and the tetractinel-
ecosystems (~30-150 m) represent potential refugia that might act as seed-banks for coral reef resilience. Our lid Thenea sp. made up 42% of the total sponge biomass, dominated the slope and was the most widespread
data indicate that sponge diversity varies with depth and site. Our goal is to assess differences in sponge com- species, being found at all depths between 400 and 3000 m with the highest concentration at 1000 m. Both
munities between shallow and mesophotic reefs among reefs in the tropical Atlantic (Bahamas and Cayman sponges were found at all longitudinal transects. Overall, there was little overlap of species between depths,
Islands, to date), to identify local and regional drivers of biodiversity and the degree of connectivity within with 93% of species only occurring at one depth. The benthic collection was part of the first characterisation of
the Caribbean basin. deep benthic communities in the Great Australian Bight ecosystem to provide a baseline for monitoring future
anthropogenic impacts. This work was funded by the Great Australian Bight Research Program, a collabora-
tion between BP, CSIRO, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), the University
of Adelaide, and Flinders University. The Program aims to provide a whole-of-system understanding of the
environmental, economic and social values of the region; providing an information source for all to use.
244 245
Oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes of deep-sea sponges most common coral host was Siderastrea sidereal, followed by Diploria strigosa. There was a strong colony
size-dependent effect on C. delitrix prevalence: ranging from 4.2% to 28.6% for the smallest and largest cor-
Tanja Stratmann1 and Dick van Oevelen1
als, respectively. An understanding of relative abundances of C. delitrix within different reef communities can
1 NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. illuminate the role of this particular sponge, and bioeroders in general, in community succession. The relation-
Box 140, 4400 AC Yerseke, the Netherlands. tanja.stratmann@nioz.nl
ship between tourism, nutrient enrichment, and bioerosion is of particular interest as it is an issue that affects
Sponges can form extensive reef systems, e.g. off the west coast of Canada (1) and Norway (2), but our many reefs worldwide and is crucial for management of near-shore reef ecosystems.
knowledge on their role in carbon and nutrient cycling is extremely limited (3, 4). A few initial reports in-
dicate that this may be substantial, as community respiration rates within sponge grounds were measured to Financial support by The University of the West Indies is gratefully acknowledged.
be ten times higher than community respiration rates of near-by sediment (2, 3).
During the recent RV Sonne cruise SO254, 17 individual deep-sea sponges of the classes Demospongiae Mutualistic relationship between host sponge Spongia (Spongia) sp. and its
and Hexactinellida were collected with the ROV Kiel 6000 in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of New endosymbiotic bivalve Vulsella vulsella
Zealand (SW Pacific) between 595 and 1467 m depth. These sponges were incubated individually in the dark Remi Tsubaki1
at in-situ temperature for 5 hours in closed incubation chambers onboard RV Sonne. At the begin and at the
1
end of the incubations water samples were taken for the determination of nutrient concentration (phosphate, Research and Development Center of Marine Bioscience, Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka,
Kanagawa, Japan. tsubakir@jamstec.go.jp
silicate, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite), whereas oxygen concentration in the incubation chambers was measured
continuously. Sponges, porous filter-feeding organisms consisting of vast canal systems, provide unique substrates for di-
verse symbiotic organisms. The Spongia (Spongia) sp. massive sponge is obligately inhabited by the host-
We will present oxygen utilization and nutrient exchange fluxes for these sponges and attempt a first extrapo- specific endosymbiotic bivalve Vulsella vulsella1, which benefits from this symbiosis by receiving protection
lation to aerial rates using video footage from the ROV. from predator. However, whether the host sponge gains any benefit from this association is unclear. Consid-
References ering that the bivalves exhale filtered water into the sponge body rather than the ambient environment, the
1. M.M. Hogg, O.S. Tendal, K.W. Cornway, S.A. Pomponi, R.W.M. van Soest, J. Gutt, M. Krauter, J.M. Roberts, UNEP-WCMC sponge is hypothesized to utilize water exhaled by the bivalves to circulate water around its body more ef-
Biodiversity Series. 32 (2010) 33-37. ficiently. We tested this hypothesis by observing the sponge aquiferous structure and comparing the pumping
2. T. Kutti, R.J. Bannister, J.H. Fosså, Cont. Shelf Res. 69 (2013) 21-30. rates of sponges and bivalves. Observations of water currents and the sponge aquiferous structure revealed
3. C. Cathalot, D. van Oevelen, T.J.S. Cox, T. Kutti, M. Lavaleye, G. Duineveld, F.J.R. Meysman, Front. Mar. Sci. 2 (2015) 37. that the sponge had a unique canal system enabling it to inhale water exhaled from bivalves, indicating that
4. A.S. Kahn, G. Yahel, J.W.F. Chu, V. Tunnicliffe, S.P. Leys, Limnol. Oceanogr. 60 (2015)78-88. the host sponge adapted morphologically to receive water from the bivalves. In addition, the volume of water
circulating in the sponge body was dramatically increased by the water exhaled from bivalves. Therefore,
Patterns of Cliona delitrix prevalence in a near-shore artificial reef system this sponge-bivalve association can be regarded as a novel mutualism in which two filter-feeding symbionts
promote mutual filtering rates2.
Holly Trew1, Henri Vallès1
References
1
Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados hvtrew@gmail.com 1. R. Tsubaki, M. Kato, Zool. Sci. 29 (2012) 585-592.
Growth of the coral framework on reefs is constantly counteracted by erosion from both physical and biologi- 2. R. Tsubaki, M. Kato, Plos One (2014) e108885
cal sources. Excavating sponges are the primary bioeroders on Caribbean reefs, causing weakening and break- Financial support by JSPS is gratefully acknowledged.
down of the reef structure. The bioeroding role of excavating sponges has attracted considerable attention
because of the poor current state of many coral reefs across the region. This study examined the prevalence
of Cliona delitrix, one of the Caribbean’s most common excavating sponges, within a system of six shallow Environmental assessment of deep-water sponge grounds in relation to oil and gas
shipwrecks in Carlisle Bay, Barbados. Located within 50m of each other, the shipwrecks are subject to the activities: a Faroe-Shetland Channel case study
same broad environmental conditions, but vary in their age (from 15 to 98 years old) as well as in the succes- Johanne Vad 1, 2, Theodore Henry1, Sophie Green3, Lea-Anne Henry2 & J Murray Roberts2
sional stage of their coral communities, with regard to coral species and colony size-frequency, that play host
1
to C. delitrix. School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
2
School of Geosciences, Grant Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
The shipwrecks are a prime tourist destination, with approximately 500, 000 snorkelers/divers visiting them 3
British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Edinburgh, UK
each year, thus subjecting them to regular nutrient inputs from fish feeding, sunscreen, and human urine. Be-
cause C. delitrix abundance has been previously linked to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and tourist visi- Deep-water sponge grounds constitute a major deep-sea habitat that support diverse benthic communities1.
tation rates vary considerably and consistently among wrecks, this system provides an interesting opportunity These habitats meet the criteria of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) as recognised by the UN Food and
to assess the impact of human presence on C. delitrix prevalence over relatively small spatial scales. Agriculture Organisation as well as Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas (EBSAs) as recognised by
the UN Convention on Biological Diversity2. In July 2014, a new Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area
On each wreck, each individual C. delitrix outcrop (n=919) was mapped and measured. Conditions associated (NCMPA) was designated in the Faroe-Shetland Channel (FSC) to protect the deep-sea sponge grounds pres-
with each outcrop were also recorded, including substrate type/species (beneath and immediately adjacent ent in the area. Oil extraction and production activities have occurred within the FSC since the 1990s3, with the
to the sponge), depth, and zooanthid occurrence. C. delitrix prevalence was measured across 2, 899 colonies development of Foinaven and Schiehallion oil fields located within the NCMPA. However, the current extent
belonging to seven massive coral species and varying in size (between 5 cm to >50 cm in diameter) Nutrient of the sponge grounds within the FSC and the impact oil extraction and production activities has on deep-sea
inputs to the different wrecks were assessed via stable isotope analysis from samples of Dictyota algae, C. sponges remains to be understood. This talk will present results (i) from our analysis of FSC seabed still im-
delitrix, and Diadema antillarium urchins. ages and (ii) from short-term weathered crude and/or dispersant toxicology experiments with shallow-water
Pending results from stable isotopes, preliminary analyses indicate that approximately 7.5% of all live coral sponges as surrogate organisms. First, over 1, 500 still images of the FSC seabed acquired during successive
colonies within the system are colonized by C. delitrix, accounting for 3% of total live coral surface area. The Remotely Operated Vehicle surveys were examined and benthic organisms’ presence were scored. The result-
246 247
ing dataset was analysed by Redundancy Analysis and Partial Redundancy Analysis to assess the proportion S., & Wörheide, G. (2016). Molecular biodiversity of Red Sea demosponges. Marine pollution bulletin, 105(2), 507-514.
of community composition variability explained by abiotic or anthropogenic factors. Substrate type, depth Pérez, T., Díaz, M. C., Ruiz, C., Cóndor-Luján, B., Klautau, M., Hajdu, E., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Zea, S., Pomponi, S.A., Thacker,
and seawater temperature appear to be the main factors impacting benthic community composition in the R.W., Carteron, S., Guillaume Tollu, G., Pouget-Cuvelier, A., Thélamon, P., Marechal, J., Thomas, O.P., Ereskovsky A.V.,
Vacelet, J., Boury-Esnault, N. (2017). How a collaborative integrated taxonomic effort has trained new spongiologists and
FSC. Moreover, fish species, bryozoans and crinoids amongst other are found to be associated with the sponge
improved knowledge of Martinique Island (French Antilles, eastern Caribbean Sea) marine biodiversity. PloS one, 12(3),
grounds in the FSC. Second, short-term experiments in which shallow-water sponges exposed to weathered e0173859.
mixtures of Foinaven crude oil and/or Slickgone NS dispersants were conducted to assess toxicity and effects
We gratefully acknowledge Philippe Bouchet for the invitation to join the expedition. See Madibenthos
on respiration. Respiration and filtration rates were affected in some treatments and tissues were collected for
website http://madibenthos.mnhn.fr/
assessment of molecular indicators of toxicity. These initial and our ongoing investigations will contribute to
better understand the importance of deep-sea sponge grounds in the FSC and their sensitivity to oil production
activities. Sexual breeding of the red sponge Mycale phyllophila (Porifera: Demospongiae)
References Dexiang Wang1, Huilong, Ou1
1. L.-A. Henry, J. M. Roberts, JNCC Report No. 508 (2014) 45pp. 1
State-Province Joint Engineering Laboratory of Marine Bioproducts and Technology, college of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xia-
2. M. M. Hogg, O. S. Tendal, K. W. Conway et al., UNEP-WCMC Biodiversity Series No. 32 (2010) 88p. men University, Xiamen, China, 361102.
3. J. R. Smallwood, W. J. Kirk, Geological Society London Petroleum Geology Conference series Vol. 6 (2005) 977-991. To solve the “supply problem” of sponge biomass for further investigation of drug and other biotechnological
Financial support by Heriot-Watt University, BGS, the Centre for Doctoral Training Oil and Gas, the Natural applications, sexual breeding of sponge from larvae to adult was carried out in this study. Compared with the
Environment Research Council and Oil & Gas UK is gratefully acknowledged. Research support by BP and intensive aquaculture of sponge explants, sexual breeding is more efficient and could avoid genetic resources
Marine Scotland is gratefully acknowledged. degradation. The red sponge Mycale phyllophila are common species in coastal water of Fujian, China and
found to be an excellent natural product provider. The whole procedure as following: Firstly, larvae were col-
Additions to the biodiversity of the sponge fauna from Martinique (Fr.) lected in site in June early morning using special manufacture silk sieve cloth. Secondly, larvae were brought
back to laboratory and settle in a dark environment with gentle current. Thirdly, the effects of flow rate, food
Esther van der Ent1, Nicole J. de Voogd1 source and illumination intensity on survival and growth of juveniles of the sponge under control conditions
1
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. esther.vanderent@naturalis.nl were investigated. Finally, we investigated the appropriate time to transplant the juveniles to the sea and moni-
Sponge biodiversity has been extensively studied in the Caribbean, but most scientific efforts have tored survival and growth of juveniles in field. As result, we successful culture the larvae of the red sponge
concentrated on the Greater Antilles, Western and Southern Caribbean, while the Eastern Caribbean Arc is- from laboratory to field and acquired the base protocol to culture sponge larvae in field. The results indicated
lands have been overlooked. Recently, Perez et al. (2017) provided a first inventory of sponge diversity on that sponge sexual breeding is a promising method for sponge supply and that laboratory culture under con-
Martinique (Fr.). During their survey they found a minimum of 191 species, and of approx. 60 non-identified trolled conditions is necessary before transplanting the juveniles to sea.
sponge species a substantial number was thought to be new to science. The survey was limited to South Carib- Fig.1 Sexual breeding of the red sponge Mycale phyllophila from larvae to adult
bean shallow reefs, cryptic habitats and Caribbean and Atlantic mangroves, and sampling efforts among these
habitats varied. They did not include North Caribbean and North Atlantic sites, nor deep reefs. Therefore
this first inventory might still be an under- representation of the actual biodiversity of the sponges fauna
Is Saba Bank becoming a ‘sponge reef’?
of Martinique. We present additions to their record by presenting the results of the Madibenthos Expedition Mirthe Wiltink1, Erik Meesters2, Nicole J. de Voogd3, Leontine Becking1, 2, 3
to Martinique, organized by the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle between September and October 1
Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands
2016. This six-week expedition aimed to make a complete inventory of benthic invertebrates from 0 to 100 2
Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder, The Netherlands
meter depth around the entire island. The coast of Martinique shows distinct differences between the Atlantic 3
and Caribbean side. Along the Atlantic coast strong ocean currents prevent the formation of 3D-structured Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
reefs. The more sheltered reefs on the Caribbean side are built on hard volcanic rock in the north while the The Saba Bank Nature Park, with an area of almost 2700 km2, is the largest marine protected area in the Dutch
southern reefs and Baie de Fort-de-France are influences by sand and siltation. These influences create vastly Caribbean and recognized by the Convention on Biological Diversity as an “Ecologically or Biologically
different habitats, influencing sponge species distribution in space. We used classical morphological charac- Significant marine Area”. As the Saba Bank is removed from large landmasses, it provides an excellent case
teristics to ascertain sponge biodiversity. Molecular biodiversity was assessed utilizing mitochondrial and to study general processes that occur in coral reefs in the Caribbean. Our aim was to systematically quantify
nuclear ribosomal markers from the Sponge Barcoding Project (Erpenbeck et al., 2016). Approximately 650 the diversity and health of the sponge assemblages on the Saba Bank. In addition, we monitored the change in
sponge specimens were collected from 91 sites (9 intertidal and mangrove sites, 61 shallow reef sites, 21 sponge cover between the years 2013 & 2015 in order to assess whether the Saba Bank is following trends in
dredging sites). Sponges were collected by snorkeling (0-3 m), SCUBA diving (3 – 50 m) and dredging (60 other Caribbean reefs and becoming a ‘sponge reef’.
- 100 m). The abundance and diversity of sponge species was observed to be much higher on the Caribbean Sponge assemblages were studied in 2013 and 2015 in 220 photo-quadrats in 11 different transects using the
coast of Martinique compared to the Atlantic. Preliminary data from other benthic invertebrate organisms programme CPCe. To aid the identification in the photographs, an identification database was made based the
in this expedition show a similar pattern. The Atlantic coast of Martinique might be less hospitable as a reef collection of 87 sponge specimens, in situ photographs, morphological analysis and DNA-barcoding. Sponge
ecosystem, although the impact of anthropogenic stressors on this side is also thought to have a longer history diversity was subsequently compared with data from previous studies in 1972, 1986, and 2006.
compared to the less disturbed Caribbean reefs. Interestingly, dredging in the deeper mesophotic zone yielded
a high abundance of sponges, indicating that mesotrophic reefs in Martinique may be entirely ‘sponge-reefs’. Comparing our data to previous expeditions and surveys, we found at least 22 new records of sponge spe-
The Madibenthos expedition reflects the high abundance and diversity of sponges that is seen throughout the cies for the Saba Bank, totalling at least 100 sponge species for the Saba Bank. More species may be present,
Caribbean, and highlights their functioning as habitat-formers now that stony coral cover is declining. as species accumulation curves are not saturated. Sponge cover was equal to coral cover and did not change
between the years 2013 and 2015, indicating that Saba Bank at present does not appear to be turning into a
References ‘sponge reef’. There was, however, a high prevalence of bleaching in Xestospongia muta, almost all large
Erpenbeck, D., Voigt, O., Al-Aidaroos, A. M., Berumen, M. L., Büttner, G., Catania, D., Guirguisc, A.N., Paulaye, G., Schätzlea, individuals showed bleaching in both years. There appears to be strong connectivity along the bank as we
248 249
did not find a significant structure of species turnover across our sample sites. The Saba Bank is a hotspot of the highest water temperature as well. Meanwhile, there is no significant difference between the growth of the
biodiversity and an important reservoir of diversity for other coral reefs in the region. explants in Bolinao and Puerto Galera. High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) results confirmed
Funding: The Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs, project BO-11-019.02-008 the presence of renieramycin M on the sponges harvested from both the culture setup locations in Puerto Gal-
era and Bolinao. Moreover, the extracts from these sponges were shown to be bioactive against the HCT116
(colon cancer cell lines).
Validation of recirculating ex situ aquaria systems for studying deep-water sponges: do
This research study is part of the Discovery and Development of Health Products (DDHP-Marine) funded
individuals kept under ex situ conditions reflect physiological in situ performances? by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Health Research and Development
Erik Wurz1, Raymond Bannister2, Hans Tore Rapp3 & Ronald Osinga1 (DOST-PCHRD).
1
Wageningen University and Research, Marine Animal Ecology, De Elst 1, Wageningen, The
Netherlands; contact: erik.wurz@wur.nl
2
Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 1870, 5817 Bergen, Norway
3
Department of Biology, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
Deep-sea sponge grounds in the North Atlantic recently came to the focus of the scientific community. These
highly abundant sponges may be key players for benthic- pelagic-coupling processes. The physiological re-
sponse of cold-water sponges to ongoing large scale environmental changes remains unstudied. Long-term ex
situ incubation experiments have proven to be a tool to assess the metabolic response of marine invertebrates
under actively manipulated seawater conditions. For the first time, physiological performances (respiration-,
clearance-, and pumping rates) of the boreal Demosponge Geodia barretti (Bowerbank, 1858) will be ex-
amined in recirculating and flow-through aquaria systems. Ex situ performances will be compared to perfor-
mances assessed under in situ conditions, to test the hypothesis that cultivated sponges held under different
laboratory conditions will show comparable physiological performances. This allows an evaluation of eco-
physiological ex situ responses to changing seawater properties and to implement these results in a broader
ecological context.
SponGES has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme
under grant agreement No. 679849.
The mariculture potential of the Philippine blue sponge Xestospongia sp. for the
production of renieramycin
Clairecynth Yu2, Geminne Manzano1, Viviene Santiago2, Lilibeth Salvador-Reyes2 & Porfirio Aliño1
1
Community Ecology Laboratory, The Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
1101. geminnemanzano@msi.upd.edu.ph
2
Marine Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
1101
In the past two decades, several bioactive compounds have been isolated from Philippine marine organisms.
This includes the renieramycin which have been reported to be cytotoxic to a variety of cancer cell lines.
However, one of the obstacles faced in studying the bioactive compound is the limitation of the amount of the
starting material and of the compound obtained from them. To address this problem, the mariculture potential
of the Philippine blue sponge, Xestospongia sp. for supply of renieramycin was assessed through the pilot
sponge culture in the open-sea at two different locations in the Philippines – in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mind-
oro (13.508404 N, 120.958230 E) and in Bolinao, Pangasinan (16.43958 N, 119.94475 E). The in situ culture
site in Puerto Galera was located adjacent from where the donor sponges were collected and was characterized
as a sheltered area with low exposure to wave action. Meanwhile the translocation site located in Bolinao was
characterized by a high exposure to wave action. A total of 73 sponge explants were fragmented from sixteen
different sponge donor colonies and were grown using the two farming methods employed in this study. Ex-
plants were assigned to different harvesting regimes and starting culture period to investigate the seasonality
growth of the sponges as well as the effect of multiple harvesting in their growth rate. Environmental param-
eters such as the temperature and water quality were also recorded. Results showed that while the frequency of
partial harvesting does not affect the growth of the explants, the season has significant effect in the growth rate
of the sponges in Puerto Galera (p<0.05). Months between May and September recorded the highest specific
growth rate (SGR) and the highest survival rate in Puerto Galera sponge explants. The said months recorded
250 251
10th World Sponge Conference Posters Molecular, Cell and Organismal Biology
Posters Molecular, Cell and Organismal Biology Transcriptomic reconstruction in Spongia officinalis: adjusting post- sequencing
analyses to distinguish between host and prokaryotic symbionts
Gene expression dynamics accompanying the sponge thermal stress response Tereza Manousaki1, Jacques Lagnel1, Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, 2, Spyros Kollias3, Costas Tsigenopoulos1,
Christine Guzman & Cecilia Conaco Christos Arvanitidis1, Costas Dounas1, Antonios Magoulas1 & Thanos Dailianis1
1
Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 Philippines cconaco@msi.upd.edu.ph Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology & Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Heraklion Crete, Greece. tha-
nosd@hcmr.gr
Marine sponges are important members of coral reef ecosystems. Thus, their responses to changes in ocean
2
chemistry and environmental conditions, particularly to higher seawater temperatures, will have potential Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum of London
3
impacts on the future of these reefs. To better understand the sponge thermal stress response, we investigated Norwegian Sequencing Centre, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, University of Oslo, Norway
gene expression dynamics in the shallow water sponge, Haliclona tubifera (order Haplosclerida, class Demo- Transcriptome assembly, facilitated through next generation sequencing, emerges as an important requirement
spongiae), subjected to elevated temperature. Using high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, we show that for consequent ecological studies. For non-model organisms, a de novo assembly approach is required due to
these conditions result in the activation of various processes that interact to maintain cellular homeostasis. the absence of a reference genome. However, since sponges commonly host complex communities of sym-
Short-term thermal stress resulted in the induction of heat shock proteins, antioxidants, and genes involved in biotic prokaryotes, this type of analysis is challenging due to the presence of bacterial transcriptomes which
signal transduction and innate immunity pathways. Prolonged exposure to thermal stress affected the expres- might potentially interfere to the biological interpretation of the results introducing biases. Herein, we report
sion of genes involved in cellular damage repair, apoptosis, signaling and transcription. Interestingly, exposure for the first time a transcriptome acquisition for the common Mediterranean bath sponge Spongia officinalis.
to sublethal temperatures may improve the ability of the sponge to mitigate cellular damage under more ex- To this end, a new pipeline was developed that efficiently separates between bacterial expressed genes from
treme stress conditions. These insights into the potential mechanisms of adaptation and resilience of sponges those of eukaryotic origin, overcoming this challenge.
contribute to a better understanding of sponge conservation status and the prediction of ecosystem trajectories
The pipeline involves standard read pre-processing steps and incorporates extra analyses to identify and fil-
under future climate conditions.
ter prokaryotic reads out of the analysis. Following multiple quality control filters, the surviving reads were
References scanned for non-sponge sequences. First, we mapped the reads against the bacterial sequences of the NCBI
1. Guzman C and Conaco C. 2016. Gene expression dynamics accompanying the sponge thermal stress response. PLoS ONE. RefSeq database with the tool ribopicker (ribopicker-standalone-0.4.3 version). Then, the unmapped reads
11(10): e0165368 were used for the transcriptome reconstruction. The resulted transcriptome assembly was annotated with stan-
Financial support by the University of the Philippines System PhD Recruitment Grant (OVPAA-BPhD-2012-04) dard annotation pipelines (BLAST2GO) and the resulted annotation was used to notify further on the contami-
and L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science National Fellowship is gratefully acknowledged. nation. As a final filtering step, the top blast hits of each contig were scanned and the taxon identity of the cor-
responding organisms were retrieved. Contigs with top hits taxon identities that matched bacterial sequences
Cellular Model of Sponge-Sponge Associations were eliminated to end up with a high-quality, prokaryote-free assembly.
Megan Conkling1 & Shirley A. Pomponi1 The developed pipeline provides a roadmap for dealing with the technical RNASeq problems originating from
contamination of symbionts – a non-trivial problem when dealing with sponge data. This work attempts to set
1
Florida Atlantic University, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Fort Pierce, Florida, USA. mconkli2@fau.edu the standards for subsequent transcriptome analyses in complex holobionts and produces baseline information
An in vitro model using high content imaging and protein microarrays was established to investigate sponge- to be used towards the effective assessment of gene expression in an economically and ecologically important
sponge interactions at the cellular level. This study focused on Amphimedon erina and Geodia “gibberosa”, sponge. Studies towards the latter can be especially valuable in face of current and anticipated stressors to the
a common epibiont-basibiont sponge association in Florida and the Caribbean. Primary cell cultures and co- coastal marine habitat related to human activities and the ongoing climate change.
cultures were established for each species. Amphimedon compressa and Geodia neptuni, which do not form
This work has been financially supported by the LifeWatchGreeceResearch Infrastructure (MIS 384676) and
such associations with other sponges, were used as controls. Cultures were stained with fluorescent markers
the Action «Proposals for Development of Research Bodies-KRIPIS», both funded by the Greek Govern-
and molecular probes and monitored using high content imaging to measure cellular responses related to cell
ment under the General Secretariat of Research and Technology (GSRT) and the National Strategic Reference
cycling. Time-lapse imaging was conducted over a period of 24 hours. A protein expression microarray for
Framework (NSRF).
apoptosis was used to validate the in vitro model and high content imaging results. Cellular responses of co-
cultured cells of species that form sponge-sponge associations in nature differ from responses of co-cultured
cells of species that do not form sponge-sponge associations. Protein expression data validate the in vitro A molecular study of the tissue regeneration in the Demospongiae: the role of the TGF/
model, specifically for apoptosis and cell proliferation. The in vitro model may not be appropriate to test hy- BMP protein family
potheses related to cellular interactions in natural sponge-sponge associations, but it is a meaningful platform
Lorenzo Gallus1, Marina Pozzolini1, Sara Ferrando1, Marco Giovine1, Cristina Gagliani2, Giorgio
to investigate cell-cell interactions between species and between individuals of the same species. The data
Bavestrello1, Marco Bertolino1 & Sonia Scarfì1
revealed unexpected and potentially significant results related to DNA damage and repair that could lead to
the establishment of a sponge cell line. 1
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
2
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
Sponges are amongst the most successful organisms on Earth. This is also due to their rapid regeneration
capacity allowing the recovery from damage caused by predation as well as environmental stress. Until now,
only some morphological and cellular data are available on the fragmentation/regeneration process in the
Demospongiae [1], thus we decided to approach this important topic from a molecular point of view. One of
the main mediators of tissue regeneration in higher organisms is the TGF-beta protein family. Thanks to the
transcriptome, previously obtained in our lab, of the demosponge C. reniformis, and through various bioin-
formatics approaches, the sequences of several members of this family of proteins could be identified in this
252 253
organism: a Gdf-like, a nodal-like, Bmp2, Bmp3, Bmp4 e Bmp7, besides the two subunits of the typical TGF Origin of animal cell homeostasis : new insights from a digestive cycle of carnivorous
receptor, the TGFR1 and TGFR2. Furthermore, two genes considered markers of staminality in other sponges sponge Lycopodina hypogea.
were also identified, PIWI and Musashi, to shed some light on the possible differentiation processes taking
place immediately after the sponge fragmentation. The expression profile of these genes was then analysed in Nelly Godefroy1, Camille Martinand-Mari1, Khalid Belkrir1, Emilie Le Goff1, Abdel Aouacharia1, Jean
quantitative PCR in fragmorphs withdrawn at various times from fragmentation (0, 3, 9, 24, 48 and 72 h). The Vacelet2, Nicolas Galtier1 & Stephen Baghdiguian1
analysis showed that most genes were significantly upregulated at 9 h (BMP2, BMP4, BMP7, GDF-like and 1
Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution (UM, CNRS UMR 5554), Université de Montpellier, France nelly.godefroy@umontpellier.fr
TGFR1 and 2) from the cut. Contrariwise, for what concerns the staminality genes PIWI and Musashi they 2
Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d’écologie marine et continentale, Université Aix-Marseille,
were both significantly downregulated from 24 h on, probably indicating the initiation of a differentiation pro- France
cess. We can conclude that, beside identifying the family of TGF-beta proteins in C. reniformis, we found that
Lycopodina hypogea is a demosponge that belong to the deep sea family of Cladorhizidae. The interest in cla-
some of them are probably involved in the tissue regeneration process following the fragmentation. Further
dorhizidae has rapidly grown during the past twenty years since a unique feeding strategy, the carnivory, was
studies with the use of specific inhibitors are needed to confirm their role in this process.
described in Lycopodina (1, 2). Interestingly, carnivorous sponges gave up the classical filtering strategy to
Research supported by EU(FP7 grant agreement n: 266033 SPonge Enzyme End Cell for Innovative AppLi- become exclusively carnivorous. They are totally devoid of both the choanocytes and the aquiferous system,
cation-SPECIAL) which were considered to be diagnostic for sponges, and they are able to catch and to digest macroscopic liv-
References ing preys like artemia without any digestive cavity or specialized organ, which is a unique case in metazoans.
1. Alexander BE, Achlatis M, Osinga R, van der Geest HG, Cleutjens JP, Schutte B, and de Goeij JM. PeerJ (2015), 3:e820 Interestingly, all carnivorous sponges have evolved toward the same shape: erect morphology with axial po-
larity that is not classical for sponges. Then the shape seems to have played a important role in the acquisition
Histological and Ultrastructural Features of Aplysina cauliformis Infected with Aplysina of the carnivory. During the various stages of its nutrition cycle, Lycopodina is subjected to alternate cycles
of retraction/extension of filaments (3). In a first study, we showed that programmed cell death and prolifera-
Red Band Syndrome tion are involved in these spectacular morphological modifications induce by nutrition (4). Here, we extend
Deborah Gochfeld1, Maria Cristina Diaz2, 3, Abigail Renegar2 & Julie Olson4 this study at the molecular level in order to understand how complex are these mechanisms regulating tissue
1 National Center for Natural Products Research, University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA homeostasis. Since the shape is regulated either by mechanical constraints or by a fine regulation of the size
gochfeld@olemiss.edu and the localization of the cell populations, we extend our study on stem cells markers and proteins implicated
2 National Coral Reef Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Dania, FL, USA in cell cycle control, cytoskeleton regulation, adhesion/migration, phagocytosis, autophagy and apoptosis. In
3 Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute-Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL, USA this purpose, we did a transcriptomic study on two months unfed animals and on animals collected 15h, 40h or
4 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA 216h after nutrition with artemia. Results show that: (i) the molecular networks that ensure cellular and mor-
Aplysina Red Band Syndrome is one of the most well characterized diseases affecting Caribbean sponges. phogenetic homeostasis in Lycopodina possesses a molecular complexity comparable to that present in main
ARBS affects sponges of the genus Aplysina, particularly A. cauliformis, one of the most widespread species modern Eumetozoans (excepted for intermediate filaments and associated junctions that were not found and
across the Caribbean basin. Field characteristics of ARBS include a red band that progresses from an initial extrinsic pathway of apoptosis that is minimal in Lycopodina); (ii) an important transcriptional regulation of
circular lesion in both directions along the branch of the sponge, leaving behind necrotic tissue. The red band all tested mechanisms is observed after nutrition. Most of regulated genes becoming to their initial level 9 days
is dominated by the filamentous cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp., which is responsible for the red coloration, after nutrition. This study confirms that Lycopodina represents a unique opportunity to analyze the molecular
although its role in the etiology of ARBS remains elusive. In the present study, we used a combination of his- and cellular homeostasis that control the shape homeostasis at the root of metazoans.
tology and transmission electron microscopy to characterize the ultrastructural and cellular features associated References
with ARBS- affected sponges. Tissue adjacent to the lesion was compared to unaffected tissue on the same 1. Vacelet, J., & N. Boury-Esnault. 1995. Nature 373 (6512): 333‑35.
sponges and to healthy sponges. Damage to the structural integrity, overall cell density and cellular composi- 2. Vacelet, J, & N Boury-Esnault. 1996. Med K Belg Inst Nat Wet. 66(Suppl.): 109‑15.
tion of the ectosome and choanosome adjacent to the lesion was observed. Whereas healthy tissue showed 3. Vacelet, J, & E Duport. 2004. Zoomorphology 123: 179‑90.
distinct cellular arrangement, this was disrupted near the ARBS lesion. Disintegration of choanocyte chambers 4. Martinand-Mari, Camille, Jean Vacelet, Michael Nickel, Gert Wörheide, Paul Mangeat, & Stephen Baghdiguian. 2012. The
was also observed. Archaeocytes and collenocytes were found in greater abundance in tissue adjacent to the Journal of Experimental Biology 215 (Pt 22): 3937‑43.
lesion. Archaeocytes associated with diseased tissue appeared to be more active, as indicated by increased Financial support by CNRS and Univertsité de Montpellier is gratefully acknowledged.
numbers and lengths of pseudopodia, and by a higher density of engulfed bacteria and symbiotic cyanobacte-
ria, some of which were in various stages of disintegration. This latter observation supports previous work that
found reduced densities of cyanobacterial symbionts in ARBS-affected sponges. Leptolyngbya sp. filaments Towards an insight into the metazoan gene regulation and development: genome draft
tend to be associated only with the lesion itself, and were rarely observed penetrating into the adjacent tissue. of the endemic freshwater sponge Eunapius subterraneus
These descriptions of anatomical and cellular responses to ARBS in A. cauliformis add to our understanding Helena Ćetković1, Mirna Halasz1, Maja Fabijanić2, Bruna Pleše1, Helena Bilandžija1 & Kristian
of the impacts of this widespread disease. Vlahoviček2
Financial support by the National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged. 1
Division of Molecular Biology, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
2
Bioinformatics Group, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Horvatovac 102a, 10000
Zagreb, Croatia
Large scale –omics projects have provided valuable data across the animal kingdom and have revealed re-
markable complexity and diversity of animal genomes. Given the rapid advances in genomic data collection
and bioinformatics analysis methods, unique opportunity opens up towards the elucidation of early metazoan
gene regulation and development. With their pivotal evolutionary position of arguably the simplest extant and
earliest branching metazoans, sponges are rapidly gaining focus in genomic research, however, more genomic
254 255
information within the sponge phylum is required. Inter-individual variability in the physiological state of Geodia barretti: differential
We sequenced the genome of the freshwater sponge Eunapius subterraneus using a combination of next-gen- expression and ultrastructural studies
eration sequencing technologies (Illumina and Oxford Nanopore) and assembled a draft version of its genome. Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Paco Cárdenas2, Maria Conejero3 & Ana Riesgo1
Eunapius subterraneus is the only stygobitic sponge species1, an endemic member of the suborder Spongillina 1
(freshwater sponges) known from merely six caves near Ogulin, Croatia2. This endemic sponge was shown to Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum of London V.Koutsouveli@nhm.ac.uk.
2
possess numerous unique morphological, molecular and ecological features3. Using the -omics methodologies Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Division of Pharmacognosy, BioMedical Center, Husargatan 3, Uppsala University, 751 23
Uppsala, Sweden
in combination with experimental approaches, we aim to dive more deeply into the understanding of some of
3
the basic processes involved in multicellular development and differentiation. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, United Kingdom
Geodia barretti is one of the dominant sponge species of the deep-sea sponge grounds in the boreal North At-
References
1. Sket, B. Velikonja, M.. Stygologia 2 (1986) 254–266.
lantic. The value of this species is not only of ecological significance but also of biotechnological importance.
Secondary metabolites with antifouling activity have been previously identified from this species [1, 2] show-
2. Bilandžija, H. Bedek, J. Jalžić, B. Gottstein, S. Nat. Croat. 16 (2007) 1-17.
ing its further potential in natural products.
3. Harcet, M. Bilandžija, H. Bruvo-Madarić, B. Ćetković, H. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 54 (2010) (3), pp. 1021-1027.
Financial support by the Croatian National Science Foundation (Project No. 6400) is gratefully acknowledged. In this study, we combined RNA-seq and ultrastructural observations via Transmission Electron Microscopy
(TEM) to understand inter-individual variability in the physiological state in G. barretti by identifying differ-
entially expressed genes and cellular and histological features. Samples from three individuals of G. barretti
High Tolerance Of Hypoxia By The Deep-Water Boreal Sponge Geodia barretti were collected at 94 m from Kosterfjord in Sweden on the 4th of May 2016 and were preserved accordingly
Amanda S. Kahn1, Raymond J. Bannister2 & Sally P. Leys1 for each analysis. RNA-seq was conducted with NextSeq 500 illumina. Twenty million reads for the first, 30
1 million reads for the second and 6 million reads for the third individual were used for the de novo assembly.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. kahn@ualberta.ca
2
In total, 550 thousand transcripts were produced of which only 102 differentially expressed between the indi-
Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway. viduals 1 vs 2, while 3175 and 2667 million contigs were differentially expressed between the individuals 1
Geodia barretti is a major habitat-forming species in the North Atlantic that is under threat of trawl fisheries vs 3 and 2 vs 3 respectively.
and drilling activities. A suite of experimental studies were undertaken to understand the metabolism of this
sponge-bacterial holobiont under normal and reduced oxygen levels, which might be expected to occur during In TEM, the mesohyl of G. barretti was characterized by a respectable amount of bacteria and large spherulous
increased suspended sediments caused by trawl or drilling activities1, 2. Under normal, oxygenated conditions cells with inclusions (~20µm). The latter have been previously described in this species and are considered
G. barretti has a finely balanced carbon budget and operates in a slight nitrogen deficit, taking up dissolved or- to possess nutritive-metabolic or storage functions and to be connected to growth and secretion processes [3].
ganic carbon, bacterial carbon, nitrite, and ammonium while releasing nitrate3. We designed continuous flow- In both analyses, inter-individual variability was detected. The third individual was found to contain larger
through respiration and deoxygenation chambers to study the effect of hypoxia on the carbon and nitrogen quantities of shperulous cells and a lesser content of bacteria compared to the other two individuals. The future
budget of Geodia. We measured sponge excurrent flow rates, metabolism (as oxygen consumption), and feed- plan is to identify the chemical content of these spherulous cells in order to understand their role inside the life
ing under normal and hypoxic conditions. Sponges continued to pump water through their aquiferous system, cycle of G. barretti and discover their biotechnological potential. We are going to include more specimens of
though at a reduced rate, down to oxygen concentrations of 40 µM. Ammonium uptake did not change under the same species, collected at different periods and also compare with other boreo-arctic North Atlantic Geo-
hypoxic conditions, suggesting no increase in anammox or other anaerobic metabolic processes. At oxygen dia species (e.g. Geodia antlantica) collected from similar habitats.
concentrations of 10-20 µM, G. barretti entered a reduced metabolic state in which water pumping had ceased References
but resumed quickly after release from hypoxic conditions. Sponges maintained below 20 µM oxygen for 1. M. Sjögren, U. Göransson, P. Johnson, M. Dahlström, R. Andersson , J. Bergman, P.R. Jonsson, L. Bohlin. J. Nat.
48 hours were still able to resume pumping after return to normal oxygen levels, indicating tolerance to low Prod. 67 (2004), pp 368–72.
oxygen conditions. While these sponges are typically found in well-oxygenated waters, G. barretti’s potential 2. L. Bohlin, U. Göransson, C. Alsmark, C. Wedén, A. Backlund 2010. Phytochem Rev. 9 (2010): 279-301.
to tolerate hypoxia may become increasingly relevant as hypoxic zones become a threat to deep-sea benthic 3. F. Hoffmann, H. T. Rapp, T. Zöller, J. Reitner. J. Biotechnol. 100 (2003): 109-118.
communities, especially if hypoxia changes the metabolism of the holobiont. Financial support by EU-SponGES H2020 project is gratefully acknowledged.
References
1. T. Kutti, R. J. Bannister, J.-H. Fosså, C. M. Krogness, I. Tjensvoll, G. Søvik, J. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 473 (2015) 64-72. Reproductive features of Antarctic demosponges from the orders Dendroceratida,
2. I. Tjensvoll, T. Kutti, J.-H. Fosså, R. J. Bannister, Aquat. Biol. 19 (2013) 65-73. Poecilosclerida and Haplosclerida (Porifera)
3. S. P. Leys, A. S. Kahn, J. K. H. Fang, J.-H. Fosså, T. Kutti, R. J. Bannister, Limnol. Oceanog. (under review).
Vasiliki Koutsouveli1, Sergio Taboada1, Juan Moles2, Javier Cristobo3, Conxita Avila2, Andrea
Financial support from the Norwegian Research Council to RJB and NSERC Discovery Grant to SPL is grate-
Bertran2, Joan Solà2 & Ana Riesgo1
fully acknowledged.
1
Department of Life Sciences (Invertebrate Division), The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell
Road, SW7 5BD, London, UK. V.koutsouveli@nhm.ac.uk
2
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avda.
Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
3
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Avenida Príncipe de Asturias, 70 bis, 33212, Gijón, Spain
Sponges comprise a dominant element of the Antarctic benthic communities, posing both high species rich-
ness (more than 300) and large population densities [1, 2]. Despite that, reproduction events in Antarctic
sponges have been rarely reported [3-5]. In our study, we surveyed the tissue of 6 species of the orders Den-
droceratida (Dendrilla antarctica), Poecilosclerida (Phorbas areolatus, Kirkpatrickia variolosa, and Isodyctia
256 257
kerguelenensis) and Haplosclerida (Hemigellius pilosus and Haliclona penicillata) for reproductive elements. Sexual reproduction of Dysidea janiae, a tropical Dictyoceratida in association with a
Samples were collected by SCUBA diving on rocky outcrops at 15 m depth in Deception Island (62°59’31.20” calcareous alga
S, 60°33’5.07” W, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica) during 2011 and 2013, and they were preserved and
processed for light and transmission electron microscopy. Bruno Cajado & Emilio Lanna
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. emiliolanna@gmail.com
All species were found to contain only female reproductive elements and brooded their embryos within their
mesohyl. In general, their reproductive features were similar to those in their counterparts of other latitudes The dyctioceratid Dysidea janiae lives with the endozoic calcified red alga Jania adhaerens that supports its
[6], although several features were observed for the first time in some species, such as bifurcate follicle cells in skeleton. It is one of the most abundant sponges at Todos os Santos Bay, Northeastern of Brazil, but basic
P. areolatus, embryonic gigantism in I. kerguelenensis and spongin fibers within the embryos of D. antarctica. aspects of its reproductive biology remains unknown. Therefore, we conducted a 2-year long study (June
Our study contributes to the scarce knowledge of reproduction in benthic Antarctic invertebrates and provides 2013 to September 2015) to describe the gametogenesis and embryogenesis of this species and to analyse
the grounds for the study of their specific adaptations to the environment to understand their ecological and the influence of algae thalli on reproduction. We collected ten samples per month and analysed them through
biological resilience. histological methods. Dysidea janiae is viviparous and gonochoristic with a continuous but small reproductive
effort, ratifying the pattern detected in others shallow-water tropical sponges. Spermatogenesis and oogen-
References esis were asynchronous among individuals, with different cohorts co-occurring in both males and females.
1. M. Campos, B. Mothes, I.L.V Mendes, Revista Brazil. Zool., 24(2007) 687-708. Spermatogonia maturation was also asynchronous at the spermatic cyst level, with three different stages oc-
2. J.B. McClintock, C.D. Amsler, B.J. Baker, R. van Soest, Integr. & Compar. Biol., 45(2005) 359-368. curring at the same time in the same cyst. Spermatic cysts [56.6 (±11.92) µm (mean±SE) in diameter] were
3. M. Burton, M. Further Zool. Res. Swedish Antarctic Exped. 1901-1903 3(1934) 3-54. typically ovoid, surrounded by a thin follicle of flattened cells and were larger than oocytes [43.8 (±14.45)
4. A. Sarà, C. Cerrano, M. Sarà. Polar Biol. 25(2002) 425-31. µm]. A layer of nurse cells appeared at the beginning of oocytes maturation and remained until the embryonic
5. A. Riesgo, S. Taboada, L. Sánchez-Vila, J. Solà, A. Bertran, C. Avila. PloS one. 10(2015) e0118805. stage. Initially the nurse cells formed a monolayer, but we observed an increase in the number of layers until
6. A.V. Ereskovsky. The comparative embryology of sponges. Springer Science & Business Media; (2010). the early-embryonic stage. At late-embryonic stage there was a decrease in the number of nurse cells layers
Funding by DISTANTCOM project (CTM2013-42667/ANT; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain), and and an increase on the size of the embryo [162.1 (±20.55) µm]. Cleavages were chaotic, generating cells with
SDF14032 Departmental Internal Funds of the NHM is gratefully acknowledged. different sizes with no clear pattern of distribution. The cells of the embryo acquired the yolk granules from
the nurse cells apparently by their transient pseudopodia. Embryonic development leaded to a parenchymella
External and internal anatomy of Cladocroce caelum (Haplosclerida, Demospongiae) larva [181.7 (±17.09) µm], as well as in others Dictyoceratida. The mature parenchymella was solid and
bullet-shaped with amoebocytes-like cells with evident nucleus internally; there were basophils and compact
Jéssica da Hora & Emilio Lanna amoebocytes-like cells below the mono-stratified cylindrical-shaped epithelium. The asynchrony within the
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. spermatic cyst is unusual in Demosponges, but their size and the female reproductive elements are similar to
[jessiedahora@gmail.com; emiliolanna@gmail.com] others Dictyoceratida. This alga-sponge symbiosis is apparently obligatory and it seems that there were a high
Morphological characters are essential for the understanding of phylogenetic trees, being of pivotal impor- specificity in the settlement of the larva, because the reproductive elements were not always near to the algae
tance those studies focusing on the anatomy of organisms. Most Demospongiae have choanocytes in contact thalli, despite it occupied a large area at the sponge tissue. As no algae propagule are found within the larvae,
with the mesohyl, while in the majority of the sponges of Haplosclerida, the choanocytes are separated from the acquisition of the algae by the sponge is probably caused by a trial and error relationship of the larvae,
the mesohyl by pinacocytes. The haplosclerid Cladocroce caelum is found along all the Brazilian coast, but surviving only those that find J. adhaerens after being spawned.
little is known about their biology. It is an abundant sponge at Salvador city coast and it has several associ- Financial support by PROPCI-PRODOC/UFBA, CNPq and FAPESB are gratefully acknowledged.
ated organisms, being important for the maintenance of local biodiversity. In addition, to understand the
anatomy of C. caelum can help to uncover gaps in the phylogeny of Haplosclerida and even Demospongiae.
Thus, the objective of this work was to describe the organization and body structure of Cladocroce caelum The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance: Keeping Pace with Evolution and
aiming to understand whether the organization of the aquiferous system is similar to other studied Haploscle- Technology
rida. Fragments of specimens were collected through skin dive at different localities in Salvador, NE, Brazil. Jose V. Lopez1 & the GIGA Community of Scientists
The fragments were subjected to standard histological techniques and transmission and scanning electron
1
microscopies. It was noted that C. caelum has, in general, repent or repent-branched habits. The species had Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography, Nova Southeastern University, Ft Lauderdale FL
an exopinacoderm composed of a monolayer of pinacocytes, which also delineates the inhalant and exhalant The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA) supports genomics research on aquatic or non-model
canals. The mesohyl is poorly developed and is formed by collagen fibrils, spongin fibers of the multiespicu- invertebrates. A 2015 GIGA workshop in Munich Germany focused on gathering international collabora-
lar tracts, and few cell types, such as archeocytes and collencytes. The choanocyte chambers occupy a large tors, highlighting current milestones, discussing bioinformatics resources, and delineating potential sources
portion of the sponge tissue, forming a dense choanosome. The choanocyte chambers of C. caelum present of funding. The Alliance continues to uphold an inclusive, grassroots “bottom up” approach, though more
an apopyle delimited by flattened apopylar cells, differently from others haplosclerids that usually have cone coordinated efforts may arise from significant influxes of funding, collaborations with large sequencing cen-
cells delimiting the apopyles. Analyzing the main cells and structures of C. caelum it can be observed that they ters, enhanced technologies and the concomitant decreasing costs of DNA sequencing. GIGA coordination of
agree with what has been observed in demosponges. However, the choanocyte chambers of C. caelum are not research efforts may follow along taxonomic lines, pressing research questions, and the creation of new syner-
in agreement with the classifications proposed for others demosponges, existing the possibility that it has a gies. For example GIGA is now part of a large Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) to sequence all extant eukary-
different (new) pattern of organization of choanocyte chambers, besides presenting some peculiarities prob- otic species. News items can be posted on the GIGA homepage -http://GIGA-cos.org. High throughput DNA
ably relevant for the phylogeny of Haplosclerida. The description of the external and internal morphology of sequencing technologies will likely boost the number of published whole invertebrate genomes, which is still
Cladocroce caelum can contribute to a better knowledge of the evolution of Porifera. far less than vertebrates, insects or model organisms. GIGA remains timely for several reasons: Invertebrate
taxa are underrepresented in the current tally of whole genome projects, comprising no more than 30% of cur-
