Microbiome changes through the ontogeny of the marine sponge Crambe crambe.

BACKGROUND: Poriferans (sponges) are highly adaptable organisms that can thrive in diverse marine and freshwater environments due, in part, to their close associations with internal microbial communities. This sponge microbiome can be acquired from the surrounding environment (horizontal acquisition) or obtained from the parents during the reproductive process through a variety of mechanisms (vertical transfer), typically resulting in the presence of symbiotic microbes throughout all stages of sponge development. How and to what extent the different components of the microbiome are transferred to the developmental stages remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the microbiome composition of a common, low-microbial-abundance, Atlantic-Mediterranean sponge, Crambe crambe, throughout its ontogeny, including adult individuals, brooded larvae, lecithotrophic free-swimming larvae, newly settled juveniles still lacking osculum, and juveniles with a functional osculum for filter feeding. RESULTS: Using 16S rRNA gene analysis, we detected distinct microbiome compositions in each ontogenetic stage, with variations in composition, relative abundance, and diversity of microbial species. However, a particular dominant symbiont, Candidatus Beroebacter blanensis, previously described as the main symbiont of C. crambe, consistently occurred throughout all stages, an omnipresence that suggests vertical transmission from parents to offspring. This symbiont fluctuated in relative abundance across developmental stages, with pronounced prevalence in lecithotrophic stages. A major shift in microbial composition occurred as new settlers completed osculum formation and acquired filter-feeding capacity. Candidatus Beroebacter blanensis decreased significatively at this point. Microbial diversity peaked in filter-feeding stages, contrasting with the lower diversity of lecithotrophic stages. Furthermore, individual specific transmission patterns were detected, with greater microbial similarity between larvae and their respective parents compared to non-parental conspecifics. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a putative vertical transmission of the dominant symbiont, which could provide some metabolic advantage to non-filtering developmental stages of C. crambe. The increase in microbiome diversity with the onset of filter-feeding stages likely reflects enhanced interaction with environmental microbes, facilitating horizontal transmission. Conversely, lower microbiome diversity in lecithotrophic stages, prior to filter feeding, suggests incomplete symbiont transfer or potential symbiont digestion. This research provides novel information on the dynamics of the microbiome through sponge ontogeny, on the strategies for symbiont acquisition at each ontogenetic stage, and on the potential importance of symbionts during larval development.

A global dataset of demosponge distribution records.

Biodiversity information in the form of species occurrence records is key for monitoring and predicting current and future biodiversity patterns, as well as for guiding conservation and management strategies. However, the reliability and accuracy of this information are frequently undermined by taxonomic and spatial errors. Additionally, biodiversity information facilities often share data in diverse incompatible formats, precluding seamless integration and interoperability. We provide a comprehensive quality-controlled dataset of occurrence records of the Class Demospongiae, which comprises 81% of the entire Porifera phylum. Demosponges are ecologically significant as they structure rich habitats and play a key role in nutrient cycling within marine benthic communities. The dataset aggregates occurrence records from multiple sources, employs dereplication and taxonomic curation techniques, and is flagged for potentially incorrect records based on expert knowledge regarding each species' bathymetric and geographic distributions. It yields 417,626 records of 1,816 accepted demosponge species (of which 321,660 records of 1,495 species are flagged as potentially correct), which are provided under the FAIR principle of Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reusability in the Darwin Core Standard. This dataset constitutes the most up-to-date baseline for studying demosponge diversity at the global scale, enabling researchers to examine biodiversity patterns (e.g., species richness and endemicity), and forecast potential distributional shifts under future scenarios of climate change.

Comparative Chemical Profiling and Antimicrobial/Anticancer Evaluation of Extracts from Farmed versus Wild Agelas oroides and Sarcotragus foetidus Sponges.

