Title: MESOPHOTIC REEF SPONGES (PORIFERA) FROM PUERTO RICO AND THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS

Abstract: The marine sponges collected during three research cruises conducted by the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez Caribbean Coral Reef Institute and Department of Marine Sciences are described and discussed. Over twenty sites were surveyed by scientific divers using closed circuit rebreathers at depths ranging from 50 to 80 m. The goals of the expeditions were to characterize mesophotic coral ecosystems starting from Isla Mona (West coast Puerto Rico) along the south coast of Puerto Rico heading towards the US Virgin Islands and concluding at Lang Bank off the eastern end of St. Croix. A total of 84 specimens were analyzed and incorporated in the collections of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, Netherlands). Sponges belonging to the classes Homoscleromorpha and Demospongiae were analyzed. A total of 7 sponge species belonging to the class Homoscleromorpha were analyzed, all belonging to the Family Plakinidae. The remainder 68 sponge specimens belonged to the class Demospongiae. In total, eight Orders were identified during our preliminary analysis: Haplosclerida (19 species), Agelasida (7 species), Dictyoceratida (7 species), Poecilosclerida (5 species), Verongiida (5 species), Suberitida (5 species), Axinellida (3 species), and Tetractinellida (3 species). Based on our preliminary taxonomic analysis, we report four new sponge species from this region. This is the first systematic study of mesophotic reef sponges from Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, and will serve as the foundation for future studies regarding this understudied group at these depths.

Authors: Garcia-Hernandez JE, Schizas NV, Alfaro ML, de Voogd NJ

Presentation: Oral

Session: 29

Date: 06/22/16

Time: 14:45

Location: 308 A/B

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