Financial support by CNPq, FAPESB, PROPCI-PRODOC/UFBA are gratefully acknowledged.
rently completed genomes. (There is currently only one published sponge genome). The marine realm holds
representatives of all but two animal phyla, and many of these are not found in terrestrial or limnic ecosystems.
258 259
Sequencing and characterizing more invertebrate genomes provides a valuable and rich data resource for Optimization of Cryopreservation Methods for the Marine Sponge Dysidea etheria
building better hypotheses. These can eventually lead to better understanding important physiological pro-
Stephanie Munroe1, 2, Dirk E. Martens1, Detmer Sipkema3 & Shirley A. Pomponi2
cesses, insight into species resistance and resilience, and the expression of a wide variety of phenotypes
1
– development of diverse body plans and morphology, regenerative capacities, longevity, bioluminescence, Wageningen University & Research, Bioprocess Engineering
secondary metabolites and the evolution of immunity, symbiosis, vision and complex neural networks. The 2
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University
breadth of potential invertebrate targets for genome sequencing remains wide open for discovery. Prioritiza- 3
Wageningen University & Research, Microbiology
tion and increasing urgency of genome projects may stem from threats to habitats (e.g. coral reefs) and the Cryopreservation is commonly used method for the long-term storage of cell lines. Despite years of research,
resident biological diversity. GIGA has agreements to host large sequence datasets with http://Compagen. no cell lines have been created from marine invertebrates yet. Cryopreserved stocks of cells eliminate envi-
org, and http://Reefgenomics.org, since easy accessibility are tantamount for successful comparative genom- ronmental changes, allow researchers to study species that are not geographically nearby, and will be useful
ics approaches which provide context and meaning to the broad phylogenetic spectrum. New efforts should to study cell biotechnology or bioactive compound production in the future. The marine sponge Dysidea
continually look to increase data sharing capacities, assist in sampling and taxonomic inventories, expanding etheria was chosen as our model organism to establish a cryopreservation method. By testing a range of con-
international outreach to areas in S. America and Asia, and investing in extensive computational biology and centrations of commonly used cryoprotectants, such as 3-10% DMSO and 10-50% glycerol, we determined
bioinformatics training of young scientists and their ability to interpret sequence data. the optimal cryoprotectant for D. etheria based on its ability to preserve cell viability and minimize cell loss
during the cryopreservation process. Viability and total number of live cells were measured after an initial cell
Proteasome mechanism of adaptive plasticity of sea cold-water sponges dissociation, after an incubation period in the cryoprotectants, and after cryopreservation for 24 hours. Cells
cryopreserved in 8%-10% DMSO maintained a similar viability to that of freshly dissociated cells (approxi-
Yulia Lyupina1, Andrey Lavrov2, Pavel Erokhov1, Svetlana Abaturova1, Nikolay Gronostaev1, Oksana
mately 75%-90% of viable cells). Cells cryopreserved in 3.75%-18.75% glycerol (final concentration) had
Kravchuk1, Victor Mikhailov1 & Igor Kosevich2
much lower numbers of live cells, lower viabilities, and the cells were irregular in shape. During this study,
1
Laboratory of biochemistry of ontogeny processes, N.K. Koltsov Institute of Developmental biology of Russian Academy of Sci- we determined that 10% DMSO is the optimal cryoprotectant for D. etheria cells. This approach can be used
ences, Moscow, Russian Federation yulial@bk.ru to optimize cryoprotectants for cells of other marine invertebrate species.
2
Department of Invertebrate Zoology, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation
The key role in the proteome homeostasis in eukaryotic cells plays the ubiquitin- proteasome system (UPS) Exploring Specialized Metabolites in the Deep-Sea Arctic Sponge Geodia hentscheli
which determines the adaptive plasticity of multicellular organisms. Marine invertebrates of intertidal zones,
in particular, Sponges (Porifera) are the unique model for studying the molecular mechanisms of adaptation. Patryk Nilsson 1, Ulf Göransson1, Paco Cardénas1
The aim of this research is to clarify the role of the proteasome pathway in regulating cellular proteome under 1
dissociation and reaggregation processes in the sea cold-water sponges Halichondria panacea and Halisarca Uppsala, Sweden.. patryk.nilsson@gmail.com
dujardini (Demospongiae, Pallas, 1766). Proteasomes of marine cold-water Sponges have not previously ex- New marine natural compounds are necessary to replace toxic chemicals to the marine environment such as
plored. Sampling was carried out in the Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea (66 ° 34 ‘N, 33 ° 08’ E). It was organotin, a heavy-metal based coating used to paint the hull of ships to keep them free from fouling. In this
first investigated the chymotrypsin-like (ChLA) and caspase–like (CLA) proteasome activities by the level project the aim was to explore the compounds of the poorly known arctic sponge Geodia hentscheli. With
of hydrolysis of fluorogenic oligopeptide Suc-LLVY-AMC and Z-LLG-AMC, respectively, and proteasome extraction methods, HPLC-UV and LC-MS/MS the results showed that the sponge had many different com-
subunits in clarified homogenates of cells and tissues of sea cold-water sponges Halichondria panacea and pounds, many hydrophilic compounds that need alternative separations methods, for example HILIC col-
Halisarca dujardini. The oligopeptide hydrolysis rate is determined at 10 C and 37C. The specificity of the umns. The chromatographic profile showed that there is no obvious major compound(s), which indicates that
reaction established in experiments with the proteasome inhibitor MG-132 and lactacystin. The increase of further exploration needs to be done. A bioassay on barnacle larvae suggested that one or more compounds
the temperature (from 10 to 37 ° C) resulted in an increase of ChL of Halisarca dujardini tissues by 3.5 times, have antifouling activity; this activity was strongest in the less hydrophilic fractions. A crude isolation of m/z
and in Halichondria panacea by 2 times, while in the ChLA of Halisarca dujardini dissociated cells by 7 940 indicates that this compound could be the one with antifouling activity by itself or in synergy with other
times higher than Halichondria panacea dissociated cells. Under dissociation of tissue in the sponge cells heat compounds.
shock protein HSP70 content and proteasome subunit alpha type and beta 5 and proteasome ChL are reduced. References
We found that chaperone system is activated, as well as changes in the structure and activity of the protea- 1.
Hedner, E., Sjogren, M., Hodzic, S., Andersson, R., Göransson, U., Jonsson, P,R., Bohlin, R. Antifouling Activity of a
some occur in the cell reaggregation processes in the studied cold-water marine sponges. In the process of Dibrominated Cyclopeptide from the Marine Sponge Geodia barretti. J Nat Prod. 2008;71;330-333.
reaggregation the relative abundance of proteins HSP70 chaperones and proteasome subunit alpha type varies Financial support from the EU Horizon 2020 programme SponGES under grant agreement No. 679849.
significantly only in the period of intensive transformations and / or differentiation / dedifferentiation of cells
in aggregates. We first established that a feature of proteasome of marine cold-water sponges Halichondria
panacea and Halisarca dujardini is low of 26S proteasome forms, which indicates that their proteasome sys- Recombinant Production of Hydroxylated Collagen Polypeptides derived from the
tem focuses primarily on hydrolysis of non-ubiquitinated proteins. We used the method of the modified native Demospongia C. reniformis: A new Biotechnological Source of Marine Collagen
electrophoresis to study not only the proteasome fractions and changes in the proteasome activities in clarified Marina Pozzolini1, Sonia Scarfì1, Annalisa Salis2, Gianluca Damonte2 & Marco Giovine1
homogenates, but also to identify changes in the electrophoretic mobility of the 20S proteasome. In the disso-
1
ciated cells and tissues of sponges are not detected 26S proteasome. The dissociated sponge cells increases the Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
2
electrophoretic mobility of 20S proteasome forms, indicating that structural changes in the 20S proteasomes. Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Research, University of Genova, Genova, Italy
The obtained results allow us to consider the induction of chaperone HSP70 and changes in the structure of the Collagen from marine sources is a very attractive alternative to bovine collagen. In biomedicine, several appli-
20S proteasome as key mechanisms for adaptation and for the development of protective responses in Sponges cations of collagens derived from sponges have been described, many of which from the demospongia Chon-
and, possibly, other marine cold-water invertebrates. For the first time we received the original information drosia reniformis. The production of these molecules in recombinant form would allow to obtain well-defined
proteasome system of multicellular organisms in the early stages of evolution. molecular types and to limit the expensive procedures of sample recovery and purification. Here we report the
This work partly supported by RFBR grant 16-04-00454. realization of a yeast strain able to produce hydroxylated collagen polypeptides derived from C. reniformis.
260 261
First the cDNAs coding for the a and b subunits of the sponge enzyme prolyl-4-hydroxylase (P4H) were iden- 3. M. Maldonado, A. Riesgo. Cell Tiss Res. 328(2007) 639-50.
tified by PCR approach, then they were cloned in pPink and in pPIC6a vectors respectively and finally they Funding by DISTANTCOM project (CTM2013-42667/ANT; Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of
were stably integrated in the genome of the methanotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. The strain with the highest Spain), and SDF14032 Departmental Internal Funds of the NHM are gratefully acknowledged.
P4H activity was then transformed with a third expression vector (pPICZ) containing the coding region of a
sponge collagen polypeptide in frame with an Histidine-TAG at the 3’-end. Recombinant protein expression
Bibliometric Analysis Elucidates Historical Trends of Molecular, Cellular, and Genetics
was then induced and collagen polypeptides were purified by affinity chromatography and analysed by SDS-
PAGE followed by Mass Spectrometry, in order to confirm the sequence and the presence of hydroxy-proline Research in Poriferan Taxa
residues. The biocompatibility of the recombinant proteins was evaluated by MTT test in human neonatal Jeffrey Robinson
fibroblasts and furthermore, tissue culture plates were treated with 10 mg/ml recombinant protein solution to National Institutes of Health. Bethesda MD, 20892. USA. jeff.robinson.evol@gmail.com
test its cell adhesion properties. In conclusion, a first recombinant hydroxylated marine collagen polypeptide
The Porifera have served as model organisms for molecular and cellular research throughout the 20th century,
was produced in the Pichia system, resulting biocompatible and suggesting its use as porcine gelatin substitute
yet the use of Porifera models for specific research questions has varied depending on research question and
for cell culture.
the state of technology. During the mid-1900’s for example, sponge taxa enjoyed a spotlight in studies on
Research supported by EU (FP7 grant agreement n: 266033 SPonge Enzyme End Cell for Innovative AppLi- cell-cell recognition and adhesion, and other topics of cellular biochemistry including cellular differentiation.
cation-SPECIAL) Increased availability and research focus of mammalian cell culture and other model systems resulted in Po-
rifera having less general relevance as a model system for cellular studies. In the genomics era, affordable and
Recycling is the key: multi-analysis of incorporated silica from digested diatom efficient application of genomics and transcriptomics allowed the Porifera experienced a resurgence. Porifera
have become particularly important for research on the origin and evolution of key developmental genes and
frustules in Antarctic sponges developmental regulatory pathways relevant to the early evolution of Metazoan bodyplans, related to their key
Ana Riesgo1, Sergio Taboada1, Nadia Santodomingo1, Nathan J. Kenny1, Juan Moles2, Vasiliki position in the tree of life. Molecular data has also resulted in significant reorganization (and controversy) in
Koutsouveli1, Eileen Cox1, Manuel Maldonado3, Conxita Avila2, Luis Cardona2 Porifera taxonomy and systematics. In order to better understand the historical patterns of the use of Poriferan
1
Department of Life Sciences (Invertebrate Division), The Natural History Museum of London, Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD, Lon-
taxa in molecular and cellular research, I took a bibliometrics analysis approach. Using the Web of ScienceTM
don, UK. A.Riesgo@nhm.ac.uk database, I queried to obtain a comprehensive list of publications of molecular and cellular research which used
2
Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona. Avda.
Poriferan taxa as a research subject. Text categorization, topic analysis, and bibliographic coupling were then
Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain performed using the Science of Science (Sci2) Tool1. Historical trends molecular and cellular research topics
3
Department of Marine Ecology, Center of Advanced Studies of Blanes, CSIC, Accés a la cala St. Francesc 14, 17300, Blanes, were examined and graphed, clustering analysis was performed to show patterns of use of specific Poriferan
Spain taxa, and citation networks were visualized in ‘bubble graph’ format using Gephi2 network visualization soft-
Sponges and diatoms rely on biogenic silica to build their internal and external skeletons, respectively. How- ware. Results provide a broad overview of research trends in the use of Porifera for molecular, cellular, and
ever, the mechanisms by which they construct them are remarkably different. While diatoms polymerize their genetics research.
silica within intracellular silicic acid deposition vesicles [1], sponges are able to do this both intracellular and References
extracellularly [2, 3]. Biogenic silica present in sponge spicules is usually considered to derive from seawater 1.
Sci2 Team. (2009). Science of Science (Sci2) Tool. Indiana University and SciTech Strategies, https://sci2.cns.iu.edu.
uptake and posterior polycondensation using enzymes called silicateins. Interestingly, sponges can feed upon 2.
Bastian M., Heymann S., Jacomy M. (2009). Gephi: an open source software for exploring and manipulating networks. Inter-
a wide variety of microorganisms, including diatoms from the phytoplankton. In the Southern Ocean, the rate national AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media.
of diatom uptake in sponges has been shown to be higher than in other latitudes, mainly due to their excep-
tional abundance in the seawater. Whether sponges can actually recycle the silica contained in the digested A cost-efficient method of DNA barcoding of sponge communities with Illumina MiSeq
diatom frustules currently remains untested. We collected 5 demosponge species (Mycale acerata, Isodictya Next Generation Sequencing
kerguelensis, Phorbas areolatus, Hemigellius pilosus and Haliclona penicillata) from Deception Island (Ant-
arctica) and fixed their tissues for TEM, SEM and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), as well as silicon Tim A. Schol1 and Leontine E. Becking1,2,3
isotope analysis, alongside seawater and diatom samples. 1 Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands, tim.schol@wur.nl
2 Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
Our results show multiple indications of demosponge silica uptake from the digested frustules of diatoms. 3 Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
First, within the mesohyl of the demosponges we observed many diatoms, some of them being intracellularly
Until recently most molecular biodiversity assays with sponges have been conducted using traditional per
digested by archaeocyte-like cells. Second, we detected many vesicles in archaeocyte-like cells containing
sample Sanger sequencing. The method is straightforward, though the costs remain high and Sanger sequenc-
silica (analyzed by TEM and EPMA) that were not spicule-forming sclerocytes. Third, our SEM observations
ing does not allow sequencing of multiple intraspecific variants within a sample, such as with ITS. We tested
showed evidence of digestion also in the diatom frustules obtained from sponge tissues, also observed in their
the advantages of using a more cost reducing Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approach of Shokralla et
counterparts from tropical latitudes. And fourth, our silicon isotopic analysis showed that spicules are more
al. (2015) and Lange et al. (2014) towards amplicon sequencing and revealing sponge biodiversity within
depleted in 30S than diatoms frustules, which in turn are more depleted than seawater. This is consistent with a
different environments using the Illumina MiSeq V3 sequencing platform. As a test set we sequenced sponge
two-step absorption process, i.e., from seawater to diatoms and from diatom frustules to sponges, although it
communities from coral reefs, mangroves and marine lakes from Kalimantan and Papua, Indonesia. The aim
is also observed in other sponges with little or none diatom feeding. Our results open a new avenue to explore
is to assess the phylogenetic relatedness among these communities and to elucidate the evolutionary history
silica deposition in sponges, and suggest a new method of biogenic silica uptake, at least in environments with
of the putative endemic species in the marine lakes. We designed primers to obtain products of ± 400 bp. We
high abundance of diatoms, such as Antarctica.
sequenced 800 specimens for two markers (COI & 28S), totaling 1600 samples and at least 10000 reads per
References sample. Taxonomic assignment was performed by blasting acquired reads against the NCBI non-redundant
1. M. Hildebrand, R. Wetherbee. In: Progress in Molecular and subcellular biology 33 (2003) 11-57. database. Often sequence reads proved to be of a non-sponge origin, possibly resulting from within sponge
2. M.J. Uriz, X. Turon, M. Becerro. In: Progress in Molecular and subcellular biology 33 (2003) 163-193. sample contamination. Preliminary results of genetic variation demonstrate that sponges from marine lakes
262 263
are genetically more closely related to sponges from mangrove forests than those of coral reefs. Phylogenetic morphological point of view, however a large number of collected specimens remained to be identified and
analyses suggest recent divergences of lake-specific species providing possible indications of radiations within morphologically cryptic and/or new species were expected to be found. We have therefore produced COI bar-
Indonesian marine lakes. While our study applied NGS to generate COI and 28S barcodes for sponges, our codes for as yet unidentified collected demosponges and assigned them to molecular operational taxonomic
method can also be implemented with other markers and phyla. Likewise, although our workflow was aimed units (MOTUs). Sequences publicly available on GenBank and on the Sponge Barcoding Project database
towards building a DNA barcode database by multiplexing individual specimens, sequencing of environmen- were used as a phylogenetic backbone to assign our sequences to higher taxonomic levels (clades); and pre-
tal bulk samples is also applicable with the presented workflow. viously identified specimens collected from nearby areas were sequenced and used as “regional anchors”. A
References subset of the samples within each MOTU was also examined by traditional taxonomic methods to ascertain
1. S. Shokralla, T. M. Porter, J. F. Gibson, R. Dobosz, D. H. Janzen, W. Hallwachs, G. B. Golding, M. Hadjibabaei, Sci. Rep. 5 the validity of our molecular assignments. Here we present the obtained results and discuss the promises and
(2015) 9687. pitfalls of this reverse approach in terms of the accuracy and sensitivity as well as overall resources required
2. V. Lange, I. Böhme, J. Hofmann, K. Lang, J. Sauter, B. Schöne, P. Paul, V. Albrecht, J. M. Andreas, D. M. Baier, J. Nething, (time, money and technical-scientific expertise) for its implementation.
U. Ehninger, A. H. Schmidt, BMC Genom. 15 (2014) 63.
Financial support by The Netherlands Organisation of Scientific Research ALW-VENI # 863.14.020 is grate- research and innovation programme (grant agreement 679849).
fully acknowledged.
Spermatogenesis of the poecilosclerid Tedania ignis (Porifera, demospongiae)
Influence of temperature on reproduction of temperate Tethya spp.
Vivian Vasconcellos & Emilio Lanna
Megan R. Shaffer, Simon K. Davy, James J. Bell
Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biologia, Salvador, Brazil. vivianvasconcellos@gmail.com
School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand In Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae), the sperm cells differentiate from choanocytes, except for carnivorous
Megan.Shaffer@vuw.ac.nz
sponges, in which sperm cells are originated from archeocytes. Within this group, the spermatogenesis is car-
Sponges exhibit a variety of patterns of reproduction. With a lack of consistency in reproductive timing across ried out within the spermatic cysts, a structure that envelops, with follicle cells, the spermatic cells. In general,
the phylum (i.e. some reproduce continuously, others seasonally), it is often difficult to distinguish common Poecilosclerida species have primitive spermatozoa, with a comparatively large cytoplasm volume and several
drivers of reproduction for sponges. Trends in the literature indicate that temperature may influence reproduc- small michondria. However, a study with Crambe crambe showed that this species has a very peculiar sper-
tion, which has future implications for sponge population growth and connectivity under predicted warming matogenesis resulting in a V-shaped spermatozoon. This finding implies in the reproductive and evolutionary
oceans. Here, we sought to describe the previously unknown reproductive biology of Tethya spp. on the South aspects in Porifera and shows the necessity to study other species of Poecilosclerida, aiming to find patterns
Coast of Wellington, New Zealand in relation to water temperature. Twenty sponges were collected monthly on the spermatogenesis of Porifera. Therefore, the goal of this study was to describe the spermatogenesis of
from two locations over the course of two years (February 2015-2017) and processed for histological analyses. the poecilosclerid Tedania ignis. Tedania ignis is found along the East coast of America, from Mexico Gulf
In addition, the occurrence of asexual buds was recorded. The observed oocytes and the lack of hermaphrodit- to southern of Brazil, it is orange or red and have an encrusting habit. Tissue fragments of several specimens
ic sponges (e.g. tissue containing both male and female gametes) supported previous evidence that Tethya are were obtained in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. These samples were processed for light and electron microscopy
oviparous and gonochoristic reproducers. In both locations, oocytes were only present in the tissue of sponges (SEM and TEM).
collected in summer months, from December to February, when water temperature reached 14°C and above Tedania ignis is a simultaneous hermaphrodite, with spermatogenesis occurring during all year long. The sper-
(as recorded from temperature loggers). Buds were found on sponges during every month of collection. These matogenesis was carried out in the spermatic cysts, with no synchronism among cysts, but, inside each cyst
results suggest Tethya spp. in New Zealand have only one seasonal sexual reproductive event each year, poten- the spermatic cells matured at the same time. Spermatic cysts were spread in the choanosome. Spermatogonia
tially coinciding with warmer water temperatures. In addition, they exhibit continuous asexual reproduction were characterized as large (diameter 2.8 ± 0.7 μm) and spherical cells with hyaline cytoplasm and large nu-
with seemingly no relation to temperature. The reproductive activity of Tethya spp. may potentially be altered cleus. Golgi apparatuses and a group of spherical mitochondria were present near to the nucleus but opposite
with future thermal stress from climate change, which could have consequences on the genetic construct and of the flagellum. The following step generated the spermatocytes. These cells were characterized by a volume
overall fitness of the population. reduction (diameter 2.0±0.5μm), due to cell divisions, resulting in sister cells that remained interconnected
by cytoplasmic bridges. Golgi apparatus are found next to the nucleus and the mitochondria could be found
Barcode first, identify later? Testing the use of a reverse taxonomic approach to assess spread into the cytoplasm. Then, to become the spermatids there was a significant reduction of the cytoplasmic
the demosponge community composition in an Arctic seamount material, due to the exocytosis of the most cytoplasm that form the residual body. The Golgi apparatus was
the single organelle present in this stage and it was found ahead of the nucleus and the mitochondria were not
Tone Ulvatn1, Hans Tore Rapp1, Joana R Xavier1 found. Mature spermatozoa were filiform and the flagellum was not inserted in the base of the main body, but
1
Department of Biology and K.G. Jebsen Centre for Deep-Sea Research, University of Bergen, PO Box 7803, N-5020 Bergen, alongside of it. This characteristic can be related to the V-shaped sperm cells, like those of Crambe crambe.
Norway. Tone.Ulvatn@student.uib.no Somatic cells were also found inside de spermatic cysts. This cell was round, the nucleus was centrally and
Often, the amount of samples and the pace at which they are collected largely surpasses our capacity to pro- only mitochondria were recognized. The spermatogenesis in T. ignis is similar to the others poecilosclerids.
cess, let alone identify, them. This is particularly so for groups that require substantial taxonomic effort and However, the mature spermatozoa are more similar to the Crambe crambe (in which the spermatozoa are of
expertise, such as sponges. Recently, a reverse taxonomic approach (sequence first, identify later) has been the modified type) than the other species of Poecilosclerida. The shape of the sperm could be related to physi-
proposed as a cost-effective method that enables assessment of diversity and biogeographic patterns without ological or functional reproduction and, could be explained by convergent evolution.
a priori knowledge of the community under study. Financial support was provided by the Brazilian agencies: CAPES, FAPESB, PROPCI/PRODOC UFBA, and
The aim of this project was to test the use of such an approach in the assessment of the demosponge com- CNPq
munity composition of different sections (summit, slope and deep basin) of an Arctic seamount - the Schultz
massif. Its benthic habitats have been investigated in recent years showing several sponge-dominated com-
munities differing in density and species composition. These communities have been partly studied from a
264 265
10th World Sponge Conference Attending Delegates
Attending Delegates
Transatlantic Cooperation on Deep-sea Research within the Atlantic Ocean Research Delegates
Dr. Muhammad Abdul Wahab Australian Institute of Marine Science
Alliance (AORA) Azmi
Ms. Michelle Achlatis The University of Queensland
Margaret Rae, Joana R. Xavier, Ana Teresa Caetano
Mr. Jose Maria Aguilar- National University of Ireland Galway
In 2013, Canada, the European Union and the United States of America signed the Galway Statement on Camacho
Atlantic Ocean Cooperation launching an Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA)1. The overarching Dr. Louise Allcock NUI Galway
objectives of the cooperation are to improve ocean health and stewardship, promote sustainable management Dr. Belinda Alvarez Lund University (Sweden)
of resources, improved ecosystem assessments and forecasts and deeper understanding of vulnerabilities and Ms. Adriana Alvizu University of Bergen
risks, including climate change as well as to generate new tools to increase resilience, conserve rich biodiver- Mr. David Amptmeijer University of Groningen
sity, manage risk and determine social, environmental, and economic priorities. Dr. Stephanie Archer Fisheries and Oceans Canada
The priority areas of the cooperation identified thus far will be presented. Mr. Joerg Arnscheidt Ulster University
