Taxonomy of Euretidae (Porifera, Hexactinellida, Hexactinosida) of Campos Basin, southwestern Atlantic, with a description of a new species

Abstract

Fourteen species of hexactinellid sponges have been known from the southwestern Atlantic, 11 of which belong to the subclass Hexasterophora. Among these, only two belong to Hexactinosida Schrammen, 1903, namely Aphrocallistes beatrix Gray, 1858, Dactylocalyx pumiceus Stutchbury, 1841. The present study increases the number of southwestern Atlantic Hexasterophora to 13 species, adding two additional Hexactinosida, namely Chonelasma choanoides Schulze & Kirkpatrick, 1910 and Eurete atlantica sp. nov. The latter species is the first record of Eurete for the Atlantic Ocean, differing from the remaining 11 known species most conspicuously by the heavy spination of its pentactines.

Keywords:

• Brazil
• Hexasterophora
• slope
• sponges
• taxonomy

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

Dr Konstantin Tabachnick (Department of Bottom Fauna, Institute of Oceanology of Academy of Sciences of Russia), Dr Márcio Custódio (Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo) and Dr Yoshiki Masuda (Department of Biology, Kawasaki Medical School) are deeply thanked for the provision of important pieces of hard to find literature. Dr Konstantin Tabachnick is further thanked for a fruitful debate on aspects of D. A. Lopes’ MSc Thesis. CENPES/PETROBRAS is thanked for the invitation to take part in the project OCEANPROF, as well as for granting access to the institution's scanning electron microscope equipment, operated by Rogério da Silva Martins da Costa, Aílton Luiz da Silva de Souza and Rose Maria de Lima Mencarelli. CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) and FAPERJ (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) are deeply thanked for the provision of grants and/or fellowships.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark