The shallow water reefs around Bonaire and Klein Curaçao in the
Caribbean Netherlands are well studied and are considered a biodiversity
hotspot, but the deeper reefs of the area are almost unknown, having been
surveyed only once in 2000 by a group bioprospecting for medically interesting
taxa. The Netherlands is committed to protecting and managing offshore
ecosystems in the Caribbean Netherlands as part of the Exclusive Economic Zone
management plan, but without a detailed understanding of the regions
biodiversity this is impossible.
In a paper published in the journal Zootaxa on 29 October 2014, RobVan Soest of the Department of Marine Zoology at the Naturalis BiodiversityCenter in Leiden, Erik Meesters of the Institute for Marine Resources andEcosystem Studies in Den Helder and Leontine Becking of the Department ofEnvironmental Science, Policy and Management at the University of California,Berkeley describe thirteen new species of Sponges from deepwater reefs around
Bonaire and Klein Curaçao in the Caribbean Netherlands, discovered in a series
of dives by a submersible Curasub, operating from the RV Chapman as part of
the Bonaire Deep Reef Expedition of 2013, carried out by the Institute for
Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies at the request of The Netherlands Ministryof Economic Affairs.
The first new species described is placed in the Homoscleromorph
genus Plakinastrella and given the
specific name stinapa in honour of
the Stichting Nationale Parken, a non-governmental organisation managing and
conserving the Bonaire National Marine Park. Plakinastrella stinapa is described from a single specimen collected
from a limestone rockwall at a depth of 242 m off the coast of Bonaire. The
specimen is a thick encrusting sponge, grey green in colour and covering an
area of 10 x 15 cm. It had a skeleton composed of calthrops (four pointed
elements), triods (three pointed elements) and diods (two pointed elements).
There are twelve previously described species of Plakinastrella, of which three have been found in the Western
Atlantic; from the Caribbean and off the coasts of the Carolinas and Brazil.
Plakinastrella stinapain situ on limestone rockwall west of Bonaire. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The second new species described is placed in the Demosponge genus Pachastrella and given the specific name
pacoi, in honour of Paco Cárdenas,
for his work on the taxonomy of tetractinellid sponges. Pachastrella pacoi is described from three specimens, one from
limestone rockwall at a depth of 232 m off the coast of Cargill on Bonaire, one
from sand at the base of a limestone rockwall at a depth of 159 m off the coast
of Curoil Dock on Bonaire, and a third from a depth of 203 m, also off Curoil
Dock. The Sponge is variable in morphology, but tends to be roughly cup-shaped,
with an irregular, bumpy outer surface and a smooth inner surface. The largest
specimen was 16 cm in diameter and 15 cm high. The skeleton comprises a variety
of spicule morphologies in a confused mass.
Pachastrella pacoi at the base of a limestone rockwall at a depth of 159 m off the
coast of Curoil Dock on Bonaire. Van Soest et
al. (2014).
The third new species described is placed in the Demosponge genus Characella, and given the specific name poecillastroides, for its plate-like
shape, which is reminiscent of that common in the related genus Poecillastra. Characella poecillastroides is described from a single specimen,
collected from a Coral rock wall at a depth of 168 m off Curoil Dock on
Bonaire. The specimen formed a thick folded plate 2-4 cm thick and covering an
area of 20 x 40 cm. It was beige in colour, though its surface was greyish due
to adhered sediment. It has a skeleton largely of long, needle shaped elements
called oxeas, but with other elements also present. The species resembles the
Barbadian Poecillastra sollasi, which
has been described as intermediate between Poecillastra and
Characella, but is assigned to Characella on the basis of its skeletal
elements.
Characella poecillastroidesin situ off the southwest coast of Bonaire. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The fourth new species described is placed in the Demosponge genus Geodia, and given the specific name curacaoensis, meaning ‘from Curaçao’.
The species is described from a single specimen, collected from a Coral rock
wall at a depth of 156 m off the southwest coast of Klein Curaçao, though it is
thought likely that another specimen collected at a depth of 144-153 m off the
coast of Paynes Bay in Barbados in 1978 also belongs to this species. The Klein
Curaçao specimen is a spherical Sponge, 5.5 cm in diameter, grey white in
colour but red on its upper surface.
Geodia curacaoensis on deck. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The fifth new species described is placed in the Dermosponge genus Caminus and given the specific name carmabi, after the Caraibisch Marien Biologisch Instituut at Piscadera Baai on Curaçao. The
species is described from two specimens, the first collected at a depth of
between 120 m and 137 m from sand on a rock wall off the coast of Kralendijk
Pier on Bonaire, and the second from a coral rock wall at a depth of 198 m off
the coast of Curoil Dock, also on Bonaire. These are spherical pink sponges
with an opening with a raised rim, the larger being 7 x 4 x 4 cm and the
smaller 5 x 2 x 2 cm. It has a dense layer of sterrasters (speherical skeletal
elements) I its cortical (skin) layer, with other elements underneath to support
its shape. This is only the second species of Caminus reported from the Western Atlantic, although the first
species, Caminus sphaeroconia, has
been recorded from Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Barbados.