1. In working together to advance results in the identified areas of research cooperation, the parties seek Ms. Liv Ascer University of São Paulo
to improve efficiencies and effectiveness by: Ms. Fernanda Azevedo UFRJ
Prof. Tatjana Bakran- University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science
2. Organizing and leveraging research activities in a way that takes advantage of opportunities for syner- Petricioli
gies in work already underway and the use of infrastructure or installations Mr. Jake Ivan Baquiran University of the Philippines-Diliman
3. Better coordination of data sharing, interoperability and coordination of observing infrastructure Mr. Martijn Bart University of Amsterdam
4. Promoting researcher mobility Mr. Giampiero Batani GEOMAR, Helmholtz Centre for Ocena Research Kiel - University of
New South Wales, Sydney
5. Coordinating the planning and programming of relevant activities and resources Prof. Christopher Battershill University of Waikato
6. To date, four AORA Working Groups have been established: Dr. Kristina Bayer GEOMAR-Helmholtz Centre For Ocean Research
Ms. Lindsay Beazley Government of Canada
7. Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group
Ms. Lisa Becking Wageningen University & Research
8. Ocean Literacy Working Group Dr. James Bell Victoria University of Wellington
9. Aquaculture Working Group Ms. Holly Bennett Victoria University of Wellington
Dr. Marco Bertolino Università degli Studi di Genova
10. Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Stressors
Mr. Nicklas Bisbo Aarhus University
In this Townhall event, an overview of the AORA will be presented focusing on the progress made since Ms. Carole borchiellini AMU/CNRS
the signing of the Galway Statement. The work proposed by the Ecosystem Approach to Ocean Health & Dr. Nicole Boury-Esnault Université d’Aix-Marseille/CNRS
Stressors Working Group will be summarized and the two EU Horizon 2020 research projects SponGES and
Dr. Patrick Cabaitan University of the Philippines
ATLAS will summarize their work and experience regarding transatlantic cooperation. A Panel Session on a
Ms. Alexandra Campbell Cardiff University
Future Outlook on Science/Research Cooperation in the Atlantic will follow and include links to an informal
Mr. Paco Cardenas Uppsala University
network called Atlantic Seafloor Partnership for Integrated Research and Exploration (ASPIRE) and also
Dr. Cesar Cardenas Chilean Antarctic Institute
links with other deep-sea working groups such as the Atlantic Seabed Mapping International Working Group
(ASMIWG). Dr. Frine Cardone University of Bari
Ms. Francisca Carvalho University of Bergen
1
www.atlanticresource.org
Dr. Cristiano Carvalho Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Coutinho
Ms. Cristiana Castello Branco Museu Nacional /UFRJ
Dr. Andia Chaves University of the Virgin Islands
Fonnegra
Dr. Pierre Chevaldonne CNRS
Dr Báslavi Cóndor Luján Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Marisbel
Dr. Cecilia Conaco University of the Philippines
Ms. Megan Conkling Florida Atlantic University
Mr. Gabriele Costa UNIGE
Prof. Phil Crews University of California
Dr. Bill Crowe Institute of Technology Sligo
Mr. Azraj Dahihande CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography-Goa
266 267
Dr. Thanos Dailianis Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) Dr. Nelly Godefroy Montpellier University
Mr. Joshua Davison Plymouth University Dr. Claire Goodwin Huntsman Marine Science Centre
Mr. Desiderius de Bakker NIOZ/WMR Mr. Nathan Grant University of Alberta
Mr. Jasper de Goeij University of Amsterdam Ms. Marie Grenier CNRS
Mr. Christiaan De Leeuw Wageningen University & Research Ms. Sarah Griffiths Manchester Metropolitan University
Ms. Dora de Moura Museu Nacional - UFRJ Ms. Johanna Gutleben WUR
Barbosa Leite Ms. Christine Guzman
Mr. Lennart de Nooijer NIOZ Prof. Eduardo Hajdu Museu Nacional/UFRJ
Dr. Nicole de Voogd Naturalis Biodiversity Center Dr. Mirna Halasz Ruder Boskovic Institute
Prof. Bernard Degnan University of Queensland Ms. Ulrike Hanz NIOZ
Dr. Sandie Degnan University of Queensland Ms. Mary Kay Harper University of Utah
Ms. Marie-Claire Demers University of Wollongong Mr. Nickolas Hawkes Institute of Biology
Ms. Ariyanti Dewi University of Queensland James
Dr. Maria Diaz Florida Atlantic University Prof. Ute Hentschel GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Cristina Humeida
Mr. Curtis Dinn University of Alberta Ms. Kylie Hesp Wageningen University
Prof. Alan Dobson University College Cork, Dr. Jon Hestetun University of Bergen
Ms. Karen Dos Santos Museu Nacional do Rio de Janeiro - Universidade Federal do Rio de Thomassen
Sarmento Janeiro Mr. Malcolm Hill University of Richmond
Ms. Rachel Downey Australia National University Ms. Kate Hill Florida State University
Dr. Cole Easson Nova Southeastern University Mr. April Hill University of Richmond
Prof. Hermann Ehrlich Institute of Experimental Physics Dr. John Hooper Queensland Museum
Dr. Merrick Ekins Queensland Museum Dr. Kerry Howell Plymouth University
Dr. Alexander Ereskovsky CNRS, Aix-Marseille university Ms. Tal Idan Tel Aviv University
Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Dr. Chris Ireland University of Utah
Dr. Patrick Erwin University of North Carolina Wilmington Mr. Shriraj Jakhalekar CSIR - National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, India.
Dr. Karen Evans University of Liverpool Dr. Dorte Janussen Senckenberg Research Institute and Nature Museum
Mr. Alper Evcen Ege University Ms. Karla Jaramillo ESPOL-CENAIM / NUI Galway
Prof. Fernanda F. Cavalcanti UFBA Dr. Amanda Kahn University of Alberta
Ms. Luisa Federwisch Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Ms. Kathleen Kaiser Florida State University
Meeresforschung Ms. Liisi Karlep Tallinn University of Technology
Dr. Eliana Ferretti Studio Associato Gaia snc Mr. Ehsan Kayal Station Biologique de Roscoff
Dr. Cara Fiore Appalachian State University Mr. Joseph Kelly Stony Brook University
Ms. Daria Firsova NUIG Mr. Nathan Kenny The Natural History Museum
Mr. Humberto Fortunato Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro - UERJ Mr. Daniel Kersken Senckenberg Research Institute Frankfurt
Ms. Maïa Fourt IMBE Prof. Michelle Klautau UFRJ
Ms. Benedetta Fradusco Ludwig Maximilians Universität Ms. Vasiliki Koutsouveli Natural History Museum
Mr. Warren Francis LMU Munich Ms. Gabriella Krogius Uppsala University
Dr. Christopher Freeman Smithsonian Marine Station Ms. Shelly Krueger University of Florida
Dr. Viviana Frisone Comune di Montecchio Maggiore Mr. Lars Kumala University of Southern Denmark
Dr. Jane Fromont Western Australian Museum Ms. Anaíra Lage Museu Nacional of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Dr. Lorenzo Gallus University of Genova Dr. Claire Laguionie NUIG
Ms. Leyre Garate Center of Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) Marchais
Ms. Erika Garcia-Bonilla Microbiomas Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade Federal da Bahia
Dr. Anita George Queensland Museum Mr. Andrey Lavrov Lomonosov Moscow State University, Biological Faculty
Dr. Vasilis Gerovasileiou Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) Mr. Dennis Lavrov Iowa State University
Prof. Marco Giovine University of Genova Ms. Lauren Law University of Alberta
Dr. Deborah Gochfeld University of Mississippi Dr. Colin Lawton NUI Galway
268 269
Dr. Emilie Le Goff Montpellier University Dr. Sabrina Pankey University of New Hampshire
Ms. Camille Leal UFRJ Prof. Maurizio Pansini University of Genoa
Mr. Carlos Leiva University of Barcelona / Natural History Museum of London Ms. Cecilia Pascelli AIMS
Dr. Michael Lesser University of New Hampshire Prof. Joseph Pawlik University of North Carolina Wilmington
Prof. Sally Leys University of Alberta Ms. Robyn Payne University of the Western Cape
Prof. Zhiyong Li Shanghai Jiao Tong University Ms. Raquel Pereira Uppsala University
Mr. Swee Cheng Lim Ms. Jeannette Perez Universidad Simon Bolivar
Dr. Gisele Lobo-Hajdu UERJ Dr. Thierry Perez
Ms. Maria Longakit National University of Ireland Galway Dr. Alicia Perez-Porro Smithsonian Institution - National Museum of Natural History
Belinda Mr. Iaroslav Petrenko Freiberg University of Mining and Technology
Prof. Jose Lopez Nova Southeastern University Dr. Mari-Carmen Pineda Australian Institute of Marine Science
Ms. Maria Lopez Acosta CEAB-CSIC Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro UFPE
Dr. Magdalena Lukowiak Polish Academy of Sciences Prof. Andrzej Pisera Polish Academy of Sciences
Dr. Heidi Luter Victoria University of Wellington & Australian Institute of Marine Dr. Lucia Pita Galán GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Science
Dr. Bruna Plese IRB
Dr. Yulia Lyupina N.K. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology
Dr. Shirley Pomponi Florida Atlantic University
Ms. Diede Maas Wageningen University & Research
Mr. Luis Porras Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität
Mr. Keir Macartney University of New Hampshire
Mr. Igor Pozdnyakov St. Petersburg State University
Ms. Jasmine Mah University of Alberta
Dr. Marina Pozzolini Genova University
Dr Manuel Maldonado Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CSIC)
Mr. Roberto Pronzato
Mr. Renarta Manconi
Dr. Autun Purser Alfred Wegener Institute
Ms. Geminne Manzano Community Ecology Laboratory
Dr. Fran Ramil Universidade de Vigo
Mr. Joe Marlow Victoria University of Wellington
Dr. Ana Ramos Instituto Español de Oceanografía
Ms. Maria Vittoria Marra Martin Ryan Institute, NUI Galway
Mr. Blake Ramsby James Cook University
Dr. Kenan Matterson Smithsonian National Musuem of Natural History
Prof. Hans Tore Rapp University of Bergen
Mr. Sam McCormack University of Waikato
Dr. Emmanuelle Renard AMU/CNRS
Prof. Grace McCormack NUI Galway
Dr. Abigail Renegar Nova Southeastern University, Halmos College of Natural Sciences
Mr. Fernando Moraes Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botanico do Rio de Janeiro and Oceanography
Mr. Mario Moreno Universidad mayor Dr. Miriam Reverter NUI Galway
Dr. Teresa Morganti Marine Science Institute of Barcelona (ICM-CSIC) Ms. Bárbara Ribeiro Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG Dr. Marta Ribes ICM-CSIC
Mr. Sambhaji Mote CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography Dr. Ana Riesgo The Natural History Museum of London
Dr. Benjamin Mueller University of Amsterdam Dr. Laura Rix GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel
Ms. Stephanie Munroe Wageningen University Dr. Sven Rohde University of Oldenburg
Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Ms. Christine Rooks University of Bergen
Mr. Michael Nada University of the Philippines Dr. Rebecca Ross Plymouth University
Angelou
Dr. Nisit Rueangsawang Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep
Ms. Catherine Numa IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation
Ms. Juliet Ruggiero
Ms. Lauren Olinger University of the Virgin Islands
Mr. Cesar Ruiz AMU
Dr. Julie B. Olson University of Alabama
Ms. Joana Sandes UFRJ
Ms. Alice Oprandi University of Genoa
Mr. Andreu Santin Muriel Institute of Marine Science (ICM-CSIC)
Dr. Ronald Osinga Wageningen University and Research
Dr. Nadia Santodomingo Natural History Museum
Dr. Maria del Otero IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation
Mar Prof. Sonia Scarfì University of Genova
Dr. Huilong Ou Xiamen University Dr. Laura Schejter Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Pesquero
Mr. Cristian Pacheco Dr. Marie-Lise Schläppy University of the Highlands and Islands
Mr. Andrea Padiglia University of Genova Dr. Christine Schönberg The University of Western Australia
Mr. André Padua Prof. Peter Schupp Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the marine Environment
Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
270 271
Dr. Amy Scott-Murray Natural History Museum Mr. Erik Wurz Wageningen University & Research
Ms. Alexia Setti Università degli Studi di Genova Dr. Marcin Wysokowski Poznan University of Technology
Ms. Megan Shaffer Victoria University of Wellington Dr. Joana R Xavier University of Bergen (UiB)
Dr. Sigal Shefer Tel Aviv University Ms. Clairecynth Yu Community Ecology Laboratory
Dr. Detmer Sipkema Wageningen University Mr. Wei Zhang Flinders University
Ms. Cèlia Sitjà CEAB-CSIC Dr. Jing Zhao Xiamen University
Ms. Beate Slaby GEOMAR-Helmholtz Centre For Ocean Research Prof. Carla Zilberberg Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
Dr. Marc Slattery University of Mississippi
Mr. Hiren Solanki NUIG
Ms. Shirley Sorokin SARDI Aquatic Sciences
Ms. Karin Steffen Uppsala University
Dr. Georg Steinert Laboratory of Microbiology
Mr. John Stevely University of Florida
Ms. Hilde Strand Dybevik University of Bergen
Mr. Brian Strehlow University of Western Australia
Mr. Thomas Swierts Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Dr. Sergio Taboada The Natural History Museum
Dr. Robert Thacker Stony Brook University
Dr. Mikael Thollesson Uppsala University
Prof. Torsten Thomas University of New South Wales
Prof. Olivier Thomas NUI Galway
Ms. Holly Trew University of the West Indies
Dr. Remi Tsubaki Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science
Prof. Xavier Turon Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC)
Ms. Marta Turon Rodrigo CEAB
Dr. Sarah Tweedt Yale University
Ms. Tone Ulvatn University of Bergen
Dr. Mat Upton Plymouth University
Dr. Maria J. Uriz Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas
Mr. Jean Vacelet IMBE
Ms. Johanne Vad Heriot-Watt University
Ms. Marla Valentine Old Dominion University
Ms. Esther Van der Ent Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Dr. Fleur C. van Duyl Royal NIOZ
Ms. Vivian Vasconcellos Universidade Federal da Bahia
Mr. Joost Verhoeven Memorial University of Newfoundland
Mr. Jan Vicente Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
Ms. Sonia Villegas Plazas Microbiomas Foundation
Marcela
Dr. Oliver Voigt Ludwig-Maximilans-Universität München
Dr. Dexiang Wang Xiamen University
Ms. Vonda Hareham hayes Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Ms. Alice Webb NIOZ
Dr. Philippe Willenz Royal Belgian Inst of Natural Sciences
Ms. Mirthe Wiltink Wageningen University
Prof. Dr. Gert Woerheide Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Mr. Michael Wooster Kaust
Dr. Janie Wulff Florida State University
272 273
10th World Sponge Conference Index
Index Batista, Vanessa 223 Cavalcanti, Fernanda F. 133, 147, 148, 169 de Goeij, Jasper 93, 100, 105, 200
Battershill, Chris 157 Cavalcanti, Thaynã 166, 167 De, Kalyan 227
Authors Bavestrello, Giorgio 83, 137, 229, 252 Cebrian, Emma 213 Dekeyzer, Stefanie 214
Bayer, Kristina 66, 74, 77 Cerrano, Carlo 130, 213 Demers, Marie-Claire 208
A Bayona, Lina M. 193 Cervi, Fernanda 205 de Moura Neves, Bárbara 106
Bazhenov, Vasilii V. 194 Ćetković, Helena 62, 254 Denison, Glenn 97, 199
Abaturova, Svetlana 259 Beazley, Lindsay 120 Chagas, Cleslei 133, 148 de Nooijer, Lennart 95, 128
Abbona, Andrea 196 Becking, Leontine E. 44, 68, 89, 156, 207, 214, 248, 262 Chang, Fang-Rong 192 de Oliveira Teixeira, John 110
Abdul Wahab, Muhammad Azmi 46, 132, 244 Behringer, Donald 182, 217 Chaves-Fonnegra, Andia 58, 96, 102, 118, 233 de Paula, Thiago 61, 154
Achlatis, Michelle 76 Bekkby, Trine 213 Chenesseau, Sandrine 210 der Ent, Esther 121, 247
Adamska, Maja 81, 123, 175 Belahbib, Hassiba 42 Chen, Jun 229 de Vet, Sebastiaan 105
Adamski, Marcin 81, 112, 175 Belikov, Sergey I. 210 Chernogor, Lubov I. 210 de Voogd, Nicole 45, 51, 121, 144, 187, 193, 247, 248
Adhikari, Achyut 192 Belkrir, Khalid 254 Chevaldonné, Pierre 53, 59, 146, 212, 216 Díaz, Maria Cristina 53, 59, 243, 253
Aguilar-Camacho, Jose Maria 44 Bell, James J. 66, 85, 88, 98, 114, 184, 226, 237, 263 Chin, Paul 228 Diez-Vives, Cristina 65
Ahmed Siddiqui, Pirzada 152 Bennett, Holly 66, 114 Choi, Young Hae 193 Ding, Shaoxiong 229
Aji, Ludi P. 156 Berman, Jade 214 Chuchuay, Wilailak 84, 238 Dobson, Alan D.W. 180, 181
Aldas-Vargas, Andrea 78 Bertolino, Marco 99, 137, 201, 205, 229, 252 Ciavatta, Maria Letizia 178 Domingos, Celso 60
Alexander, Brittany E. 105 Bertran, Andrea 256 Çinar, Melih Ertan 210 Dooley, James 72
Ali, Amjad 152 Beuck, Lydia 99, 240 Cleary, Daniel F. 51, 187 dos Santos, George 166
Aliño, Porfirio 104, 249 Bi, Ke 156 Clemens, Tessa 241 Dounas, Costas 113, 252
Allcock, A. Louise 92, 161 Bilandžija, Helena 254 Clode, Peta 117 Dove, Sophie 76
Alvarez, Belinda 122 Bilan, Meri 213 Clymans, Wim 198 Downey, Rachel 208
Álvarez, Fernando 214 Bispo, André 137 Collins, Allen 141 Dreutter, Simon 233
Alvariño, Lucía 170 Blake, Emily 185 Coma, Rafel 69, 113, 134 Drew, Daniel 145
Alves, Mariana 61 Boetius, Antje 233 Combosch, David 85 Dubois, Maude 53, 59, 146
Alves, Rodrigo 166 Bohlin, Lars 71 Conaco, Cecilia 149, 178, 186, 201, 251 Duckworth, Alan 115, 117
Alvizu, Adriana 58, 145, 235 Bolton, Charlotte 215 Cóndor-Luján, Báslavi 48, 54, 105, 139, 148 Dufour, Suzanne C. 79
Amado-Filho, Gilberto 205 Bonaviri, Chiara 205 Conejero, Maria 256 Duineveld, Gerard 98
Amaro, Teresa 213 Bonnet, Nicolas 216 Conkling, Megan 251 Dullo, Christian 98
Ambroso, Stefano 90 Borchiellini, Carole 42 Conley, Daniel 198 Dumez, Rachel 110
Amon, Diva 89 Boström, Christoffer 213 Conwell, Michael 72 Dunford, Merran 192
Anadón, Nuria 143 Botte, Emmanuelle 70 Corodnis, Caroline 204 Dunham, Anya 97, 199
Andersson, Emil 116 Boudabous, Abdellatif 178 Correa, Matthias López 204 Dunn, Matthew 237
Andrade, Leonardo 110 Boury-Esnault, Nicole 47, 49, 53, 59, 212, 214 Costa, Flávio da 101 Dybevik, Hilde Strand 145
Andrade Rosa, Ivone de 110 Boxshall, Geoff 214 Costa, Gabriele 99, 137, 201, 205, 229
Andreakis, Nikos 46 Brandt, Marilyn 96, 102, 118, 233 Costa, Manoel Luis 110 E
Andrén, Per 194 Bruna, Pleše 122 Coutinho, Cristiano 110
Angel, Dror 191 Easson, Cole G. 67, 76, 103, 128, 185, 188
Buglass, Salomé 206 Cox, Eileen 261 Edinger, Evan 106
Angulo-Preckler, Carlos 196 Burhan, Zaib-un-Nisa 152 Creemers, Marie F. 206
Antoniadou, Chryssanthi 55 Ehrlich, Hermann 82, 194, 195
Burton, Mark 187 Crews, Phillip 81 Eilertsen, Mari 58
Aouacharia, Abdel 254 Busch, Kathrin 241 Cristobo, Javier 143, 169, 170, 171, 192, 239, 256
Arbizu, Pedro 55 Eitel, Michael 42, 112
Butler, Mark 107, 182, 217, 222 Crowther, Andrea 244 Ekins, Merrick 45, 57, 61, 150, 198
Archer, Stephanie K. 97, 199 Cubeddu, Tiziana 230
Arnscheidt, Joerg 72 C Elbour, Monia 178
Custódio, Márcio Reis 125, 126 Elliott, Kelley 89
Arvanitidis, Christos 113, 252 Cuvelier, Marie L. 185
Ascer, Liv 125 Caetano, Ana Teresa 265 Enochs, Ian 118
Avignolo, Carlo 137 Cahn, Jackson 241 D Ereskovsky, Alexander V. 47, 50, 53, 59, 60, 62, 123, 146, 209,
Avila, Conxita 196, 256, 261 Cain, John 64 210
Azevedo, Fernanda 48, 54, 55, 142, 148 Cajado, Bruno 223, 224, 258 Dahihande, Azraj S. 206 Erokhov, Pavel 259
Calabro, Kevin 52, 196 Dahlgren, Thomas G. 86, 153 Erpenbeck, Dirk 44, 45, 112, 146, 147, 172, 173, 174, 209
B Calheira, Ludimila 116, 232 Dailianis, Thanos 103, 113, 179, 213, 252 Erwin, Patrick M. 70, 76, 87
Cáliz, Joan 77, 183 Dale, Andrew C. 86 e Silva, Lucas 65
Babey, Christopher 91 Campbell, Alexandra M. 179, 185 Damonte, Gianluca 196, 260 Esteves, Ana I.S. 65
Baghdiguian, Stephen 254 Canfield, Donald Eugene 125 Danovaro, Roberto 213 Evans, Karen L. 133
Bahiana, Bruna 147 Cantwell, Kasey 89 Davies, Andy 235 Evcen, Alper 210
Bailly, Nicolas 214 Capriati, Agustin 207 Davis, Andy 204
Baker, Bill 92 Carballo, José-Luis 99, 164, 240 Davison, Joshua 218 F
Baker, David M. 67 Carbone, Marianna 178 Davy, Simon K. 88, 114, 263
Bakran-Petricioli, Tatjana 52 Faget, Daniel 102
Cárdenas, César A. 202, 203 de Bakker, Desiderius 105 Fang, James K.-H. 99, 134, 240
Balbino, Mirelly 60 Cárdenas, Paco 44, 71, 127, 140, 141, 173, 185, 192, 194, 256, de Bakker, Didier 95
Bannister, Raymond J. 134, 185, 249, 255 Fan, Lu 65
260 Debitus, Cécile 45, 144 Farias, Carlos 92
Baquiran, Jake Ivan 178, 201 Cardona, Luis 261 de Brito Brandão, Pedro 182
Bart, Martijn C. 200 Farnham, Garry 83
Cartwright, Allison 72 Decock, Wim 214 Federwisch, Luisa 116, 211, 235
Batani, Giampiero 65 Carvalho, Francisca C. 139, 171, 235 Degnan, Bernard M. 108, 126
Bates, Amanda 206 Feldstein, Tamar 242
Castello-Branco, Cristiana 141 Degnan, Sandie M. 65, 108
274 275
Felek, Arif 83 Glyzina, Olga 151 Holtappels, Moritz 116, 235 Kintzing, Elizabeth 243
Feng, Guofang 184 Gochfeld, Deborah 103, 233, 253 Hong, Jae-Sang 140 Kipson, Silvija 199, 213
Fernandes, Barbara 162 Gochfeld, Deborah J. 128, 243 Hoogenboom, Mia O. 94 Kirkman, Steve P. 220
Fernandez, Julio C. C. 177 Godefroy, Nelly 254 Hooker, Yuri 142 Kiss, Robert 178
Ferrando, Sara 252 Goff, Emilie Le 254 Hooper, John N.A. 45, 54, 149, 150, 160, 198 Kızılkaya, İnci Tüney 213
Fieth, Rebecca 65 Gómez-Gutiérrez, Jaime 151 Hora, Jéssica da 223, 257 Klautau, Michelle 47, 48, 54, 55, 57, 59, 101, 105, 126, 139, 142,
Fillinger, Laura 209, 235 Gomez, Oliver 46, 122, 132, 198 Horn, Hannes 74 148, 165, 244
Fiore, Cara L 181 Gómez, Patricia 151 Hosegood, Phil 218 Klinkhamer, Peter G.L. 193
Fiorentino, Dario 213 Gonzalez-Aravena, Marcelo 202 Howell, Kerry L. 83, 86, 91, 218 Knapp, Ingrid S. 173
Fisher, Rebecca 132 González-Porto, Marcos 234, 236 Huchon, Dorothée 242 Kollias, Spyros 113, 252
Fontana, Tayara 48, 55, 148 Goodwin, Claire 214, 215 Hughes, Connor 64 Komendantov, Alexander Yu. 221
Fortunato, Humberto 211 Göransson, Ulf 71, 260 Humphreys, William F. 214 Korabik, Michelle 120
Fortunato, Sofia 81, 175 Gori, Andrea 90 Hussain, Afreen 227 Kosevich, Igor 108, 259
Fourt, Maïa 102, 212 Goudie, Lisa 244 Kotoulas, Georgios 179
Fradusco, Benedetta 81, 175 Goujard, Adrien 212 I Kotta, Jonne 213
Francis, David 114 Grant, Nathan 215 Idan, Tal 218 Koutsouveli, Vasiliki 86, 111, 113, 124, 252, 256, 261
Francis, Warren R. 112, 175 Green, Kathryn 76 Ilan, Micha 218, 242 Kovtun, Oleg A. 209
Franco, Christopher M.M. 75, 176 Green, Sophie 246 Iliffe, Thomas M. 214 Kravchuk, Oksana 259
Fraschetti, Simonetta 99, 213 Greff, Stéphane 119, 210 Ilya, Borisenko 123 Krebs, Stefan 112
Freeman, Christopher J. 67, 94, 188 Grehan, Anthony 213 Ingole, Baban S. 227 Krogius, Gabriella 194
Freiwald, Andre 98 Grenier, Marie 53, 59, 146, 216 Ireland, Chris M. 150 Krueger, Shelly 222
Frisone, Viviana 46 Griffiths, Sarah 182, 206, 217 Itskovich, Valeria 151 Ktari, Leila 178
Froes, Adriana 57 Grinyó, Jordi 90 Kumala, Lars 111, 125
Fromont, Jane 46, 122, 132, 161, 244 Gronostaev, Nikolay 259 J Kupresanin, Marija 70
Fryer, Patricia 89 Guajardo, Mariela 72 Kutti, Tina 185
Fuchs, Melanie 208 Gunasekera, Sunithi 192 Jabeen, Hina 152 Kwam, Paul 64
Fuller, Susanna 189 Gutleben, Johanna 217 Jackson, Stephen A. 180
Fulton, Elizabeth A. 237 Guzhov, Alexandr 168 Jacobsson, Erik 71 L
Funch, Peter 111 Guzman, Christine 149, 251 Jahn, Martin T. 66, 77
Jakhalekar, Shriraj S. 219 Lada, Lukić-Bilela 122
Fundakowski, Garrett 64 Laffy, Patrick 70
H Janson, Liesl 220
G Janussen, Dorte 208, 209, 220, 235 Lage, Anaíra 56, 60, 161, 162
Hackl, Thomas 74 Jaramillo, Karla 152 Lagger, Cristian 203
Gagliani, Cristina 252 Haddock, Steven H.D. 112 Jarett, Jessica K 181 Lagnel, Jacques 113, 252
Gagnon, Karine 213 Hajdu, Eduardo 48, 57, 137, 141, 142, 143, 152, 154, 171, 172, Jaume, Damià 214 Lalor, Pierce 109
Gallus, Lorenzo 130, 252 177, 202 Jesionowski, Teofil 82, 194 Lanna, Emilio 60, 116, 169, 223, 224, 225, 232, 257, 258, 264
Galtier, Nicolas 254 Hajdu, Gisele Lobo 211 Johansson, Roger 116 Laport, Marinella S. 47, 60
Gambi, Cristina 213 Halasz, Mirna 62, 254 Johnson, Mark 92 Lavaleye, Marc 98
Gara, Fergal O’ 181 Hall, Chelsea 110 Jompa, Jamaluddin 98, 226, 237 Lavrov, Andrey 108, 123, 259
Garate, Leire 77, 79 Hall, Kathryn A. 45, 54, 149, 150 Jones, Ross 115, 132 Lavrov, Dennis 43, 60, 164
Garcia-Bonilla, Erika 182 Hanley, Shirley 109 Jonsson, Patric 192 Law, Lauren 225
Garcia, Josephine 110 Hansteen, Thor 204 Junca, Howard 182, 188 Lawson, Barry 64
García-Puig, Marta 130 Hanz, Ulrike 98 Lazoski, C. 47
Garson, Mary J. 193 Hardoim, Cristiane 47, 60 K Lazo-Wasem, Eric 145
Gauthier, Maely 65 Harper, Mary Kay 150 Leal, Camille V. 57, 143
Gavagnin, Margherita 178 Hatleberg, William L 108 Kahn, Amanda S. 96, 255 Le Bivic, André 42, 138
Gazi, Aheema 110 Hawkes, Nickolas J. 120 Kaiser, Kathleen 221 Lefranc, Florence 178
Geange, Shane W. 202 Hebbeln, Dierk 98 Kaluzhnaya, Oxana 151 Leite, Dora 154
Gede Indraningrat, Anak 68 Heist, Tyler 64 Kamp, Jasmine 115 Leiva, Carlos 85, 124
Geerruida Grol, Monique 198 Helena, Ćetković 122 Kandler, Nora 184 Lejeusne, Christophe 216
Geijer, Gydo 144 Hendry, Katharine 198 Karez, Claudia 205 Lenzi, Luca 182
George, Anita Mary 57, 244 Henry, Lea-Anne 246 Karpov, Sergey 62 Leocorny, Pedro 48, 142
Gerdes, Dieter 211 Hentschel Humeida, Ute 64, 66, 69, 74, 77, 233 Katsanevakis, Stelios 103 Lesser, Michael P. 93, 181, 226, 243
Gerovasileiou, Vasilis 55, 56, 103, 213, 214 Heres, Pablo 143 Kaur, Navdeep 196 Leynaert, Aude 131
Gholami, Aref 146 Hereu, Bernat 213 Kelley, Christopher 89 Leys, Sally P. 41, 43, 96, 106, 113, 215, 216, 225, 255
Gibbons, Mark J. 231 Hesni, Majid 146 Kelly, Joseph 153 Lim, Swee 154
GIGA Community of Scientists 258 Hesp, Kylie 109 Kelly, Michelle 44, 45, 141, 157, 172, 173, 174, 241 Linares, Cristina 213
Gili, Josep-Maria 90 Hestetun, Jon 51 Kenchington, Ellen 91, 120, 200 Li, Zhiyong 184
Gillespie, Rosemary 156, 207 Hill, April 64, 110 Kenny, Nathan J. 111, 124, 153, 169, 261 Lluisma, Arturo O. 104
Gilliam, David S. 96 Hill, Kate 127 Kersken, Daniel 55, 220 Lôbo-Hajdu, Gisele 61, 154
Giovine, Marco 130, 196, 252, 260 Hill, Russell T. 73 Kerwath, Sven 231 Longakit, Maria Belinda 155
Giribet, Gonzalo 85 Hoegh-Guldberg, Ove 76 Khalaman, Vyacheslav V. 221 Loon, Emiel van 105
Giussani, Valentina 201 Hoffmann, Friederike 134 Khanaev, Igor 210 López-Acosta, María 130, 131
Glickson, Deborah 89 Hoffman, Zvi 151 Kiessling, Wolfgang 46 Lopez, Jose V. 44, 58, 67, 96, 185, 258
Glover, Adrian G. 86 Hogg, Ian 157 Kim, Hye 193 López-Legentil, Susanna 76, 87
276 277
Louzada, Taynara 48 Murphy, Gary 228 Pierre, Francesco Dela 137 Robinson, Jeffrey 262
Lozar, Francesca 137 Muthye, Viraj 164 Pineda, Mari-Carmen 115, 117, 185 Rocha, Lívia 171
Lucaci, Anita 182 Pinheiro, Ulisses 52, 116, 162, 166, 167, 232 Rodriguez, Jenny 152
Łukowiak, Magdalena 155, 168, 195 N Pinna, Stefania 205 Rodriguez, Melanie 110
Lundälv, Tomas 209, 235 Nada, Michael 186, 201 Pino, Mario 72 Rohde, Sven 236, 241
Luter, Heidi 66, 184, 185 Nascimento, Elielton 167 Pisani, Davide 42 Romano, Stefano 181
Lyupina, Yulia 259 Natalicchio, Marcello 137 Pisera, Andrzej 46, 50, 155, 168, 172, 173, 174 Romdhane, Yosr 178
Naughton, Lynn M. 181 Pita, Lucía 74, 87 Rooks, Christine A. 134
M Pleše, Bruna 254 Roper, Kerry E 108
Naughton, Patrick 72
Macartney, Keir J. 226 Naumann, Malik S. 69 Pomponi, Shirley A. 44, 89, 91, 109, 128, 139, 172, 173, 174, Rossi, André 101
Magoulas, Antonios 113, 179, 252 Nesbitt, Robert 92 251, 260 Ross, Phil 157
Mah, Jasmine 43 Neto, Carlos 167 Porras, Luis 169 Ross, Rebecca E. 86
Mai, Sebastian 147 Nguyen, Mary 65 Porto, Ubaldo 223 Rovellini, Alberto 237
Maldonado, Manuel 92, 130, 131, 261 Nilsson, Patryk 260 Posfai, Dora 110 Rueda, José Luis 92
Manconi, Renata 84, 205, 230, 238 Noonan, Sam 184 Pozdnyakov, Igor 62 Ruengsawang, Nisit 84, 238
Manousaki, Tereza 113, 252 Numa, Catherine 103 Pozzolini, Marina 130, 196, 252, 260 Rugiero, Juliet 102
Manuel, Michaël 42 Prentice, Gary 198 Ruiz, César 53, 56, 59, 216, 238
Manzano, Geminne 249 O Preston, Joanne 187
Preto, Nereo 46 S
Marchais, Claire 92 Oevelen, Dick van 69, 105, 245
Marchesi, Julian 179 Preziosi, Richard 182, 217 Sacau, Mar 170
Ojaveer, Henn 213 Pronin, Konstantin K. 209
Margassery, Lekha Menon 180 Olinger, Lauren 118 Salani, Sula 143, 172
Marlow, Joe 98, 226 Pronzato, Roberto 157, 201, 205, 230 Sales e Santos Loureiro, Catarina 217
Olsen, Bernt R. 235 Prost, Stefan 156
Mar Otero, Maria 103 Olson, Julie B. 128, 233, 253 Salis, Annalisa 196, 260
Marra, Maria 109 Puccinelli, Gabriela 60 Salvador-Reyes, Lilibeth 104, 249
Oprandi, Alice 229 Puig, Patricia 206
Martens, Dirk E. 109, 260 Orav-Kotta, Helen 213 Samaai, Toufiek 220, 227, 231
Martinand-Mari, Camille 254 Purba, Gandi 156 Sánchez, Carlos 151
Orlić, Sandi 184 Purser, Autun 233
Martínez, Alejandro 214 Ortiz-Álvarez, Rüdiger 79 Sánchez, Francisco 192
Martins de Carvalho, Paulo Sérgio 116 Osinga, Ronald 249 Q Sanchez, Juan A. 188
Marulanda-Gómez, Angela 58 Ou, Huilong 229 Sandes, Joana 162
Mathieu, Véronique 178 Owens, Peter 109 Quintela, Daniele S. 60 Sangpradub, Narumon 84, 238
Matterson, Kenan O. 67, 94, 188 Owsianowski, Nils 211, 235 Santiago, Viviene 104, 249
McCormack, Grace P. 44, 52, 59, 109, 152, 155, 158, 159, 160 R Santín, Andreu 90
McCormack, Sam 57, 157, 244 P Rabsatt, Tia 233 Santodomingo, Nadia 111, 124, 261
McCoy, Croy 228 Rachel, Downey 209 Santonja, Mathieu 119
McGonigle, Chris 72 Paccagnella, Matteo 196 Santos, Carine 223
Pacheco, Cristian 164 Raddatz, Jacek 204
McGrath, Emily 227 Rae, Margaret 265 Sarà, Antonio 213
Meesters, Erik H.W.G. 95, 132, 248 Padiglia, Andrea 205, 230 Sarmento, Karen 161
Padua, André 48, 105, 126, 142 Rahman, Nasheya 64
Meijer, Maria 156 Ramil, Fran 234, 236 Scarfì, Sonia 130, 252, 260
Melis, Paolo 87 Pansini, Maurizio 99, 137, 201, 229 Schejter, Laura 239
Pantazidou, Adriani 179 Ramos, Ana 234, 236
Mermelstein, Claudia 110 Ranjendran, Sanjeevan 192 Schempp, Stefanie 71
Metz, Santiago 211 Papadopoulou, Nadia 213 Schenkelaars, Quentin 138
Parisotto, Carmen 162 Rapp, Hans Tore 51, 54, 58, 91, 120, 134, 139, 145, 233, 235,
Mienis, Furu 235 249, 263 Schläppy, Marie-Lise 120, 123
Mikhailov, Victor 259 Parker, Denham 231 Schol, Tim A. 262
Paterson, Gordon L.J. 86, 153 Ravasi, Timothy 70
Milanese, Martina 213 Rees, David 139 Schönberg, Christine H.L. 45, 99, 135, 227, 240, 241
Miller, David J 81, 175 Paul, Valerie 67 Schupp, Peter J. 68, 236, 241
Pawlik, Joseph R. 93, 97 Reichart, Gert-Jan 95, 98, 128
Mills, Sadie 241 Reiswig, Henry 136, 206 Schuster, Astrid 44, 45, 147, 172, 173, 174, 185
Moitinho-Silva, Lucas 73, 77 Payne, Robyn P. 231 Scott-Murray, Amy 120
Peijnenburg, Katja T.C.A. 51 Renard, Emmanuelle 42, 138
Moles, Juan 256, 261 Renegar, Abigail 253 Scrimgeour, Rachael 213
Mollo, Ernesto 178 Pequeno, Carolline 60 Semir, Dorić 122
Pereira, Raquel 165 Reverter, Miriam 59
Montagnes, David J.S. 133 Reynolds, David 65 Setti, Alexia 201
Moraes, Fernando C. 57, 143, 205 Pérez, Jeannette 231, 232 Sevastou, Katerina 213
Pérez-Portela, Rocío 87 Ribes, Marta 69, 74, 113, 134
Morato, Telmo 213 Richards, Shane A. 237 Shaffer, Megan R. 88, 263
Morganti, Teresa Maria 113, 134 Pérez, Thierry 48, 51, 53, 56, 59, 60, 102, 105, 119, 139, 146, Shafique, Seema 152
148, 165, 182, 210, 212, 214, 216, 217, 238 Richter, Claudio 209, 211, 235
Mørkved, Pål Tore 134 Ridley, Caroline 109 Shariatgorji, Mohammadreza 194
Morrison, Liam 44 Pernice, Mathieu 76 Shea, Elizabeth 189
Perry, Chris 228 Riegl, Bernhard 96
Morrow, Christine 52, 152, 155, 158, 159, 160, 161 Riesgo, Ana 85, 86, 87, 111, 124, 153, 169, 256, 261 Shefer, Sigal 242
Mote, Sambhaji G. 227 Petersen, Lars-Eric 241 Silva, Lucas M. 66
Petrenko, Iaroslav 194 Riisgård, Hans Ulrik 125
Moura, Rodrigo 205 Ríos, Pilar 143, 169, 170, 171, 192, 236, 239 Simion, Paul 42
Mraouna, Radhia 178 Petricioli, Donat 199 Simonet, Raphael 216
Philippe, Hervé 42 Rivera, Ajna 110
Mueller, Benjamin 58, 132 Rix, Laura 69 Singh, Anshika 243
Mukhina, Yulia I. 221 Picton, Bernard 158, 159 Sini, Maria 103
Piechaud, Nils 91 Rizzieri, Raisa 48, 139
Munroe, Stephanie 260 Roberts, J Murray 246 Sipkema, Detmer 68, 78, 217, 260
Muricy, Guilherme 56, 60, 162, 163, 214 Piepenburg, Dieter 211 Sitjà, Cèlia 92, 130
Pieper, Dietmar H. 188 Roberts, Martyn 235
Murillo, Francisco Javier 170 Skaraki, Katerina 179
278 279
Slaby, Beate M. 66, 74, 233 Upton, Mathew 83 X
Slattery, Marc 103, 243 Uriz, Maria J. 77, 79, 90, 175, 183
Smidt, Hauke 68, 78, 217 Xavier, Joana R. 58, 87, 91, 120, 139, 171, 192, 200, 235, 263,
Smith, Christopher J. 213 V 265
Smith, David J. 237
Smith, Tyler 96
Vacelet, Jean 52, 53, 59, 140, 212, 216, 254 Y
Vad, Johanne 246
Soares, Ana 57 Valentine, M.M. 107 Yahel, Gitai 113, 134
Sogabe, Shunsuke 108 Vallès, Henri 245 Yahel, Ruth 242
Sokolova, Agniya 62 Vandepitte, Leen 214 Yakhnenko, Alena 151
Solà, Joan 256 van Duyl, Fleur C. 95, 132 Yamasaki, Hiroshi 214
Solanki, Hiren 196 van Hengstum, Peter J. 214 Yang, Qi 75, 176
Solé-Cava, Antonio M. 47 van Heuven, Steven M.A.C. 95 Young, Ryan 92
Sorokin, Shirley J. 75, 176, 244 Vanhoorne, Bart 214 Yu, Clairecynth 104, 249
Spanier, Ehud 191 van Loon, Jack J.W.A. 105 Yuen, Benedict 65
Stefanska, Tetiana 155 van Soest, Rob W.M. 144
Steffen, Karin 127 Vargas, Sergio 112, 173
Z
Steiner, Markus 147 Vasconcellos, Vivian 223, 264 Zapata-Hernández, German 177
Steinert, Georg 68, 78 Ventura, Maíra 143 Zea, Sven 58, 73, 96
Stockton, Savannah 103 Verhoeven, Joost 79 Zhang, Fengli 184
Stoupin, Daniel 108 Vernale, Amélie 138 Zhang, Wei 75, 176
Stratmann, Tanja 241, 245 Versluis, Dennis 241 Zhao, Jing 189, 229
Strehlow, Brian 115, 117 Vicente, Jan 73 Zhao, Rui 134
Struck, Ulrich 69 Vickers, Claire 103 Zilberberg, Carla 60
Sung, Ping-Jyun 192 Vidgen, Miranda E. 54
Sun, Wei 184 Vieiralves, Thomáz 61
Suthiporn, Petch 84, 238 Vijayan, Nidhi 185
Swierts, Thomas 51, 187 Villegas-Plazas, Marcela 188
T Violanti, Donata 137
Vlahoviček, Kristian 254
Tabachnick, Konstantin 167, 195 Voigt, Oliver 45, 54, 81, 175
Taboada, Sergio 85, 86, 87, 111, 124, 153, 256, 261 Voorhoeve, Annabelle 210
Taylor-Cox, Evelyn 206, 217 Voultsiadou, Eleni 55, 56, 103, 214
Taylor, Michael W. 68
Team, Marine 89 W
Teimori, Azad 146 Wahab, Muhammad 184
Thacker, Robert W. 67, 76, 94, 153, 188 Wang, Dexiang 189, 229, 248
Thakur, Narsinh L. 206, 219, 243 Wang, Tongu 64
Thangamani, Rajesh 65 Wareham Hayes, Vonda E. 106, 189
Thollesson, Mikael 165, 174 Watson, Jabin 65
Thomas, Olivier P. 52, 59, 92, 119, 152, 160, 165, 182, 196, 210, Webb, Alice E. 95, 128
238 Webster, Nicole S. 66, 70, 94, 114, 115, 117, 184, 185, 237
Thomas, Torsten 65, 77 Weigel, Brooke L. 70
Thompson, Angus 94 Whalan, Steve 94, 185
Thompson, Fabiano 57 Whoriskey, Fred 200
Thompson, Sarah 200 Wictor, Eric 110
Thornton, David J. 109 Wienberg, Claudia 98
Tokina, Daria 146 Wijffels, Rene H. 109
Tompkins-MacDonald, Gabrielle J. 71, 200 Wiklund, Helena 86, 153
Toolsidass, Shiv 64 Wild, Christian 69
Toonen, Robert J. 173 Willenz, Philippe 50, 60, 142, 172
Torkildsen, Marte 235 Wilson, Nerida 122
Torres, Brian 104 Wiltink, Mirthe 248
Trefault, Nicole 72, 202 Winch, Robert 206
Trew, Holly 245 Wisshak, Max 99, 240
Triadó-Margarit, Xavier 77 Wooster, Michael K. 97
Tribalat, Marie-Aude 59 Wörheide, Gert 42, 44, 45, 54, 112, 146, 147, 169, 172, 173, 174,
Tsigenopoulos, Costas 113, 252 175, 241, 254
Tsubaki, Remi 246 Wort, Edward 86
Turon, Marta 77, 175 Wulff, Janie 119, 145
Turon, Xavier 76 Wurz, Erik 249
U Wu, Shufei 189
Wysokowski, Marcin 82, 194
Ulvatn, Tone 235, 263
280 281
10th World Sponge Conference Poster list
Poster list P25 Dr. Kathryn Hall Queensland Museum Beyond The Sponge Barcode: Testing The Taxonomic
Utility Of Microbial Diversity Analysis Using 16S Rrna
. Poster Session11- -Tuesday,
Tuesday, 27 June 2017 P28 Mr Eduardo Hadju Universidade do Two new Sequences
Gene species of Hemimycale
Among Tetillid (Hymedesmiidae:
Sponges
Poster Session
Poster Session 2727June
June 2017
[Systematics/Evolution -1Symbiosis
- Tuesday,
[Systematics/Evolution - Symbiosis - Biomaterials/Biomolecules]
2017
- Biomaterials/Biomolecules] P26 Ms. Mary Kay Harper
Estado do Rio de
University of Utah Asia
Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae) from Southeastern
Taxonomy Of Theonellidae In The Indo-West Pacific
Janeiro Brazil
Systematics/Evolution [Systematics/Evolution - Symbiosis - Biomaterials/Biomolecules]
Systematics/Evolution P29 Mr. Zvi Hoffman Campus
Universidad Six new species of verongiid sponges from southern
Poster Title
Poster Title First
FirstName
Name Last
Last Name
Name Organisation
Organisation Abstract Title
Abstract Title P27 Mr. Zvi Hoffman Autónoma de
Universidad Baja
Autónoma region of Baja
Six New California
Species Peninsula,
Of Verongiid Mexico From Southern
Sponges
Systematics/Evolution
No.
No. California
de Sur
Baja California Sur Region Of Baja California Peninsula, Mexico
P1
No. Ms. First
Title Adriana
Name Alvizu
Last Name Universitetet i
Organisation A revised
Abstract molecular phylogeny of the subclass
Title P30 Dr. Valeria Itskovich Limnological institute Toward integrative taxonomy of endemic LakeLake
Baikal
P1 Ms. Adriana Alvizu Universitetet
Bergen i Bergen Calcaronea
A Revised Molecular Phylogeny Of The Subclass P28 Dr. Valeria Itskovich Limnological Toward Integrative Taxonomy Of Endemic Baikal
P1 Ms. Adriana Alvizu Universitetet i A revised
Calcaronea molecular phylogeny of the subclass Calca- institute SB RAS sponges Lubomirskiidae.
P2 Dr. Fernanda Azevedo Federeal University ronea Biodiversity and biogeography of tropical Western SB RAS Sponges Lubomirskiidae.
Bergen P31 Ms. Hina Jabeen University of Karachi Two new records of marine sponges (Demospongiae:
P2 Dr. Fernanda Azevedo of the RioUniversity
Federeal de Janeiro Atlantic Calcarea
Biodiversity And (Porifera)
Biogeography Of Tropical Western P29 Ms. Hina Jabeen University of Karachi Haplosclerida)
Two New Records from the Ofcoast
Marine SpongesPakistan
of Karachi, (Demospongiae:
P2 Dr. Fernanda Azevedo Federeal
the RioUniver-
(UFRJ)
of de Janeiro Biodiversity and biogeography
Atlantic Calcarea (Porifera) of tropical Western P32 Ms. Karla Jaramillo CENAIM - ESPOL A first assessment of the sponge biodiversity offPakistan
Haplosclerida) From The Coast Of Karachi, the
P3 Dr. Marco Bertolino sity of the
Università
(UFRJ) Rio
deglide Atlantic
A Messinian Calcarea (Porifera)
Paleo-Sponge Community from
Janeiro P30 Ms. Karla Jaramillo CENAIM - ESPOL Ec- coast
Ecuador and NUI of mainland
A First Assessment Ecuador
Of The Sponge Biodiversity Off The
Studi di(UFRJ)
Genova Northwestern Italy Galway
P3 Dr. Marco Bertolino Università degli Studi di A Messinian Paleo-Sponge Community From North- uador and NUI Galway Coast Of Mainland Ecuador
P4
P3 Mr. Marco
Dr. André Bispo
Bertolino Museu degli
Università
Genova AAMessinian
new species
western Italy
of Haliclona Community
Paleo-Sponge (Haplosclerida: fromChalinidae)
North- P33 Mr. Joseph Kelly Stony Brook Molecular taxonomy and phylogeography of the sponge
Nacional/UFRJ
Studi di Genova from sandstone
western Italy reefs in Ceará (NE Brazil) P31 Mr. Joseph Kelly Stony Brook University Molecular Taxonomy And Phylogeography Of The
University genus Ircinia from northern Australia
P4
P5 Mr.
Dr. André
Carole Bispo
Borchiellini Museu
AMU/CNRSNacional/UFRJ What A New about Species
PCP pathwayOf Haliclona (Haplosclerida: Chalini-
in sponges? Sponge Genus Ircinia From Northern Australia
P4 Mr. André Bispo Museu Nacional/ A new species of HaliclonaReefs (Haplosclerida: Chalinidae) P34 Dr. Nathan J Kenny The Natural History Deeper understanding of deep sea Axinellida:
P6 Ms. Francisca C Carvalho University of Bergen Diversity,dae) From Sandstone
distribution and phylogenetic In Ceará (Ne Brazil) of
relationships P32 Dr. Nathan J Kenny The Natural History Deeper Understanding OfaDeep
UFRJ from sandstone reefs in Ceará (NE Brazil) Museum, London mitochondrial sequencing of novelSea Axinellida:
abyssal spongeMito-
P5 Dr. Carole Borchiellini AMU/CNRS theWhat
NorthAbout AtlanticPcp lithistid
Pathway sponges
In Sponges? P35 Mr. Camille Leal Museum, London
Universidade chondrialbetween
Divergence Sequencing Of A Novel
molecular Abyssal Sponge
and morphological data
P5
P7 Dr.
Ms. Carole
Raisa Borchiellini
Campos AMU/CNRS
Universidade What about taxonomy
Integrative PCP pathway in sponges?
for the genus Ernstia (Porifera, in Brazilian
P6 Ms. Francisca C Carvalho University of Bergen Diversity, Distribution And Phylogenetic Relationships P33 Mr. Victória
Camille Leal Federal do Rio
Universidade de
Federal Divergence Between sponges
Arenosclera Molecular(Haplosclerida,
And Morphological
P6 Ms. Francisca CRizzieri
Carvalho Federal doofRio
University Ber- de Calcarea,distribution
Diversity, Calcinea) in
Of The North Atlantic andthephylogenetic
lesser antilles,
Lithistid Sponges
caribbean of
relationships sea
Victória Janeiro
do Rio de Janeiro Demospongiae)
Data In Brazilian Arenosclera Sponges (Haplosclerida,
Janeiro
gen the North Atlantic lithistid sponges P36 Ms. Dora Leite Museu Nacional Integrative Systematics of Tropical Western Atlantic
P7 Ms. Demospongiae)
P8 Mr. Raisa
Paco Campos Rizz-
Cardenas Universidade Federal Phylogenetic
Uppsala University Integrativerelationships
Taxonomy For of The Genus Ernstia
the Thrombidae and(Porifera, (UFRJ) Mycale of the “immitis-group”
P7 Ms. Raisa Campos
ieri Universidade
do Rio de Janeiro Integrative
Calcarea, taxonomy
ofCalcinea) forIntheThegenusLesserErnstia (Porifera,
Antilles, Caribbean P34 Ms. Dora Leite Museu Nacional Integrative Systematics
Rizzieri Federal do Rio de
suggestion
Calcarea,
a new Tetractinellida sub-order
Calcinea) in the lesser antilles, caribbean sea P37 Mr. Swee Lim National University Taiwan deep-water spongeOf Tropicalat
collection Western Atlantic
the National
P9 Ms. Cristiana Castello- Museu Nacional Sea
First record of Bolosoma (Hexactinellida, Euplectellidae) Cheng (UFRJ)
of Singapore MycaleofOf
Museum The “Immitis-Group”
Natural Science at Taichung (Taiwan)
Branco Janeiro
/UFRJ University for Phylogenetic
the Atlantic Ocean and newOf species
P8 Mr. Paco Cardenas Uppsala Relationships The Thrombidae And P38
P35 Dr.
Mr. Gisele
Swee Lobo-Hajdu
Lim UERJ, Universidade
National University of Phenotypic Plasticity in Sponge
Taiwan Deep-Water Sponges: a case study
Collection onNational
At The
P8
P10 Mr.
Dr. Paco
Andia Cardenas
Chaves Uppsala
UniversityUniversity
of the Phylogenetic
Cliona relationships
laticavicola is an
Suggestion Of A New Tetractinellida of the
ecophenotype Thrombidae
and anand
Sub-Order sug-
ontogenic Cheng do Estado do Rio de Callyspongia
Singapore Museum Of sp. from Northeastern
Natural Brazil (Taiwan)
Science At Taichung
Fonnegra Virgin Islands gestion
life stage of of
a new Tetractinellida
the coral excavating sub-order
sponge Cliona delitrix Janeiro
P9
P11 Ms.
Ms. Cristiana
Báslavi Castello- Museu
Cóndor Luján Museu Nacional /UFRJOn-going
Universidade First Record Of Bolosoma
speciation of the (Hexactinellida,
amphiamerican Euplectel-
calcareous P36 Dr. Gisele Lobo-Hajdu UERJ, Universidade Phenotypic Plasticity In Sponges: A Case Study On
P9 Ms. Cristiana Castello-
Branco Nacional / Firstlidae)
record For ofThe
Bolosoma
Atlantic (Hexactinellida,
Ocean And New Euplectelli-
Species P39 Prof. Jose Lopez Nova Southeastern Cinachyrella as a model sponge genus for evolution,
Marisbel Federal do Rio de sponge Clathrina aurea do Estado do Rio de Callyspongia Sp. From Northeastern Brazil
Branco UFRJ dae) for the Atlantic Ocean and new species University microbial symbiosis and experimental biology
P10 Dr. Andia Chaves Fon- Janeiro of the Virgin Cliona Laticavicola Is An Ecophenotype And An On-
University Janeiro
P40 Ms. Maria Longakit National University Evolution of haplosclerid sponges: insights from kinetid
P10
P12 Dr.
Dr. Andia Chaves
Fernando negra Fon-
Coreixas de University
Islands
Instituto deof the Cliona
togenic
Sponge laticavicola
Life Stage
bottoms is
off theanOfecophenotype
The Coral
Amazon and
Excavating
River mouth an revisited
onto-
Sponge P37 Prof. Jose Lopez Nova Southeastern Cinachyrella As A Model Sponge Genus For Evolution,
Belinda of Ireland Galway structures
negra
Moraes Virgin Islands
Pesquisas Jardim genic life stage
Cliona Delitrix of the coral excavating sponge Cliona University Microbial Symbiosis And Experimental Biology
P41 Dr. Magdalena Łukowiak Polish Academy of Spicular Analysis for Reconstructions of Sponge
Botânico do Rio de delitrix Sciences Communities in Modern Coral Reefs
P11 Ms. Báslavi Cóndor Luján Universidade Federal On-Going Speciation Of The Amphiamerican Calcare- P38 Ms. Maria Longakit National University of Evolution Of Haplosclerid Sponges: Insights From
P11 Ms. Báslavi Janeiro
Cóndor Luján Universidade On-going speciation of theAurea
amphiamerican calcareous P42 Dr. Magdalena Łukowiak Polish Academy
Marisbel do Rio de Janeiro ous Sponge Clathrina Belinda Ireland Galway of Siliceous
KinetidSponges
Structures from the Upper Eocene of Eastern
P13 Dr. Javier
Marisbel Cristobo Spanishdo
Federal Institute
Rio deof sponge
Diversity of Porifera
Clathrina aurea in the Aviles Canyons System: Sciences Central Ukraine
P12 Dr. Fernando Coreixas de Instituto de Pesquisas
Oceanography
Janeiro Spongeproject
(IEO) COCACE Bottoms Off The Amazon River Mouth Revis- P39 Dr. Magda- Łukowiak Polish Academy of Sci- Spicular Analysis For Reconstructions Of Sponge Com-
P43 Ms. Diede Maas Wageningen Varied environments drive rapid divergence in sponge
P14 Dr. Nicole Moraes
de Voogd Jardim Botânico do RioCalcareous
Naturalis ited sponges of the Western Indian Ocean and lena ences munities In Modern Coral Reefs
P12 Dr. Fernando Coreixas de Instituto de Pes- Sponge bottoms off the Amazon River mouth revisited University and (Suberites diversicolor) populations
de Janeiro
Biodiversity Center the Red Sea P40 Dr. Magda- Łukowiak Polish Academy of Sci- Siliceous Sponges From The Upper Eocene Of Eastern
Moraes quisas Jardim Research
P15
P13 Dr.
Dr. Nicole
Javier de Voogd
Cristobo NaturalisInstitute of
Spanish TheDiversity
deep water sponge In
Of Porifera fauna
The of Guadeloupe
Aviles Canyons System: P44 Mr. lena
Renata Manconi ences
Universita' di TheCentral Ukraine
freshwater sponge fauna of Madagascar: a first
Botânico do Rio de
Biodiversity Center
Oceanography (IEO) Cocace Project Sassari assessment
Janeiro P41 Ms. Diede Maas Wageningen University Varied Environments Drive Rapid Divergence In
P16 Mr. Daniel Drew Yale University The Sponge Collection of the Yale Peabody Museum of P45 Mr. Sam Mc Cormack University of Systematics of marine Diversicolor)
sponges fromPopulations
the Bay of Plenty,
P14
P13 Dr.
Dr. Nicole
Javier deCristobo
Voogd NaturalisInstitute
Spanish Biodiversity Diversity
Calcareous Sponges
of Porifera in theOf The Western
Aviles CanyonsIndian System:Ocean and Research Sponge (Suberites
Peabody Museum Natural History Waikato New Zealand
Center
of Oceanography And The Red Sea
P17 Ms. Hilde Dybevik University of Bergen COCACE
Taxonomic project
Revision of the Family Heteropiidae P42
P46 Mr.
Dr. RENATA
Christine MANCONI
Morrow UNIVERSITA'
NUIG DI SAS- Progress
The Freshwater Sponge Fauna
with Poecilosclerida Of Madagascar:
(Demospongiae: A First
Porifera)
P15 Dr. Nicole de Voogd Naturalis Biodiversity (Porifera,
(IEO) The Deep Water Sponge
Calcarea) in Norwegian FaunaWatersOf Guadeloupe SARI Assessment
– more molecular insights into poecilosclerid phylogeny
P18
P14 Dr.
Dr. Alexander
Nicole Ereskovsky
de Voogd Center
CNRS, Aix-Marseille
Naturalis Biodiver- Three new Halisarca-like
Calcareous sponges of thesponges Western(Porifera,
Indian Ocean and P43
P47 Mr.
Dr. Sam
Christine McMorrow
Cormack University
NUIG of Waikato A new species of
Systematics OfHymeraphia
Marine Sponges Bowerbank,
From The 1864 from
Bay Of
P16 Mr. Daniel Drew university
Yale
sity University Pea- the
Center Verongimorpha)
The
Red Sponge
Sea from tropical
Collection Of TheseasYale Peabody Museum thePlenty,
cold water
Newcoral
Zealandreefs off the south west coast of
P19 Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck Ludwig-Maximilians-
body Museum Molecular
Of Natural Biodiversity
History of Iranian Persian Gulf Sponges Ireland.
P15 Dr. Nicole de Voogd Naturalis
UniversitätBiodiver-
München The deep water sponge fauna of Guadeloupe P44 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG Progress With Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae: Po-
P17 Ms. Hilde Dybevik University
Centerof Bergen Molecular Taxonomic Revision P48 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG Stirrifera)
it Up! –- Support for the movement of Poecilosclerid
the 'Bob
P20 Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck sity
Ludwig-Maximilians- Taxonomy of Of The Family
African FreshwaterHeteropiidae
Sponges(Porif- More Molecular Insights Into
Marley' sponge, Pipestela candelabra from Axinellidae
P16 Mr. Daniel Drew Universität
Yale München
University era, Calcarea) In Norwegian
Pea- The Sponge Collection of the Yale Peabody Museum of Waters Phylogeny
to Bubarida
P18
P21 Dr.
Prof. Alexander
Fernanda Ereskovsky CNRS,
F. Cavalcanti body Aix-Marseille Natural
UFBAMuseum New Three
Species NewAnd
History Halisarca-Like
A New Record SpongesOf The (Porifera, Verongi-
Genus Leucilla P45
P49 Dr.
Dr. Christine
Christine Morrow
Morrow NUIG
NUIG A New the
Clarifying Species
statusOfofHymeraphia
RaspacionaBowerbank, 1864 From
aculeata versus
P17 Ms. Hilde Dybevik university of Ber-
University (Calcarea,
morpha)Revision
Taxonomic Calcaronea)
From Tropical ToFamily
of the The Tropical
Seas Brazilian
Heteropiidae Coast.
(Porif- The Cold
Raspailia Water Coral Reefs Off The South West Coast
aculeata
P22
P19 Prof.
Dr. Fernanda
Dirk F. Cavalcanti
Erpenbeck UFBA Taxonomy
Ludwig-Maximilians- era,Molecular
gen Of Calcareous
Calcarea)Biodiversity
in Norwegian Sponges
Of Waters (Porifera, Calcarea)
Iranian Persian Gulf Sponges P50 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG TheOfpeculiar
Ireland.spicules in Tethyspira: an apomorphy for
Sampled On Artificial Substrates In A Recreational or-aSupport
synapomorphy
P18 Dr. Alexander Ereskovsky Universität
CNRS, Aix-Mar-München Three P46 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG Tethyspira
Stir It Up! For The with Raspailiidae?
Movement Of The 'Bob
Marinanew From The Tropicalsponges
Halisarca-like Brazilian (Porifera,
Coast. Verongi- P51 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional - Taxonomy of Corticium (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha)
P20 Dr. Marley' Sponge, Pipestela Candelabra From Axinellidae
P23 Ms. Dirk
Tayara Erpenbeck
Fontana Ludwig-Maximilians-
seille university
Universidade Molecular
morpha)
Biodiversity fromofTaxonomy
tropical
calcineans seasOf(Porifera,
African Freshwater
Calcarea) from Sponges
Universidade from
Universität München ToWestern
BubaridaAustralia
P19 Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck Federal do Rio de
Ludwig-Maximil- Martinique,
Molecular Lesser Antilles,
Biodiversity Caribbean
of Iranian PersianSea Gulf Sponges Federal do Rio de
P21 Prof. Fernanda F. Cavalcanti Janeiro
UFBA
ians-Universität New Species And A New Record Of The Genus Leucilla P47 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG
Janeiro Clarifying The Status Of Raspaciona Aculeata Versus
P20 Dr. Dirk Erpenbeck Molecular Taxonomy of African Freshwater Sponges Raspailia
P24 Mr Humberto Fortunato Universidade do
München A new speciesCalcaronea)
(Calcarea, of Hymeniacidon To The from BrazilBrazilian
Tropical and Coast. P52 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional, Taxonomy ofAculeata
the genus Plakinastrella (Porifera:
Estado do Rio de redescription of Halichondria (Halich.) melanadocia de P48 Dr. Christine Morrow NUIG
Universidade The Peculiar Spicules
Homoscleromorpha: In Tethyspira:
Plakinidae) An Apomorphy
from Western AustraliaFor
P22
P21 Prof. Fernanda F.F. Cavalcanti
Cavalcanti UFBA NewTaxonomy
Species And Of Calcareous
A New Record Sponges
Of The(Porifera, Calcarea)
Genus Leucilla
Janeiro Laubenfels, 1936 Federal do Rio de Tethyspira Or A Synapomorphy With Raspailiidae?
Sampled
(Calcarea, On ArtificialToSubstrates
Calcaronea) The Tropical In ABrazilian
Recreational
Coast.
P25 Ms. Christine Guzman University of the Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Insights JaneiroNacional - Uni-
P22 Prof. Fernanda F. Cavalcanti UFBA Marina
Taxonomy From
Of The
Calcareous Tropical
Philippines, Dillman Into The Streamlined Genomes Of Haplosclerid SpongesBrazilian Coast.
(Porifera, Calcarea) P49 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Taxonomy Of Corticium (Porifera: Homoscleromorpha)
P53 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional
versidade Federal- do High richness
From Westernof sponges
Australiaat the mouth of the São
P23 Ms. Tayara Fontana Universidade Federal Sampled Biodiversity
Demosponges Of Calcineans
On Artificial Substrates (Porifera, Calcarea) From
In A Recreational Universidade Francisco river, in Northeast Brazil: another barrier falls
P26 Dr. Kathryn Hall do Rio de Janeiro
Queensland Martinique,
Marina
Beyond From The
the spongeLesser
TropicalAntilles,
barcode:BrazilianCaribbean
testing Coast. Sea
the taxonomic Rio de Janeiro
Federal do Rio de in the Tropical Western Atlantic
P24
P23 Ms. Christine
Tayara Guzman
Fontana Museum
Universidade utility of microbial
Comparative
Biodiversity diversity(Porifera,
Transcriptome
of calcineans analysis usingReveals
Analysis 16S from
Calcarea) rRNA
Insights P50 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu
JaneiroNacional, Uni- Taxonomy Of The Genus Plakinastrella (Porifera: Ho-
Federal do Rio de gene sequences
Into TheLesser
Martinique, among
Streamlined
Antilles, tetillid
Genomes sponges
Caribbean Of Haplosclerid
Sea Demo- versidade Federal do moscleromorpha: Plakinidae) From Western Australia
P27 Ms. Mary Kay Harper University of Utah
Janeiro Taxonomy
spongesof Theonellidae in the Indo-West Pacific Rio de Janeiro
Asia Campus
282 283
P51 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu Nacional - Uni- High Richness Of Sponges At The Mouth Of The São P71 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Deep-Water Tetractinellid Sponges From The Galápa-
versidade Federal do Francisco River, In Northeast Brazil: Another Barrier Universität München gos Islands: First Molecular And Morphological Analysis
P54 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu
Rio Nacional -
de Janeiro Rhabdastrella
Falls In Thefibrosa
Tropical Hechtel
Western1983 and Geodia
Atlantic P77 Mr. Alper Evcen Ege University Sponge
RevealsSpecies
Seven Associated
New Species With Posidonia Oceanica
Universidade corticostylifera Hajdu et al. 1992 are junior synonyms of Meadows Along The Coast Of The Aegean Sea
P52 Dr. Guilherme Muricy Museu
FederalNacional - Uni- Geodia
do Rio de Rhabdastrella Fibrosa Hechtel
tylastra Boury-Esnault, 1983
1973 And Geodia Cor-
(Demospongiae: P72 Dr. Mikael Thollesson Uppsala University Gossip – Tapping The Taxonomic Grapevine
(Turkey)
versidade
Janeiro Federal do ticostylifera
Astrophorina) Hajdu Et Al. 1992 Are Junior Synonyms Of P73
P78 Dr.
Dr. Oliver
Julio Cesar Voigt Ludwig-Maximilans-
Universidade do Evolution
First records Of Key Biomineralization
of shallow-water spongesGenes In Calcare-
(Demospongiae)
P55 Mr. Viraj Muthye Rio de Janeiro
Iowa State Geodia Tylastra Boury-Esnault, 1973 (Demospongiae:
Diversity in inferred mitochondrial proteomes in Phylum Estado do Rio
Universität de
Munich fromoustheSponges
largest marine no-take zone in South America,
University Astrophorina)
Porifera Janeiro the Nazca-Desventuradas Marine Park (SE Pacific)
P74 Ms. Qi Yang Flinders University Development Of A Multilocus-Based Approach For
P56
P53 Mr.
Mr. Cristian
Viraj Pacheco
Muthye Universidad
Iowa State University Excavating
Diversitysponges
In Inferred of Mitochondrial
Central America Pacific and
Proteomes In Phy- Sponges and microbes
Sponge (Phylum Porifera) Identification: Refinement
Nacional Autónoma evidence of a complex of species in Cliona mucronata
lum Porifera P79 Ms. Michelle Achlatis University of Single-cell measurement of metabolic interactions
And Limitations
de México Queensland, between a bioeroding sponge and its endosymbiotic
P54 Mr. Cristian Pacheco Universidad Nacional Excavating Sponges Of Central America Pacific And P75 Mr. Alper Evcen Ege University
Australia Sponge Species
dinoflagellates usingAssociated
nanoscale With Posidonia
secondary Oceanica
ion mass
P57 Ms. Raquel Pereira Uppsala University Suberites From The North Atlantic: Taxonomic
Autónoma de México Evidence Of A Complex Of Species In Cliona Mucro- Meadows Along The Coast Of The Aegean Sea (Tur-
spectrometry.
Tribulations And Spicule Similitude
nata P80 Mr. Jake Ivan Baquiran University of the key) of eutrophication pressure on the resilience
Influence
P58 Dr. Thierry PEREZ CNRS The International Associated Laboratory MARRIO
P55 Ms. Raquel Pereira Uppsala University Suberites
(France, From
Brazil, The North
Ireland): Atlantic:
Patterns Taxonomic
of sponge Tribula-
biodiversity P76 Dr. Julio Philippines-Diliman
Universidade do Es- andFirstsensitivity
Records of Of
sponge-associated
Shallow-Water Spongesmicrobial(Demospon-
andtions And Spicule
chemical diversity Similitude
from Martinique to Rio de Janeiro Cesar community
tado do Rio de Janeiro giae) From The Largest Marine No-Take Zone In South
P59
P56 Mr.
Dr. Ulisses
Thierry Pinheiro
PEREZ Universidade
CNRS NewThecleistocheliferous species ofLaboratory
International Associated Clathria (Thalysias)
Marrio P81 Mr. Giampiero Batani University of New Visualization
America, Theof eukaryotic-like-proteins
Nazca-Desventuradas as ring-like
Marine Park (Se
Federal de Duchassaing & Michelotti,
(France, Brazil, Ireland):1864 (Microcionidae;
Patterns Of Sponge Biodiver- South Wales - structures
Pacific) within bacteria-containing sponge cells
Pernambuco Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae) of intertidal zone GEOMAR Helmholtz
sity And Chemical Diversity From Martinique Tofrom
Rio De Symbiosis
Brazil Centre for Ocean
Janeiro
P60 Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro Universidade Two new species of Oceanapia Norman, 1869 P77 Ms. Michelle Achlatis Research of
University Single-Cell Measurement Of Metabolic Interactions
P57 Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro Universidade
Federal de Federal (Phloeodictyidae;
New Cleistocheliferous Species
Haplosclerida; Of Clathria (Thalysias)
Demospongiae) from P82 Dr. Yosr Benredjem Institut National
Queensland, des Anti-tumoral
Australia Between Aactivities
Bioerodingof the sponges
Sponge AndSarcotragus
Its Endosymbiotic
de Pernambuco
Pernambuco Duchassaing & Michelotti,
slope area of oil and gas exploitation1864 (Microcionidae;
in Rio GrandePoe- do Romdhane Sciences et gender and their associated
Dinoflagellates bacteriaSecondary Ion Mass
Using Nanoscale
cilosclerida;
Norte Demospongiae)
State, Northeastern Brazil Of Intertidal Zone From Technologies de la Spectrometry.
P61 Prof. Andrzej Pisera Polish Academy of TheBrazil