Caminus carmabi, from a coral rock wall at a depth of 198 m off the coast of Curoil
Dockon Bonaire. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The sixth new species described is placed in the Demosponge genus Discodermia, and given the specific name
adhaerens, meaning ‘to cling to’, a
reference to its encrusting growth habit. The species is described from a
single specimen collected from a Coral rock wall at a depth of 146 m off the
coast of Kralendijk Pier on Bonaire. Discodermia adhaerens
is a bright orange encrusting sponge, 2-3 mm in thickness but spreading over
several tens of centimetres of rock. It has a skeleton of closely packed,
overlapping discotriaenes (disk-shaped skeletal elements).
Discodermia adhaerens, specimen on a Coral rock wall at a depth of 146 m off the coast of
Kralendijk Pier on Bonaire. Van Soest et
al. (2014).
The seventh new specimen described is placed in the Demosponge
genus Clathria, and subgenus Microciona and given the specific name acarnoides, due to the presence of acanthocladotylote-shaped
acanthostyles (long skeletal elements with numerous spiky projections), which
have only previously been recorded in members of the genus Acarnus. The species is described from a single specimen collected
from a coral rock wall at a depth of 152 m off the coast of Curoil Dock on
southwest Bonaire. Clathria (Microciona) acarnoides is an orange encrusting Sponge that was found covering
the shell of a Mollusc.
Clathria (Microciona) acarnoides found covering the shell of a Mollusc on a
coral rock wall at a depth of 152 m off the coast of Curoil Dock on southwest
Bonaire. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The eighth new species described is placed in the Demosponge Genus Antho and subgenus Acarnia and given the specific name pellita, meaning ‘forming a skin’ in reference to its encrusting
habit. The species is described from a single specimen found encrusting a
larger Sponge at a depth of 108 m off the coast of Kralendijk Pier on Bonaire.
It is red in colour and soft, about 2 m thick and covered an area of 11 x 6 cm
of the surface of the other Sponge.
Antho (Acarnia) pellita encrusting on the base of Neopetrosia eurystomata.Van Soest et al. (2014).
The ninth new species is placed in the Demosponge genus Parahigginsia and given the specific
name strongylifera, in reference to
its strongyle megascleres (elongate skeletal elements). The species is described
from a single specimen collected from a limestone rockwall at a depth of 238 m
off the coast of Bonaire. Parahigginsia strongylifera
is a pale blue encrusting sponge forming a series of cone-shaped lobes, roughly
1-2 cm high. This is only the second species of Parahigginsia described, the first, Parahigginsia phakelloides being known from New Zealand and New
Caladonia, and having a lamellate (layered) growth form, forming lobes up to 14
cm high.
Parahigginsia strongyliferaon a limestone rockwall at a depth of 238 m off the coast of
Bonaire.Van Soest et al. (2014).
The tenth new species described is placed within the Dermosponge
genus Calyx and given the specific
name magnoculata, in reference to its
large and conspicuous oscules. The species is described from a single specimen
collected at a depth of 232 m off the southwest coast of Bonaire. Calyx magnoculata is an encrusting Sponge
roughly 2 cm thick, the specimen covering roughly 11 x 16 cm of rockface and
being beige in colour. It has a skeleton of tightly knit overlapping oxeas
(curved needle-shaped elements). Only a single species of Calyx has previously been reported from the Western Atlantic, Calyx podatypa, from deep water off
Puerto Rico and Barbados.
Calyx
magnoculata shortly after collection. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The eleventh new specimen described is placed in the Dermosponge
genus Neopetrosia and given the
specific name dutchi in honour of
Adriaan ‘Dutch’ Schriers, the owner of the Curasub, the vehicle used in the
study. The species is described from a single specimen collected from sand at a
depth of 217 m off the southwest coast of Bonaire. The specimen consists of a
clump of white lobes 35 x 35 x 30 cm found sitting on the sand surface. It has
a skeleton formed of a mesh of oxeas (curved needle-shaped elements). It is
thought that specimens previously collected from Barbados should also be
referred to this species.
View of submarine with collected specimen of Neopetrosia dutchi. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The twelfth new species described is also placed in the genus Neopetrosia, and given the specific name
ovata, meaning ‘ovate’, in reference
to the shape of the shape of the Sponge. Neopetrosia ovata
is described from a single specimen collected from sand at a depth of 149 m of
the southwest coast of Klein Curaçao. The specimen is a pinkish beige
egg-shaped Sponge 10 cm high and 8 cm in diameter. It also has a skeleton
formed of a mesh of oxeas, though less organised than that of Neopetrosia dutchi.
Neopetrosia ovata on sand at a depth of 149 m of the southwest coast of Klein
Curaçao. Van Soest et al. (2014).
The thirteenth new species is also placed in the genus Neopetrosia and given the specific name eurystomata, meaning wide-mouth. Neopetrosia eurystomata is described from
three specimens, two collected from sandy rubble at depths of 108 and 111 m off
the coast of Kralendijk Pier on Bonaire, and one collected from sand at a depth
of 88 m off Curoil Dock on Bonaire. It is vase-shaped with a wide, flaring
opening, more so in the larger specimens. The largest is 30 cm high and 18 cm
in width.
Neopetrosia eurystomata on sandy rubble at adepth of 108 m off the coast of Kralendijk Pier
on Bonaire. Van Soest et al. (2014).
See also…
Sponges
(Porifera) are generally considered to be the oldest extant animal group, with
a fossil record that extends considerably into the Precambrian; phylogenomic
analysis suggests they are the sister group to all other animals, which also
suggests an early origin for the group.
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