Sponge Genus Laocoetis Pomel 1872 Mer I.N.S.T.M
P78
P83 Mr.
Ms. Jake Ivan
Alexandra Baquiran
Campbell University of the
Cardiff University Influence
Microbial Of Eutrophication
Community DynamicsPressure On The Resil-
of the Mangrove Fire
P58 Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro Sciences
Universidade Federal (Hexactinellida,
Two New Species Hexactinosida):
Of Oceanapiaa Case of Extreme
Norman, 1869 Philippines-Diliman ience And Sensitivity Of Sponge-Associated
Sponge, Tedania ignis, Following Time in a Sustained Microbial
de Pernambuco Morphological Conservatism
(Phloeodictyidae; Haplosclerida; Demospongiae) From Community
Mariculture Setup
P62 Prof. Andrzej Pisera Polish Academy of New Minchinellid
Slope Area Of Sponge
Oil And Gas(Calcarea, Lithonida,
Exploitation In Rio Grande
Sciences Minchinellidae)
Do Norte State, fromNortheastern
the Oxfordian (Late Jurasssic) of
Brazil P84 Mr.
P79 Dr. Thanos
Giampiero Dailianis
Batani Hellenic Centre
University of Newfor Comparative study
Visualization of the microbial diversity As
Of Eukaryotic-Like-Proteins in four
Ring-Like
Russia MarineWales
South Research
- GEO- Mediterranean irciniidBacteria-Containing
Structures Within sponges Sponge Cells
P59 Prof. Andrzej Pisera Polish Academy of Sci- The Sponge Genus Laocoetis Pomel 1872 (Hexactinel- P85 Dr. Cara Fiore Appalachian
MAR Helmholtz State
CentreSpecialization of Microbiomes in Sponge and Coral
P63 Mr. Luis Porras GeoBio-Center, A new morphological approach to sponge phylogeny:
ences lida, Hexactinosida):
Ludwig-Maximilians- Homoscleromorpha as aAcase
Casestudy
Of Extreme Morphological University
for Ocean Research Hosts
Universität München Conservatism P86 Dr.
Ms. Yosr
Leire Garate CentreNational
d'Estudisdes Searching for bacterial genes involved in the symbiosis
P80 Benredjem Institut Anti-Tumoral Activities Of The Sponges Sarcotragus
P60
P64 Prof.
Mr. Andrzej
Igor Pisera
Pozdnyakov Polish AcademyState
St. Petersburg of Sci-Evolutionary
New Minchinellid Sponge (Calcarea,
transformations of choanocyte Lithonida,
kinetid in Avançats de Blanes between sponges and calcifying endosymbiotic bacteria
Romdhane Sciences et Tech- Gender And Their Associated Bacteria
ences
University theMinchinellidae)
phylum PoriferaFrom The Oxfordian
and their significance(Late
for Jurasssic) Of (CEAB-CSIC)
nologies de la Mer
phylogenetic
Russia reconstructions P87 Ms. Erika Garcia-Bonilla Microbiomas Insights into the microbial diversity of the Mediterranean
I.N.S.T.M
P65 Dr. Miriam Reverter National University Chemosystematics as a complementary tool forPhylogeny: marine sponge Haliclona fulva (Demospongiae:
P61 Mr. Luis Porras Department of Earth- A New Morphological Approach To Sponge P81 Ms. Alexandra Campbell Cardiff University Microbial Community Dynamics Of The Mangrove Fire
Haplosclerida)
of Ireland
and Environmental Homoscleromorpha As A Case Study Order
Haliclona species (Class Demospongiae,
Sponge, Tedania Ignis, Following
Haplosclerida) P88 Mr. Sarah Griffiths Manchester Does a Sponge’s Genotype InfluenceTime In A Sustained
its Microbiome?
Sciences, Paleontology Mariculture Setup
P66 Dr. Ana Riesgo The Geobiology
Natural History Metropolitan
and & Ge- Integrative taxonomy reveals a new genus and new University
Museum of London species of an Antarctic calcinean sponge (Porifera, P82 Dr. Thanos Dailianis Hellenic Centre for Comparative Study Of The Microbial Diversity In Four
oBio-Center, Ludwig-
Calcarea, Clathrinida) P89 Ms. Kate Hill Florida Research
Marine State Spatiotemporal
Mediterranean Variation
Irciniid and the Invasibility of
Sponges
Maximilians-Universität University Mesofaunal Communities Associated with Tedania ignis
P67 Dr. Pilar Rios Spanish Institute of New records of Iotroata acanthostylifera (Stephens,
München P83
Oceanography (IEO) 1916) and Janulum spinispiculum (Carter, 1876) P90 Dr.
Dr. Cara
Carla Fiore
Huete- Appalachian State
Centre d'Estudis Do Specialization Of Microbiomes
sponge microbiomes depend on In past
Sponge water And Coral
P62 Mr. Igor Pozdnyakov St. Petersburg State (Porifera)
Evolutionary Transformations
in Flemish Of Choanocyte Kinetid In
Cap (NW Atlantic) Stauffer University Hosts
Avançats de Blanes prokaryotic assemblages?
P68 Dr. Pilar Rios University
Spanish Institute of A new Thesponge-dominated
Phylum Porifera And Their Significance
ecosystem found in theForAviles
Phylo- P84 Ms. Leire Garate (CEAB)d'Estudis
Centre Searching For Bacterial Genes Involved In The Sym-
genetic Reconstructions
Oceanography (IEO) canyon(Cantabrian Sea) P91 Ms. Nora Kandler Victoria University
Avançats de Blanesof In Situ Responses
biosis of the Sponge
Between Sponges Microbiome
And Calcifying to Ocean
Endosymbiotic
P69
P63 Ms.
Dr. Lívia
Miriam Rocha
Reverter National University
National Museum ofof Taxonomy of Brazilian As
Chemosystematics Petrosiidae depositedTool
A Complementary at Museu
For Hali- Wellington
(CEAB-CSIC) Acidification
Bacteria
the Federal
Ireland Nacional/UFRJ
clona Species (Class Demospongiae, Order Haploscle- P92 Ms.
P85 Prof. Erika
Zhiyong Li
Garcia-Bonilla Shanghai Jiao Tong Functional
Microbiomas Insights transcripts indicate Diversity
Into The Microbial phylogenetically diverse
Of The Mediterra-
University of Rio de rida) University active
nean ammonia-scavenging
Marine Sponge Haliclona microflora
Fulvain(Demospongiae:
sympatric
Janeiro sponges
P64 Dr. Ana Riesgo The Natural History Integrative Haplosclerida)
P70 Ms. Sula Salani Museu Nacional do Biodiversity of Taxonomy
Hymedesmiidae Reveals A New Genus And New
(Porifera, P93 Dr. Heidi Luter Victoria University of Microbiome changes in diseased Geodia barretti
Museum of London
Rio de Janeiro, Species Of AnofAntarctic
MN Poecilosclerida) Calcinean
the Brazilian CoastSponge (Porifera, P86 Mr. Sarah Griffiths Manchester
Wellington and Metropoli- Does A Sponge’s Genotype Influence Its Microbiome?
P71 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- TheCalcarea,
Western Clathrinida)
Tropical Atlantic ‘ring’ of rock sponges – A tan University
Australian Institute
P65 Dr. Pilar Rios Universität
Spanish München
Institute of molecular phylogenetic
New Records approach
Of Iotroata using four different
Acanthostylifera (Stephens, P87 Ms. Kate Hill of Marine
Florida Science
State University Spatiotemporal Variation And The Invasibility Of Meso-
Oceanography (IEO) markers1916)(28S, 18S, ITSSpinispiculum
And Janulum and CO1) (Carter, 1876) (Porif- P94 Mr. Mario Moreno University Metabolic profiles of microbiota
faunal Communities AssociatedfromWith
Antarctic
Tedania sponges
Ignis
P72 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Dating
era) Demosponge
In Flemish Cap Divergences
(Nw Atlantic)–New Mitogenomes revealed by metagenomics
P88 Dr. Carla Huete-Stauffer Centre d'Estudis Do Sponge Microbiomes Depend On Past Water Pro-
Universität München from ezRAD And The Fossilized Birth-Death Clock P95 Mr. Michael Nada University of the Microbial community composition of the demosponge
P66 Dr. Pilar Rios Spanish Institute of A New Sponge-Dominated Ecosystem Found In The Avançats de Blanes Haliclona
karyoticamboinensis
Assemblages?
Model Angelou Philippines-Diliman (Order Haplosclerida) in Bolinao,
Oceanography (IEO) Aviles Canyon(Cantabrian Sea) (CEAB)-Consejo Supe-Philippines
P73 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Deep-water tetractinellid sponges from the Galápagos
P67 Ms. Lívia Rocha National Museum of Taxonomy Of Brazilian rior de Investigaciones
Universität München Islands: first molecular andPetrosiidae Deposited
morphological At Museu
analysis P96 Dr. Joanne Preston University of Phase shifts in microbial symbiont community
the Federal University reveals
Nacional/Ufrj
seven new species Científicas
Portsmouth(CSIC) associated with compromised immunity and death in
P74 Dr. Mikael Thollesson of Rio de University
Uppsala Janeiro Gossip – tapping the taxonomic grapevine P89 Ms. Nora Kandler Victoria University of Cliona celata
In Situ from Skomer
Responses Of The Marine
SpongeConservation
MicrobiomeZone, To
P75
P68 Dr.
Ms. Oliver
Sula Voigt
Salani Ludwig-Maximilans-
Museu Nacional do RioEvolution of keyOfbiomineralization
Biodiversity Hymedesmiidaegenes in calcareous
(Porifera, Poeciloscle- Wellington UK.Ocean Acidification
Universität
de Janeiro, Munich
MN sponges
rida) Of The Brazilian Coast P97 Prof.
P90 Mr. Zhiyong
Thomas Li Swierts Naturalis Jiao Tong Biogeography
Shanghai of prokaryote
Functional Transcripts communities
Indicate in Indo-Pacific
Phylogenetically
P76 Ms. Qi Yang Flinders University Development of A Multilocus-Based Approach for Biodiversity Center giant barrel sponges.
P69 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- SpongeThe Western University Diverse Active Ammonia-Scavenging Microflora In
(PhylumTropical
Porifera)Atlantic ‘Ring’ OfRefinement
Identification: Rock Sponges P98 Dr. Robert Thacker Stony Brook Genetic variability of sponge-cyanobacteria symbioses
Sympatric Sponges
Universität München and– Limitations
A Molecular Phylogenetic Approach Using Four Differ- University across the Caribbean
ent Markers (28S, 18S, Its And Co1) P91 Dr. Heidi Luter Victoria University of Microbiome Changes In Diseased Geodia Barretti
P70 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Dating Demosponge Divergences –New Mitogenomes Wellington and Austra-
Universität München From Ezrad And The Fossilized Birth-Death Clock lian Institute of Marine
Model Science
284 285
P92 Mr. Mario Moreno University Metabolic Profiles Of Microbiota From Antarctic Spong- P115 Dr. Mathew Upton Plymouth University Deep-Sea Discovery – Deep-Sea Sponges As A Source
es Revealed By Metagenomics Of Novel Biologics
P99 Mr. Joost Verhoeven Memorial University Microbiome Comparison Suggests Differential P7 Dr. Marco Bertolino Università degli Changes in a Mediterranean coralligenous sponge
P93 Mr. Michael Nada University of the
of Newfoundland Microbial Community
Involvement CompositioninOf
of Bacterial Associates theThe Demo-
Carnivorous
Poster Title First Name Last Name Organisation
Studi di Genova
Abstract Title
assemblage at a pluri-millennial temporal scale
Angelou Philippines-Diliman spongeChondrocladia
Haliclona Amboinensis (Order Haplosclerida) No.
Sponges grandis and Cladorhiza oxeata In P8 Dr. Marco Bertolino Università degli A survey of the shallow water sponge fauna of the
P100 Ms. Marcela Villegas- Microbiomas Bolinao, Philippines
Microbial Communities of the Marine Sponge Poster Studi
Session 2 - Wednesday,
di Genova Cyprus 28island
June(Eastern-Mediterranean)
2017
P94 Dr. Joanne Plazas
Preston foundationof Ports-
University Xestospongia
Phase Shifts muta at Microhabitat
In Microbial SymbiontTransitions
Community showAssoci- P9 Dr. Patrick Cabaitan [Ecology/Molecular,
University of theCell & Organismal Biolog]
Fine-scale population structure of tetillid sponges in a
mouth Increased
ated WithDiversity with Depth,
Compromised a CoreAnd
Immunity Stable
Death In Cliona Ecology Philippines tropical reef lagoon
Microbiome
Celata Fromacross Different
Skomer Seasons
Marine and Concurrent
Conservation Zone, Uk. P10 Dr. Cesar Cardenas Instituto Antártico Assessing the relationship between sponge
Metabolomic Profiles P1 Dr. Muham- Abdul Wahab Australian
Chileno Institute of assemblages
North-Western and Australia: A Sponge
canopy-forming algae Biodiversity
in shallow-Hotspot
P95 Mr. Thomas Swierts Naturalis Biodiversity Biogeography Of Prokaryote Communities In Indo- mad Azmi Marine Science
P101 Ms. Vonda Wareham Fisheries and Egg deposition by Rossia palpebrosa (Cephalopoda: water rocky reefs in the Western Antarctic Peninsula
Center Pacific Giant Barrel Sponges.
Hayes Oceans Canada Rossiinae) in deep-sea sponges, in temperate P2
P11 Dr.
Dr. Belinda
Cesar Alvarez
Cardenas Lund University
Instituto (Swe- New
Antártico Silica Concentration
Ice-Free Influenceshallow-waters:
Areas in Antarctic On Sponge Spicule an
P96 Dr. Robert Thacker Stony Brook UniversityNorthwest
GeneticAtlantic
Variability
andOffringes
Sponge-Cyanobacteria
of polar CanadianSymbio-
Arctic Chileno
den) Opportunity
Dimensions for Sponge Colonization?
P102 Prof. Wei Zhang Flinders University ses AcrossTargeting
Multi-primers The Caribbean
16S rDNA Variable Regions P12 Dr. Frine Cardone Universityandof Bari
P3 Dr. Stephanie Archer Fisheries Oceans Deep-Sea
Spongesponges from
Distribution AndtheCommunity-Habitat
Cape Verde archipelagoAssocia-
P97 Mr. Joost Verhoeven Memorial University of Essential for Sponge
Microbiome (Porifera)
Comparison Microbiome
Suggests StudyInvolve-
Differential Canada collected during RV Meteor cruise
tions In Nine Glass Sponge Reefs M80/3
In The Strait Of
P103 Dr. Jing Zhao Xiamen University
Newfoundland Structure
ment Of and Dynamics
Bacterial of Microbiomes
Associates Associated with
In The Carnivorous P13 Ms. Caroline Cordonis University of Diversity and abundancy of intertidal zone sponges on
Georgia
Marine Sponge
Sponges Tedania sp.Grandis
Chondrocladia During Life
AndCycle
Cladorhiza Oxe- Wollongong rocky shores of NSW, Australia: patterns of species
Biomaterials / Biomolecules ata P4 Prof. Tatjana Bakran-Petri- University of Zagreb, distributions,
Diversity Of Sponge Species
abundance In The Coralligenous
and diversity.
P104 Mr. Paco Cardenas Uppsala University Isolation and identification of sterols from Haliclona sp. P14 Dr. Fernando cioli
Coreixas de Faculty of
Instituto deScience Community Along The Eastern
Space-time evaluation of the compositionAdriatic and
P98 Ms. Marcela Villegas-Plazas Microbiomas founda- from Microbial
Taiwan Communities Of The Marine Sponge Xes- P5 Mr. Martijn Moraes
Bart Pesquisas Jardim
University of Amster- abundance
Carbon Cycling By The Deep-Sea GlassBank
of boring sponges on Abrolhos shallow
Sponge Va-
tion tospongia Muta At Microhabitat Transitions Show
P105 Dr. Javier Cristobo Instituto Español de Deep-sea sponge grounds associated with canyons and Botânico do Rio de reefs,
dam Bahia,
zella Brazil
Pourtalesi
Oceanografía Increased
seamounts ofDiversity With Depth,
the Cantabrian Sea A Core Stable Microbi- Janeiro
ome Across Different Seasons Andsponges,
Concurrent Metabo- P6 Ms. Lindsay Beazley Government of Canada Cohort Analysis And Kinship Of The Hexactinellid
P106 Dr. Nicole de Voogd Naturalis Metabolic characterization of marine genus P15 Mr. Gabriele Costa Mediterranean Cystoseira forests vs. barren: the case of
lomic Profiles Sponge Vazella Pourtalesi On An Artificial Substrate
Biodiversity Center Xestospongia using NMR-based metabolic profiling sponges
P99 Ms. vonda wareham hayes Fisheries and Oceans techniques.Egg Deposition By Rossia Palpebrosa (Cephalopoda: P7
P16 Dr.
Ms. Marco
Marie F. Bertolino
Creemers Università degli
Charles Darwin Studi di Changes
First In A Mediterranean
characterization Coralligenous
of the deep-sea sponge Sponge As-
P107 Ms. Ariyanti Dewi Canada
University of Rossiinae) In compounds
Sponge-derived Deep-Sea Sponges, In Temperate North-
from Australian Genova
Foundation, Santa semblage on
communities At Aseamounts
Pluri-Millennial
of theTemporal
Galapagos Scale
Marine
Queensland chromodorid nudibranchs
west Atlantic And Fringes Of Polar Canadian Arctic P8 Dr. Marco Bertolino Cruz, Galápagos Reserve
Università degli Studi di A Survey Of The Shallow Water Sponge Fauna Of The
P108 Prof.
Ms. WeiGabriella Zhang
Krogius Division University
of Visualizing the spatial distribution of barettins Islands, Ecuador.
P100 Flinders Multi-Primers Targeting 16S Rdna Variableand
Regions Es- Genova Cyprus Island (Eastern-Mediterranean)
Pharmacognosy barrettides in the
sential For deep-sea
Sponge sponge
(Porifera) Geodia barretti
Microbiome Study P17 Mr. Azraj Dahihande CSIR- National Understanding Functional Morphology of the Sponge
using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry imaging P9 Dr. Patrick Cabaitan University
Institute ofof the Philip-Aquiferous
Fine-Scale Population
System by UsingStructure Of Tetillid
Computed Sponges In A
Tomography
P101
P109 Dr.
Dr. Jing
Claire Zhao
Laguionie Xiamen
NUIG University Structure
Exploiting andAnd Dynamicsdeep-sea
conserving Of Microbiomes
genetic Associated
resources pines
Oceanography Tropical
(CT) Reef Lagoon
Scan Technique
Marchais With Marine Sponge Tedania Sp. During Life Cycle P18
P10 Mr.
Dr. Didier
Cesar De Bakker
Cardenas Royal Netherlands
Instituto Antártico Better estimates
Assessing TheofRelationship
chemical and mechenical
Between excavating
Sponge Assem-
P110 Mr. / Biomolecules
Biomaterials Philip Nemoy University of Haifa Sustainable cultivation of sponges in the Eastern Institute for Sea
Chileno rates of coral
blages Andboring sponges in the
Canopy-Forming caribbean
Algae In Shallow-Water
Mediterranean Sea: Integrated aquaculture with fish Research (NIOZ Rocky Reefs In The Western Antarctic Peninsula
P102 Mr. Paco Cardenas Uppsala University Isolation And Identification Of Sterols From Haliclona
farms P19 Mr. Christiaan De Leeuw Wageningen What processes shape sponge biodiversity patterns?
Sp. From Taiwan P11 Dr. Cesar Cardenas Instituto Antártico New Ice-Free Areas In Antarctic Shallow-Waters: An
P111 Mr. Iaroslav Petrenko Freiberg University Bioelectrometallurgical Application of Poriferan Chitin University &
P103 Dr. Javier Cristobo Instituto Chileno Opportunity For Sponge Colonization?
of MiningEspañol
and de Deep-Sea Sponge Grounds Associated With Canyons Research
Oceanografía
Technology And Seamounts Of The Cantabrian Sea P12
P20 Dr.
Ms. Frine
Marie-ClaireCardone
Demers University
University of
of Bari Deep-Sea
Seagrass Sponges
attributes andFrom The Cape
seascape Verde
patterns as Archipelago
drivers of
P112 Prof.
P104 Dr. Andrzej
Nicole Pisera
de Voogd Polish Academy of
Naturalis Biodiversity The Giant Basal
Metabolic Spicule of Monorhaphis
Characterization Sponge Genus
Of Marine Sponges, Wollongong Collected
sessile During distribution
invertebrate Rv Meteor Cruise M80/3
in a coastal biogenic
Sciences
Center Revisited
Xestospongia Using Nmr-Based Metabolic Profiling P13 Ms. Caroline Cordonis University of environment
Diversity And Abundancy Of Intertidal Zone Sponges On
P113 Dr. Nisit Ruengsawang Rajamangala Value-Added
Techniques. in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials P21 Mr. Curtis Dinn University
Wollongongof Alberta New Species
Rocky ShoresRecords
Of Nsw,for Sponges
Australia: of theOfEastern
Patterns Species Distribu-
University of from Freshwater Sponges Canadian Arctic and
tions, Abundance Subarctic
And Diversity.
P105 Ms. Ariyanti Dewi University
Technology of Sponge-Derived Compounds From Australian Chromo- P22 Ms. Rachel Downeyde AustraliadeNational
Queensland dorid Nudibranchs P14 Dr. Fernando Coreixas Instituto Pesquisas Re-examining
Space-Timethe under-explored
Evaluation Of The NW Pacific abyssal
Composition And Abun-
Krungthep Moraes University sponge assemblages of the Kuril-Kamchatka
Jardim Botânico do Rio dance Of Boring Sponges On Abrolhos Bank andShallow
P114 Ms.
P106 Prof. Gabriella
Sonia Scarfì
Krogius University
Division of of
Pharmacog-Identification,
Visualizing Purification
The Spatialand Characterization
Distribution of And
Of Barettins Okhotsk Sea
de Janeiro Reefs, Bahia, Brazil
Genova
nosy Proteins with Cytotoxic/Antitumor
Barrettides In The Deep-Sea Sponge ActivityGeodia
from Barretti P23 Ms. Rachel Downey Australia National New insights into the temporal and spatial impacts of
Chondrosia reniformis
Using Maldi-Tof Mass Spectrometry Imaging P15 Mr. Gabriele Costa University theMediterranean
Larsen AB ice Cystoseira Forests
shelf collapse Vs. Barren: The
on sponge
P115 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Morphological descriptions of the ‘lithistid demosponge’ Case Of Sponges
assemblages
P107 Dr. Claire Laguionie NUIG Exploiting And Conserving Deep-Sea Genetic Re-
Universität München fauna (Porifera, Tetractinellida and Sphaerocladina) P24
P16 Dr.
Ms. Alexander
Marie F. Ereskovsky
Creemers CNRS, Aix-Marseille
Charles Darwin Foun- Sponges in semi-submerged
First Characterization caves
Of The of the North
Deep-Sea of Com-
Sponge
Marchais sources
from the Western Tropical Atlantic university
dation, Santa Cruz, Bulgaria (Black
munities Sea)
On Seamounts Of The Galapagos Marine
P108 Mr.
P116 Mr. Philip
Hiren Nemoy
Solanki University of Haifa
National University Two Sustainable Cultivationisolated
new sesterterpenes Of Sponges In The
from the Eastern
Antarctica P25 Prof. Alexander Ereskovsky CNRS
Galápagos Islands, Integrative
Reserveinvestigation of an unprecedented epizootic
of Ireland Galway Mediterranean
sponge Sea: Integrated
Phorbas bergmontae HajduAquaculture
& Teixeira,With
2011Fish Ecuador. event affecting endemic sponges of Lake Baikal
P117 Dr. Mathew Upton Farms discovery – deep-sea sponges as a source of
Plymouth University Deep-sea P26 Prof. Fernanda F. Cavalcanti UFBA Evaluating The Influence Of Abiotic Factors On The
P17 Mr. Azraj Dahihande CSIR- National Institute Understanding Functional Morphology Of The Sponge
P109 Mr. Iaroslav Petrenko Freiberg University of novel biologics
Bioelectrometallurgical Application Of Poriferan Chitin of Oceanography
Recruitment Rate Of Calcareous Sponges (Porifera,
Aquiferous System By Using Computed
Poster Session
Mining and2 -Technology
Wednesday, 28 June 2017 Calcarea) In Salvador, Bahia State, TropicalTomography
Brazilian
(Ct)
Coast. Scan Technique
[Ecology/Molecular, Cell & Organismal Biology]
P110 Prof. Andrzej Pisera Polish Academy of Sci- The Giant Basal Spicule Of Monorhaphis Sponge P18
P27 Mr.
Ms. Didier
Luisa DeFederwisch
Bakker Royal Netherlands
Alfred-Wegener- Better
Glass Estimates
Sponge Of Chemical
Distribution And Mechenical
in Relation Excavat-
to Abiotic Factors
Ecology
ences Revisited Institut Helmholtz-
Institute for Sea Re- anding Predators
Rates Of– Coral
A Large-Scale Regional
Boring Sponges In Study in the
The Caribbean
P1 Dr. Muhammad Abdul Wahab Australian Institute North-western Australia: a sponge biodiversity hotspot
P111 Dr. Nisit
Azmi Ruengsawang Rajamangala Uni-
of Marine Science Value-Added In Thai Pottery By Biological Materials Zentrum
search für Polar-
(NIOZ Weddell Sea, Antarctica
P2 Dr. Belinda Alvarez versity of Technology Silica
Lund University From Freshwaterinfluence
concentration Spongeson sponge spicule und
P19 Mr. Christiaan De Leeuw Wageningen University What Processes Shape Sponge Biodiversity Patterns?
Krungthep Meeresforschung
(Sweden) dimensions & Research
P28 Mr. Pedro Victor Ferreira Universidade Past and present scenario of the western atlantic
P3
P112 Dr.
Prof. Stephanie Scarfì
Sonia Archer Fisheries and
University of Genova Sponge distribution
Identification, and community-habitat
Purification associations
And Characterization Of Pro- P20 Ms. Marie- Demers University
Oceans Canada in nine Federal doofRioWollon-
de Seagrass
sponge Attributes
Clathrina aureaAnd Seascape
(Porifera, Patterns As Drivers
Calcarea)
teinsglass
With sponge reefs in the Strait
Cytotoxic/Antitumor of Georgia
Activity From Chondro- Claire gong
Janeiro Of Sessile Invertebrate Distribution In A Coastal Bio-
P4 Prof. Tatjana Bakran- University of Zagreb, Diversity of sponge species in the coralligenous
sia Reniformis genic Environment
P29 Mr. Humberto Fortunato Universidade do Biological habitat preference of the exotic ophiuroid
Petricioli Faculty of Science community along the eastern Adriatic
P113 Ms. Astrid Schuster Ludwig-Maximilians- Morphological Descriptions Of The ‘Lithistid Demo- P21 Mr. Curtis Dinn Estado do Rio de
University of Alberta Ophiothela mirabilis
New Species on marine
Records spongesOf
For Sponges from
TheBrazil
Eastern
P5 Mr. Martijn Bart University of Carbon cycling by the deep-sea glass sponge Vazella
Universität München sponge’ Fauna (Porifera, Tetractinellida And Sphaero- Janeiro Canadian Arctic And Subarctic
Amsterdam pourtalesi
cladina) From The Western Tropical Atlantic P30 Ms. Maïa Fourt IMBE Mediterranean Deep-Sea Sponges From The
P6 Ms. Lindsay Beazley Government of Cohort Analysis and Kinship of the Hexactinellid Sponge P22 Ms. Rachel Downey Australia National Re-Examining The Under-Explored
P114 Mr. Hiren Solanki National MedSeaCan And CorSeaCan Cruises Nw Pacific Abys-
Canada University of Vazella
Two New Sesterterpenes
pourtalesi Isolated
on an Artificial From The Antarctica
Substrate University sal Sponge Assemblages Of The Kuril-Kamchatka And
Ireland Galway Sponge Phorbas Bergmontae Hajdu & Teixeira, 2011 Okhotsk Sea
286 287
P23 Ms. Rachel Downey Australia National New Insights Into The Temporal And Spatial Impacts Of P47 Dr. Amanda Kahn University of Alberta How Do Glass Sponge Reefs Get Enough Food? Feed-
University The Larsen Ab Ice Shelf Collapse On Sponge Assem- ing And Excretion By The Glass Sponge Aphrocallistes
P31 Mr. Maïa Fourt IMBE Spatial
blagesand temporal adaptation of a traditional P57 Mr. Joe Marlow Victoria University of Photographic
Vastus bioeroding sponges in turbid
mediterranean fishery facing regional change: Wellington environments
P24 Dr. Alexander Ereskovsky CNRS, Aix-Marseille combining Spongeshistory
In Semi-Submerged
and ecology to Caves Of The
study past, North Of
present P48
P58 Ms.
Ms. Kathleen
Emily Kaiser
McGrath Florida
VictoriaState University
University Ecology
of Adaptive Of Halichondria
mechanisms Corrugata, Aeffects
and physiological Common of En-
university Bulgaria (Black Sea)
and future of sponge harvesting Wellington demic Species In The Northern Gulf Of
suspended and settled sediment on barrel sponges Mexico
P32
P25 Dr.
Prof. Vasilis
Alexander Gerovasileiou CNRS
Ereskovsky Hellenic Centre for World RegisterInvestigation
Integrative of marine Cave Of AnSpecies (WoRCS):Epizo-
Unprecedented a P49
P59 Dr.
Dr. Vy-
Teresa Khalaman
Morganti Zoological Institutede
Consejo Superior of A Trophic
Achilles’Niche
HeelsSeparation
And TrojanMayHorse Of The
Explain theEcologically
Tight
Marine Research toolotic
for Event
evaluating sponge
Affecting diversity
Endemic in marine
Sponges cavesBaikal
Of Lake and acheslav Investigaciones
Russian Academy of Coexistence
Aggressive ofSponge
High (HMA) and LowPanicea
Halichondria (LMA) Microbial-
(Pallas,
anchialine systems of the world Cientifica
Sciences Abundance
1766) Sponges
P26 Prof. Fernanda F. Cavalcanti UFBA Evaluating The Influence Of Abiotic Factors On The
P33 Dr. Vasilis Gerovasileiou Hellenic Centre for The availability of map resources for the distribution, P60 Dr. Benjamin Mueller University of
of Florida Coral cavities – Stable habitats with zero
Recruitment Rate Of Calcareous Sponges (Porifera, P50 Ms. Shelly Krueger University Shallow-Water Sponge Restoration In growth?
Florida Bay
Marine Research degradation status and threats to sponge assemblages Amsterdam Assessing potential growth rates and community
Calcarea) In Salvador, Bahia State, Tropical Brazilian P51 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade Federal changesToday’s Environmental Conditions Influence In The To-
in the European Seas – initial baselines in the MERCES in cryptic sponges
Coast. da Bahia morrow’s Reproduction Of Five Tropical Demosponges
project P61 Dr. Gary Murphy University of Exeter New approaches to quantifying bioerosion by endolithic
P27
P34 Ms.
Dr. Luisa
Deborah Federwisch
Gochfeld Alfred-Wegener-Institut
University of Glass Sponge
Geographic Distribution
Variability In Relation
in Antibacterial To Abiotic Fac-
Chemical P52 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade Federal sponge populations:
Reproductive applications
Cycle to theOfcoral
And Fecundity reefs of
Heteropia
Helmholtz-Zentrum
Mississippi für Defenses
tors And Predators
Among – A Large-Scale
Branching Morphotypes Regional Study In
of Caribbean da Bahia Grand
Sp. Cayman
(Calcarea, Porifera): A Putative Non-Indigenous
Polar- und Meeres- The Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Aplysina P62 Dr. Alice Oprandi Università degli Using siliceous
Sponge spicules
In The in Tropical
Atlantic the Posidonia
Oceanoceanica
P35 Dr. Claire Goodwin forschung
Huntsman Marine Sponge Biodiversity of the shallow sublittoral Antarctic Studi di Genova “matte” to discover past dynamics of the sponge
Science Centre P53 Ms. Lauren Law University of Alberta community
Distribution, Diversity, And Function Of Glass Sponge
P28 Mr. Pedro Ferreira Universidade Federal Peninsula
Past And Present Scenario Of The Western Atlantic (Porifera, Hexactinellida) Reefs In Hecate Strait, British
P36 Dr. Claire
Victor Goodwin Huntsman
do Marine
Rio de Janeiro Engaging
Spongerecreational
Clathrina AureaSCUBA divers Calcarea)
(Porifera, in recording P63 Mr. Huilong Ou Xiamen University Research on Annual Growth and Large-scale
Science Centre sponge biodiversity Columbia, Canada
Transplantation of The Marine Sponge, Mycale
P29
P37 Mr.
Mr. Humberto
Nathan Fortunato
Grant Universidade do Es- In situ
University of Alberta Biological
arrestsHabitat
of glassPreference Of The Exotic feeding
sponge (Hexactinellida) Ophiuroid P54 Dr. Michael Lesser University of New Using Compound Specific Isotopic Analysis Of Amino
phyllophila
tado do Rio de Janeirocurrents Ophiothela Mirabilis
in response to On Marine Sponges
suspended sediments From Brazil P64 Mr. Andrea Padiglia Hampshire
University of Acids To
Keratosa Discernstranded
sponges Trophic on
Mode
the In Sponges
Sardinia FromaShal-
coasts:
P38
P30 Ms.
Ms. Marie
Maïa Grenier
FOURT CNRS
IMBE Prince Albert’s underwater
Mediterranean Deep-Sea caves: Sponge
Sponges From fauna
The ofMed- Genova long term
low To study
Mesophotic Depths
unusual
seacan artificial reefs at Monaco
And Corseacan Cruises P65
P55 Ms.
Mr. Robyn
Sambhaji Payne
Mote University of the
CSIR-National InstituteDemospongiae taxonomy
Cliona Aff. Viridis and diversity
As A Possible at two sites
Bioindicator On A Tropi-
P39
P31 Ms.
Mr. Sarah
Maïa Griffiths
FOURT Manchester
IMBE Genetic
SpatialPopulation
And Temporal Structure of Ircinia
Adaptation Ofcampana andMedi-
A Traditional Western
of Cape
Oceanography within
cal the
CoralWestern Indian OceanMultiple
Reef Experiencing region Sources Of Stress
Metropolitan Spheciospongia vesparium in the Greater Caribbean P66 Ms. Jeannette Perez Universidad Simón Experimental manipulation in interspecific interactions
terranean Fishery Facing Regional Change: Combining P56 Mr. Joe Marlow Victoria
University
History And Ecology To Study Past, Present And Future Bolivar University of among Bleaching Recovery
3 species Of A Phototrophic
of sponges associated withBioeroding
roots of R.
P40 Ms. Johanna Gutleben WUR Integrating (Meta)genomics data into sponge symbiont Wellington Sponge
mangle.
Of Sponge Harvesting
cultivation P67
P57 Ms.
Mr. Jeannette Marlow
Joe Perez Universidad
Victoria Simónof Spatial-temporal
University variation of Sponges
Photographic Bioeroding natural sponge interactions
In Turbid Environ-
P32
P41 Dr.
Ms. Vasilis
Ulrike Gerovasileiou
Hanz Hellenic
NIOZ Centre for World Register
Environmental Of Marine
drivers Cave Species
of deep-sea reefs (Worcs): A Tool Bolivar
Wellington associated
ments with R. mangle roots in Morrocoy National
P42 Dr. Kerry Howell Marine
Plymouth University The distribution of Ostur in relation to physical Caves
Research For Evaluating Sponge Diversity In Marine And
variables Park, Venezuela.
Anchialine Systems Of The World P58 Ms. Emily McGrath Victoria University of Adaptive Mechanisms And Physiological Effects Of
within the Faroe-Shetland Channel P68 Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro Universidade Hatchability of gemmules in Spongillidae and
Wellington Suspended And Settled Sediment On Barrel Sponges
P43
P33 Ms.
Dr. tal
Vasilis idan
Gerovasileiou Tel Aviv Centre
Hellenic university
for Oases
The of diversity: Of
Availability East-Mediterranean
Map Resources For mesophotic
The Distribution, Federal de Metaniidae (Porifera: Spongillida) at different inland
Marine Research sponge groundsStatus And Threats To Sponge Assem-
Degradation P59 Dr. Teresa Morganti Consejo
Pernambuco Superior de In-waters
A Trophic Niche Separation May Explain The Tight
P44 Mr. Shriraj Jakhalekar CSIR National Studies
blages onInsexual reproduction
The European Seas and secondary
– Initial Baselines In The P69 Dr. Autun Purser vestigaciones
Alfred Wegener CientificaSponges
Coexistence Of High (Hma)
of the Langseth Ridge:And Low (Lma)
Mapping spongeMicrobial-
Institute of metabolite
Merces profile
Projectof the sponge Ircinia fusca (Carter) Institute for Polar Abundance
distributions Sponges
under ice with a towed camera / sonar
Oceanography, (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida) P60 Dr. Benjamin Mueller and Marine
University ofScience
Amster- platform
Coral Cavities – Stable Habitats With Zero Growth?
P34 Dr. Deborah Gochfeld University
Goa, India.of Missis- Geographic Variability In Antibacterial Chemical De- P70 Ms. Tia Rabsatt University of the An Assessing
Analysis ofPotential
the Relationship between
sippi fenses Among Branching Morphotypes Of Caribbean dam Growth Rates AndSponge Cover
Community
P45 Ms. Liesl Janson Department of Time to revisit the Western Indian Ocean Ecoregions Virgin Islands andChanges
Coral Recruitment
In Cryptic Sponges
Environmental andAplysina
Hotspots: A Numerical Zoogeographical analysis P71 Dr. Ana Ramos Instituto Español de Is the Gibraltar Strait the real southern boundary for
P35 Dr. Claire Goodwin Affairs
Huntsman Marine Sci- using sponges
Sponge as a case
Biodiversity Ofstudy
The Shallow Sublittoral Antarc- P61 Dr. Gary Murphy University
Oceanografíaof Exeter New Approaches
Northeast Atlantic sponges?To Quantifying Bioerosion By Endo-
P46 Dr. Dorte Janussen ence Centre
Senckenberg tic Peninsula
Sponge communities of the Antarctic Peninsula: P72 Prof. Hans Tore Rapp lithic Sponge
University of Bergen Sponge grounds of seamountsPopulations: Applications To The
along the Arctic Coral
Mid-
Research Institute Reefs Of Grand Cayman
P36 Dr. Claire Goodwin Huntsman Marine Sci- influence
Engaging of environmental variables
Recreational Scuba on species
Divers In Recording Ocean Ridge – Diversity, distribution patterns and
and Nature
ence Centre Museum composition and
Sponge Biodiversityrichness P62 Dr. Alice Oprandi Università degli Studi dioceanographic
Using Siliceous setting
Spicules In The Posidonia Oceanica
P47 Dr. Amanda Kahn University of Alberta How Do Glass Sponge Reefs Get Enough Food? P73 Prof. Hans Tore Rapp University of Bergen SponGES
Genova “Matte” -To Deep-sea
DiscoverSponge GroundsOfEcosystems
Past Dynamics The Sponge of
P37 Mr. Nathan Grant University of Alberta Feeding In SituAndArrests Of Glass
Excretion Sponge
By The Glass (Hexactinellida)
Sponge Feed- North Atlantic: an integrated approach towards their
Community
ing Currentsvastus
Aphrocallistes In Response To Suspended Sediments preservation and sustainable exploitation.
P63 Mr. Huilong Ou Xiamen University Research On Annual Growth And Large-Scale Trans-
P48
P38 Ms.
Ms. Kathleen Grenier
Marie Kaiser Florida State
CNRS Ecology
PrinceofAlbert’s
Halichondria corrugata,
Underwater Caves:a Common Endemic
Sponge Fauna Of P74 Prof. Claudio Richter Section Bentho- Solitons shape Antarctic hexactinellid sponge
plantation Of The Marine Sponge, Mycale Phyllophila
University species
Unusualin the Northern
Artificial ReefsGulf
AtofMonaco
Mexico Pelagic Processes communities
P49 Dr. Vyacheslav Khalaman Zoological Institute Achilles’ heels and trojan horse of the ecologically P64
P75 Mr.
Dr. Andrea
Pilar Padiglia
Rios University of Genova
Instituto Español Keratosa distribution
de Large-scale Sponges Strandedof bird’s On
nestThe Sardinia Coasts: A
sponge
P39 Ms. Sarah Griffiths Manchester Metropoli- Genetic Population Structure Of Ircinia Campana And Long Term Study (Thomson, 1869) along
of Russian Academy aggressive sponge Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766) Oceanografía Pheronema carpenteri
tan University Spheciospongia Vesparium In The Greater Caribbean
of Sciences P65 Ms. Robyn Payne University of the West-Northwest African slope
Demospongiae Taxonomy And Diversity At Two Sites
P40
P50 Ms.
Ms. Johanna
Shelly Gutleben
Krueger WUR Integrating (Meta)Genomics
University of Florida Shallow-Water Sponge Restoration DatainInto Sponge
Florida Bay Symbi- P76 Dr. Sven Rohde University
ern Cape of Light dependent
Within The Westernallelopathic
Indianactivity
OceanofRegion
the tropic sponge
P51 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade ont Cultivation
Today’s environmental conditions influence in the Oldenburg Pseudoceratina sp.
Federal da Bahia tomorrow’s reproduction P66 Ms. Jeannette
Christine Perez Universidad
Centre for Simón Experimental Manipulation In Interspecific
from nutrientInteractions
P41 Ms. Ulrike Hanz NIOZ Environmental DriversofOffive tropical demosponges
Deep-Sea Reefs P77 Dr. Rooks
Bolivar
Deep-sea
Among
sponges
3 Species
under stress:
Of Sponges
sources
Associated With Roots
P52 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade Reproductive cycle and fecundity of Heteropia sp. Geobiology, to nutrient sinks?
P42 Dr. Kerry Howell Plymouth
Federal da University
Bahia The Distribution
(Calcarea, Porifera):Ofa Ostur
putativeIn Relation To Physical
non-indigenous spongeVari- University of Bergen Of R. Mangle.
ables
in the Within
Atlantic The Faroe-Shetland
Tropical Ocean Channel P67
P78 Ms.
Mr. Jeannette
Alberto Perez
Rovellini Universidad Simón of Decadal
Victoria University Spatial-Temporal
dynamics ofVariation
Indonesian Of Natural
sponge Sponge Interac-
assemblage:
P43
P53 Ms.
Ms. tal
Lauren idan
Law Tel Aviv university
University Oases Ofdiversity,
of Alberta Distribution, Diversity:andEast-Mediterranean Mesophotic
function of glass sponge Wellington
Bolivar roles of endogenous
tions Associated With and R.exogenous drivers
Mangle Roots In Morrocoy
(Porifera,
SpongeHexactinellida)
Grounds reefs in Hecate Strait, British P79 Dr. Nisit Ruengsawang Rajamangala Value-Added
National Park,in Thai Pottery by Biological Materials
Venezuela.
P44 Mr. SHRIRAJ JAKHALEKAR CSIR National InstituteColumbia, Studies Canada
On Sexual Reproduction And Secondary P68 Mr. Ulisses Pinheiro University of Federal from
Universidade FreshwaterOfSponges
Hatchability Gemmules In Spongillidae And Metani-
P54 Dr. Michael Lesser University of New Using Compound Specific Isotopic Analysis of Amino Technology
of Oceanography, Goa, Metabolite Profile Of The Sponge Ircinia Fusca (Carter) de Pernambuco idae (Porifera: Spongillida) At Different Inland Waters
Hampshire Acids to Discern Trophic Mode in Sponges From Krungthep
India. (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida) P69 Dr.
Shallow to Mesophotic Depths P80 Ms. Autun
Juliet Purser
Rugiero Alfred Wegener
University of the Sponges
Effect Of The Langseth
of temperature stress onRidge: Mapping
survival, Sponge
pigmentation
P45
P55 Ms.
Mr. Liesl
Sambhaji Janson
Mote Department
CSIR-National of Environ-ClionaTimeaff.Toviridis
RevisitasThe Westernbioindicator
a possible Indian Ocean on aEcoregions
tropical Institute for Polar and andDistributions
Virgin Islands regenerationUnder IceCaribbean
of three With A Towed Camera / Sonar
sponges
mental Affairs
Institute of coral reef experiencing multiple sources of stressAnalysis
And Hotspots: A Numerical Zoogeographical P81 Mr. César Ruiz Pinzon Marine
Institut Science PlatformMetabarcoding and Metabolomics to better
Combining
Oceanography Using Sponges As A Case Study P70 Ms. Augusto
Tia Rabsatt M&diterranéen de understand
University of the Virgin An Analysis the Of
ecological succes ofBetween
The Relationship Homoscleromorpha
Sponge
P56
P46 Mr.
Dr. Joe
Dorte Marlow
Janussen Victoria University
Senckenberg of Bleaching
Research Spongerecovery
Communities of a phototrophic
Of The Antarctic bioeroding sponge
Peninsula: Influ- Biodiverité et
Islands sponges
Coverin underwater
And caves
Coral Recruitment
Wellington
Institute and Nature ence Of Environmental Variables On Species Composi- d'Ecologie Marine et
P71 Dr. Ana Ramos Instituto Español de
Continentale Is The Gibraltar Strait The Real Southern Boundary For
Museum tion And Richness Oceanografía Northeast Atlantic Sponges?
288 289
P72 Prof. Hans Tore Rapp University of Bergen Sponge Grounds Of Seamounts Along The Arctic P94 Ms. Holly Trew University of the West Patterns Of Cliona Delitrix Prevalence In A Near-Shore
Mid-Ocean Ridge – Diversity, Distribution Patterns And Indies Artificial Reef System
P82 Dr. Laura Schejter Instituto Nacional de South Orkney Islands:
Oceanographic a poorly sponge-studied region of
Setting P104 Mr. Erik Wurz Wageningen Validation of recirculating ex situ aquaria systems for
Investigacion y the White Continent. Results of Argentinean Antarctic P95 Dr. Remi Tsubaki Japan Agency
University andfor Ma- studying
Mutualistic Relationship
deep-water sponges: Between Host Sponge
do individuals Spongia
kept under
P73 Prof. Hans Tore Rapp University
DesarrolloofPesquero
Bergen CruisesSponges
2012- and
Deep-Sea
2014 Sponge Grounds Ecosystems Of rine Earth Science
Research (Spongia)
ex situ Sp. And
conditions Its physiological
reflect Endosymbiotic in Bivalve
situ Vulsella
- Consejo Nacional North Atlantic: An Integrated Approach Towards Their Vulsella
performances?
de Investigaciones Preservation And Sustainable Exploitation. P105 Ms.
P96 Ms. Johanne
Clairecynth Vad
Yu Marine Science
Heriot-Watt University TheEnvironmental
mariculture potential
Assessmentof theOf Philippine
Deep-Water blue Sponge
sponge
P74 Prof. Claudio Richter Científicas
Section y
Bentho-Pelagic Solitons Shape Antarctic Hexactinellid Sponge Com- Institute Grounds In sp.
Xestospongia for theTo
Relation production
Oil And Gas of renieramycin
Activities: A Faroe-
Técnicas
Processes munities Molecular, Cell & Organismal Biology Shetland Channel Case Study
P83 Dr. Laura Schejter Instituto Nacional de Contribution to the description of Fibulia myxillioides P106 Dr. Patrick Cabaitan University of the Gene expression dynamics In accompanying theSponge
sponge
P75 Dr. Pilar Rios Instituto Español de Large-Scale Distribution Of Bird’s Nest Sponge Phero- P97 Ms. Marla Valentine Old Dominion Univer- Functional Redundancy Tropical Marine
Investigacion y (Burton, 1932) and new records of the species at Philippin thermal stress response
Oceanografía
Desarrollo nema Carpenteri
Burdwood Bank, after (Thomson,
90 years of 1869) Along collection
its unique Northwest sity Communities
African Slope P107 Dr. Cecilia Conaco University of the Gene expression dynamics accompanying the sponge
Pesquero- Consejo date P98 Ms. Esther van der Ent Naturalis
PhilippinesBiodiversity thermal
Taxonomic, Phylogenetic, Microbial And Ecological As-
stress response
P76 Dr. Sven Rohde Nacional de
University of Oldenburg Light Dependent Allelopathic Activity Of The Tropic P108 Ms. Megan Conkling Center
Florida Atlantic sessment
Cellular ModelOfofTwo Coral-Killing Cyanobacteriosponges
Sponge-Sponge Associations
Investigaciones Sponge Pseudoceratina Sp. University In The Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia
Científicas y Transcriptomic reconstruction in Spongia
P77 Dr. Christine Rooks Centre for Geobiology, Deep-Sea Sponges Under Stress: From Nutrient P109 Ms.
P99 Dr. Thanos
Esther Dailianis
van der Ent Hellenic Centre
Naturalis for
Biodiversity The Biodiversity Of The Sponge Faunaofficinalis:
From Marti-
Técnicas Marine Research adjusting post- sequencing analyses to distinguish
University of Bergen Sources To Nutrient Sinks? Center nique (Fr.)
P84 Dr. Christine Schönberg University of Sponge science culture and demography between host and prokaryotic symbionts
P78 Mr. Alberto Rovellini Victoria University
Western Australia of Decadal Dynamics Of Indonesian Sponge Assemblage: P100 Dr. Fleur Van Duyl Royal Netherlands Spatiotemporal Variations In Stable Isotope Signatures
P110 Dr. Lorenzo Gallus University of A molecular study of the tissue regeneration in the
P85 Dr. Christine Schönberg Wellington
University of Roles Of Endogenous
Coelocarteria singaporensis And– Exogenous
an unexpected Drivers Institute for Sea Re- (Delta13c And Delta15n) Of Sponges On The Saba
Genova Demospongiae: the role of the TGF/BMP protein family
P79 Dr. Nisit Ruengsawang Western Australia
Rajamangala Uni- bioeroding sponge?
Value-Added In Thai Pottery By Biological Materials search Bank, Caribbean Sea
P111 Dr. Deborah Gochfeld University of Histological and Ultrastructural Features of Aplysina
P86 Prof. Peter J. Schupp Carl-von-Ossietzky
versity of Technology Sponges don’t like pumice,
From Freshwater Sponges they like hard rock! P101 Dr. Dexiang Wang Xiamen University
Mississippi Sexual Breeding
cauliformis Infected withOf The Red Sponge
Aplysina Red Band Mycale Phyl-
Syndrome
University
Krungthep P112 Dr. Nelly Godefroy Université de lophila
Origin (Porifera:
of animal cell Demospongiae)
homeostasis : new insights from a
Oldenburg Montpellier Universitydigestive cycle ofBecoming
carnivorous sponge Lycopodina
P80
P87 Ms.
Ms. Juliet
Megan Rugiero
Shaffer University of the Virgin
Victoria University Effectconnectivity
of Limited Of Temperature
promotesStress On Survival,
cryptic Pigmentation
speciation in P102 Ms. Mirthe Wiltink Wageningen Is Saba Bank A ‘Sponge Reef’?
Islands And spp.
Regeneration Of Three Caribbean Sponges hypogea.
Wellington Tethya P103 Mr.
P113 Ms. Michael
Liv Wooster
Goldstein King Abdullah Univer-
University of São Plastic additive changes contraction patternsFishes
Defense By Association: Sponge-Eating in Alter
P81
P88 Mr.
Dr. César
Sigal Ruiz Pinzon
Shefer Institut
Tel AvivM&diterranéen
University HowCombining
to ProtectMetabarcoding
a Mesophotic SpongeAnd Metabolomics
Ground – ATo Better
Case Ascer sity of
Paulo Science and The Small-Scale Distribution Of
Hymeniacidon heliophila: a changepoint analysis. Caribbean Reef
Augusto de Biodiverité et Understand The Ecological Succes Of Homoscleromor-
Study P114 Dr. Mirna Halasz Technology
Ruder Boskovic Sponges
Towards an insight into the metazoan gene regulation
P89 Dr. Anshika Singh d'Ecologie Marine
National Inst. of et Trade-off
pha Sponges
between Ingrowth,
Underwater Caves and spatial
reproduction P104 Mr. Erik Wurz Institute
Wageningen UniversityandValidation
development: genome draft
Of Recirculating ExofSitu
theAquaria
endemicSystems
Continentale
Oceanography competition of the intertidal marine sponge Cinachyrella and Research freshwater sponge
For Studying Eunapius Sponges:
Deep-Water subterraneus Do Individuals Kept
P82 Dr. Laura Schejter Instituto Nacional de cf. cavernosa
South Orkney Islands: A Poorly Sponge-Studied Region P115 Dr. Amanda Kahn University of Alberta High Tolerance
Under Ex SituOfConditions
Hypoxia By The Deep-Water
Reflect Physiological Boreal
In Situ
P90 Prof. Marc Slattery University of y Desar- Biogeographic
Investigacion Of The White Connectivity of Sponge
Continent. Results CommunitiesAntarc-
Of Argentinean in Sponge Geodia barretti
Performances?
Mississippi
Pesquero - Con- thetic Tropical Atlantic P116 Ms.
Ms. Claire-
Vasiliki
P91 Ms. Shirley Sorokin
rollo
Primary Industries
Cruises 2012 And 2014 P105 YuKoutsouveli The Natural
Marine ScienceHistory
Insti- Inter-individual
The Mariculture variability in the
Potential Of physiological
The PhilippinestateBlueof
sejo Nacional de Inves-Calcarea on the shelf edge of the Great Australian cynth
Museum of London Geodia barretti: differential expression and
tute Sponge Xestospongia Sp. For The Production Of Reni-
tigaciones Científicas yBight, Australia
and Regions South ultrastructural studies
eramycin
Australia P117 Ms. Vasiliki Koutsouveli The Natural History Reproductive features of Antarctic demosponges from
Técnicas
P92 Ms. Shirley Sorokin Primary Industries Dominance and diversity of deep-water sponges on the Molecular/Cell/Organismal Biology Museum of London the orders Dendroceratida, Poecilosclerida and
P83 Dr. Laura Schejter Instituto Nacional
and Regions Southde shelfContribution To The
edge and slope ofDescription Of FibuliaBight,
the Great Australian Myxillioides
Investigacion y Desar- South
(Burton, 1932) And New Records Of The Species At P106 Dr. Patrick Cabaitan University of the Philip-Haplosclerida
Gene Expression (Porifera)
Dynamics Accompanying The
Australia Australia P118 Mr. Lars Kumala University of Osculum
rollo pin Sponge Thermaland
dynamics filtration
Stress activity studied in small
Response
P93 Ms. Tanja Stratmann NIOZPesquero-
– Royal Conse-Oxygen Burdwood Bank, After
consumption and90 Yearsfluxes
nutrient Of Its of
Unique Collection
deep-sea Southern Denmark single-osculum demosponge (Halichondria panicea)
jo Nacional deInstitute
Netherlands Inves- sponges
Date P107 Dr. Cecilia Conaco University of the Philip-explants
Gene Expression Dynamics Accompanying The
tigaciones Científicas y pines Sponge Thermal
for Sea Research P119 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade External and internalStress
anatomy Response
of Cladocroce caelum
P94 Ms. Holly Trew Técnicas
University of the Patterns of Cliona delitrix prevalence in a near-shore P108 Ms. Megan Conkling Florida
FederalAtlantic
da BahiaUniver-(Haplosclerida,
Cellular Model Of Sponge-Sponge Associations
Demospongiae)
P84 Dr. Christine Schönberg West Indies
University of Western artificial
SpongereefScience
system Culture And Demography P120 Dr. Emilio Lanna sity
Universidade Sexual reproduction of Dysidea janiae, a tropical
P95 Dr. Remi Tsubaki Japan
AustraliaAgency for Mutualistic relationship between host sponge Spongia Federal da Bahia Dictyoceratida in association with aIncalcareous alga
Marine Earth (Spongia) sp. and its endosymbiotic bivalve Vulsella P109 Dr. Thanos Dailianis Hellenic Centre for Transcriptomic Reconstruction Spongia Officinalis:
P85 Dr. Christine Schönberg University P121 Prof. Jose Lopez Nova Southeastern The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance: Keeping
Science of Western vulsella Coelocarteria Singaporensis – An Unexpected Bioerod- Marine Research
University Pace
Adjusting Post- Sequencing Analyses To Distinguish
with Evolution and Technology
P96 Ms. Johanne Vad Australia
Heriot-Watt ing Sponge?assessment of deep-water sponge
Environmental Between Host And Prokaryotic Symbionts
P122 Dr. Yulia Lyupina N.K. Koltsov Proteasome mechanism of adaptive plasticity of sea
P86 Prof. Peter J. Schupp University
Carl-von-Ossietzky grounds
Spongesin relation to oilPumice,
Don’t Like and gasTheyactivities: a Faroe-
Like Hard Rock! P110 Dr. Lorenzo Gallus University
Institute ofof Genova cold-water
A MolecularspongesStudy Of The Tissue Regeneration In The
University Oldenburg Shetland Channel case study Developmental Demospongiae: The Role Of The Tgf/Bmp Protein
P97
P87 Ms.
Ms. Marla
Megan Valentine
Shaffer Old Dominion
Victoria University of Functional Redundancy Promotes
Limited Connectivity in TropicalCryptic
MarineSpeciation
Sponge In Biology Family
University Communities P123 Dr.
Ms. Deborah
Stephanie Gochfeld
Munroe Wageningen
Wellington Tethya Spp. P111 University of Missis- Optimization
Histological of And
Cryopreservation
UltrastructuralMethods
FeaturesforOfthe
Aplysina
P98 Ms. Esther van der Ent Naturalis Taxonomic, phylogenetic, microbial and ecological University Marine SpongeInfected
DysideaWithetheria
P88 Dr. Sigal Shefer Tel Aviv University How To Protect sippi Cauliformis Aplysina Red Band Syndrome
Biodiversity Center assessment of two Acoral-killing
Mesophotic Sponge Ground – A Case
cyanobacteriosponges in P124 Mr. Patryk Nilsson Division of Exploring Specialized Metabolites in the Deep-Sea
Study
the Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia P112 Dr. Nelly Godefroy Université de Montpel- Origin Of Animal Cell Homeostasis : New Insights From
Pharmacognosy Arctic Sponge Geodia hentscheli
P99
P89 Ms.
Dr. Esther
Anshika van der Ent
Singh NaturalisInst. of Ocean-TheTrade-Off
National Biodiversity of the Growth,
Between Sponge Reproduction
fauna from Martinique
And Spa- lier A Digestive Cycle Of Carnivorous Sponge Lycopodina
P125 Dr. Julie Olson University of Infection with Aplysina Red Band Syndrome results in
Biodiversity Center (Fr.)
ography tial Competition Of The Intertidal Marine Sponge Hypogea.
Alabama biochemical and bacterial community changes to the
P100 Dr. Fleur Van Duyl Royal Netherlands Spatiotemporal
Cinachyrella variations
Cf. Cavernosain stable isotope signatures P113 Ms. Liv Goldstein Ascer University of São Pauloholobiont
Plastic Additive Changes Contraction Patterns In Hy-
Institute for Sea (delta13C and delta15N) of sponges on the Saba Bank, P126 Dr. André Padua Universidade meniacidon
In vitro formation Heliophila:
of chimaeric A Changepoint Analysis.
individuals after cell
P90 Prof. Marc Slattery University
Research of Missis- CaribbeanBiogeographic
Sea Connectivity Of Sponge Communities In
sippi The Tropical Atlantic P114 Dr. Mirna Halasz Federal do Rio de
Ruder Boskovic Insti- dissociation in a calcareous sponge
Towards An Insight Into The Metazoan Gene Regula-
P101 Dr. Dexiang Wang Xiamen University Sexual breeding of the red sponge Mycale phyllophila Janeiro
P91 Ms. Shirley Sorokin Primary Industries Calcarea
(Porifera: On The Shelf Edge Of The Great Australian
Demospongiae) tute tion And Development: Genome Draft Of The Endemic
P127 Dr. Marina Pozzolini Universìtà delgi Recombinant
FreshwaterProduction Of Hydroxylated
Sponge Eunapius Collagen
Subterraneus
P102 Ms. Mirthe Wiltink and Regions South
Wageningen Bight,Bank
Is Saba Australia
becoming a ‘sponge reef’? Studi di Genova Polypeptides Derived From The Demospongia C.
Australia
University P115 Dr. Amanda Kahn University of Alberta reniformis:
High Tolerance Of Hypoxia By The
A New Biotechnological Deep-Water
Source Of Marine Boreal
P103 Ms.
P92 Mr. Michael
Shirley Wooster
Sorokin King Abdullah
Primary Industries Defense by association:
Dominance And Diversitysponge-eating
Of Deep-WaterfishesSponges
alter theOn Sponge Geodia Barretti
Collagen
University of
and Regions South small-scale distribution of Caribbean reef
The Shelf Edge And Slope Of The Great Australian sponges P128 Ms.
P116 Dr. Ana
Vasiliki Riesgo
Koutsouveli The Natural
The Natural History
History Recycling is the key:
Inter-Individual multi-analysis
Variability In The of incorporatedState
Physiological silicaOf
Science and
Australia Bight, South Australia Museum of
Museum of London
London from digested
Geodia diatom
Barretti: frustules in
Differential Antarctic And
Expression sponges
Ultrastruc-
Technology P129 Dr. Jeffrey Robinson National Institutes of Bibliometric Analysis Elucidates Historical Trends of
P93 Ms. Tanja Stratmann NIOZ – Royal Nether- Oxygen Consumption And Nutrient Fluxes Of Deep- tural Studies
Health Molecular, Cellular, and Genetics Research in Poriferan
lands Institute for Sea Sea Sponges P117 Ms. Vasiliki Koutsouveli The Natural History Reproductive Features Of Antarctic Demosponges
Taxa
Research Museum of London From The Orders Dendroceratida, Poecilosclerida And
Haplosclerida (Porifera)
290 291
P118 Mr. Lars Kumala University of Southern Osculum Dynamics And Filtration Activity Studied In
Denmark Small Single-Osculum Demosponge (Halichondria
P130 Mr. Tim Schol Wageningen UR A cost-efficient method of DNA barcoding of sponge
Panicea) Explants
communities with Illumina MiSeq Next Generation
P119 Dr. Emilio Lanna Universidade Federal Sequencing
External And Internal Anatomy Of Cladocroce Caelum
P131 Ms. Megan Shaffer da Bahia (Haplosclerida,
Victoria University of Influence Demospongiae)
of temperature on reproduction of temperate
P120 Dr. Emilio Lanna Wellington Federal
Universidade Tethya spp.
Sexual Reproduction Of Dysidea Janiae, A Tropical
P132 Ms. Karin Steffen Uppsala
da Bahia University Getting started with
Dictyoceratida In the whole genome
Association With Asequencing
Calcareous Alga
P121 Prof. Jose Lopez Nova Southeastern project of the demosponge Geodia barretti
The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance: Keeping
P133 Ms. Tone Ulvatn University of Bergen Barcode
University first, identify
Pace With Evolutionlater?
And Testing the use of a reverse
Technology
taxonomic approach to assess the demosponge
P122 Dr. Yulia Lyupina N.K. Koltsov Institute ofcommunity
Proteasome Mechanism
composition in anOfArctic
Adaptive Plasticity Of Sea
seamount
P134 Ms. Vivian Vasconcellos Developmental
Universidade Biology Cold-Water Sponges
Spermatogenesis of the poecilosclerid Tedania ignis
P123 Ms. Stephanie Munroe Federal da Bahia
Wageningen University(Porifera, Demospongiae)
Optimization Of Cryopreservation Methods For The
P135 Ms. Alice Webb NIOZ TheMarine
mechanisms
Spongeunderlying carbonate dissolution by
Dysidea Etheria
excavating sponges: pH reduction and cell
P124 Mr. Patryk Nilsson Division of Pharmacog- Exploring Specialized Metabolites In The Deep-Sea
differentiation
nosy Arctic Sponge Geodia Hentscheli
P125 Dr. Julie Olson University of Alabama Infection With Aplysina Red Band Syndrome Results In
Biochemical And Bacterial Community Changes To The
Holobiont
P126 Dr. André Padua Universidade Federal In Vitro Formation Of Chimaeric Individuals After Cell
do Rio de Janeiro Dissociation In A Calcareous Sponge
P127 Dr. Marina Pozzolini Universìtà delgi Studi di Recombinant Production Of Hydroxylated Collagen
Genova Polypeptides Derived From The Demospongia C.
Reniformis: A New Biotechnological Source Of Marine
Collagen
P128 Dr. Ana Riesgo The Natural History Recycling Is The Key: Multi-Analysis Of Incorporated
Museum of London Silica From Digested Diatom Frustules In Antarctic
Sponges
P129 Dr. Jeffrey Robinson National Institutes of Bibliometric Analysis Elucidates Historical Trends Of
Health Molecular, Cellular, And Genetics Research In Poriferan
Taxa
P130 Mr. Tim Schol Wageningen UR A Cost-Efficient Method Of Dna Barcoding Of Sponge
Communities With Illumina Miseq Next Generation
Sequencing
P131 Ms. Megan Shaffer Victoria University of Influence Of Temperature On Reproduction Of Temper-
Wellington ate Tethya Spp.
P132 Ms. Karin Steffen Uppsala University Getting Started With The Whole Genome Sequencing
Project Of The Demosponge Geodia Barretti
P133 Ms. Tone Ulvatn University of Bergen Barcode First, Identify Later? Testing The Use Of A
Reverse Taxonomic Approach To Assess The Demo-
sponge Community Composition In An Arctic Seamount
NUIG
P134 Ms. Vivian Vasconcellos Universidade Federal Spermatogenesis Of The Poecilosclerid Tedania Ignis
da Bahia (Porifera, Demospongiae)
P135 Ms. Alice Webb NIOZ The Mechanisms Underlying Carbonate Dissolution By
Excavating Sponges: Ph Reduction And Cell Differen-
tiation
292 293

McCormack2017 Conference10 Program&abstracts Galway

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

McCormack2017 Conference10 Program&abstracts Galway

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

10 World Sponge

1 The Quadrangle Accessible Route Across

4 Arts Millennium Building Cafés, restaurants and bars

12 Bank of Ireland Theatre River SC

15 J.E. Cairnes School of 6

Cover photographs - Bernard Picton. South Africa, 2008.

Institute of Lifecourse and Society

Arts Millennium Building

Open New Research Horizons , ,

COMMITTEE Speaker Biographies

Joseph Pawlik, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA

Dr. Nicole Boury-Esnault Professor Sally Leys

Professor Ute Hentschel Humeida Professor Joe Lopez

Dr. Manuel Maldonado Professor Gert Wörheide

Professor Joe Pawlik

Professor Peter Schupp

General Information 10th World Sponge Conference, NUI Galway

Historical overview on the Adriatic calcarean sponges

Identification of calcareous sponge spicule matrix proteins

Sponges of the Marianas: Initial Observations of Newly Collected Specimens

Differential gene expression analysis in the threatened sponge Spongia officinalis

A new species of Hymeniacidon from Brazil and redescription of Halichondria (Halich.)

Halichondriidae is a family of Suberitida composed by 15 genera distributed worldwide. This is a challenging

Progress with Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae: Porifera) – more molecular insights into

3Université Libre de Bruxelles, Laboratoire de Biologie Marine, Bruxelles, Belgium. sulasm@gmail.com

Silica concentration influence on sponge spicule dimensions

Cristian Lagger1, César A. Cárdenas2 *Conference presenter: frine.cardone@uniba.it

You might also like