Marine sponges are highly efficient in removing organic pollutants and their cultivation, adjacent to fish farms, is increasingly considered as a strategy for improving seawater quality. Moreover, these invertebrates produce a plethora of bioactive metabolites, which could translate into an extra profit for the aquaculture sector. Here, we investigated the chemical profile and bioactivity of two Mediterranean species (i.e., Agelas oroides and Sarcotragus foetidus) and we assessed whether cultivated sponges differed substantially from their wild counterparts. Metabolomic analysis of crude sponge extracts revealed species-specific chemical patterns, with A. oroides and S. foetidus dominated by alkaloids and lipids, respectively. More importantly, farmed and wild explants of each species demonstrated similar chemical fingerprints, with the majority of the metabolites showing modest differences on a sponge mass-normalized basis. Furthermore, farmed sponge extracts presented similar or slightly lower antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, compared to the extracts resulting from wild sponges. Anticancer assays against human colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT-116) revealed marginally active extracts from both wild and farmed S. foetidus populations. Our study highlights that, besides mitigating organic pollution in fish aquaculture, sponge farming can serve as a valuable resource of biomolecules, with promising potential in pharmaceutical and biomedical applications.

Computational evaluation of marine demospongiae sponges metabolites activity as mycolic acid biosynthesis inhibitors in Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a bacterium that has historically had a substantial impact on human health. Despite advances in understanding and management of tuberculosis (TB), the disease remains a crucial problem that necessitates ongoing work to discover effective drugs, minimize transmission, and improve global health outcomes. Methods: The purpose of this study is to use molecular docking and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) analyses to explore the molecular interactions of different proteins that are involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis (HadAB, InhA, KasA, FabD, and beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III) of M. tuberculosis with Demospongiae metabolites. The docking findings were evaluated using the glide gscore, and the top 10 compounds docked against each protein receptor were chosen. Furthermore, the selected compounds underwent ADMET analysis, indicating that they have the potential for therapeutic development. Results: Among the selected compounds, makaluvamine G showed the highest binding affinity against HadAB, psammaplysin E showed highest binding affinity against InhA, pseudotheonamide D showed the highest binding affinity against KasA protein, dinordehydrobatzelladine B showed the highest binding affinity against FabD, and nagelamide X showed the highest binding affinity against beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III. Additionally, molecular mechanics generalized born surface area (MM-GBSA) binding free energy and molecular dynamics simulations were used to support the docking investigations. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest that these compounds may eventually be used to treat TB. However, computer validations were included in this study, and more in vitro research is required to turn these prospective inhibitors into clinical drugs.

Triterpene and Steroid Glycosides from Marine Sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae): Structures, Taxonomical Distribution, Biological Activities.

The article is a comprehensive review concerning tetracyclic triterpene and steroid glycosides from sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae). The extensive oxidative transformations of the aglycone and the use of various monosaccharide residues, with up to six possible, are responsible for the significant structural diversity observed in sponge saponins. The saponins are specific for different genera and species but their taxonomic distribution seems to be mosaic in different orders of Demospongiae. Many of the glycosides are membranolytics and possess cytotoxic activity that may be a cause of their anti-predatory activities. All these data reveal the independent origin and parallel evolution of the glycosides in different taxa of the sponges. The information concerning chemical structures, biological activities, biological role, and taxonomic distribution of the sponge glycosides is discussed.

Metabolites and Bioactivity of the Marine Xestospongia Sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae, Haplosclerida) of Southeast Asian Waters.

Sponges are aquatic, spineless organisms that belong to the phylum Porifera. They come in three primary classes: Hexactinellidae, Demospongiae, and Calcarea. The Demospongiae class is the most dominant, making up over 90% of sponge species. One of the most widely studied genera within the Demospongiae class is Xestospongia, which is found across Southeast Asian waters. This genus is of particular interest due to the production of numerous primary and secondary metabolites with a wide range of biological potentials. In the current review, the antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and cytotoxic properties of metabolites from several varieties of Southeast Asian Xestospongia spp. were discussed. A total of 40 metabolites of various natures, including alkaloids, fatty acids, steroids, and quinones, were highlighted in X. bergquistia, X. testudinaria, X. muta, X. exigua, X. ashmorica and X. vansoesti. The review aimed to display the bioactivity of Xestospongia metabolites and their potential for use in the pharmaceutical sector. Further research is needed to fully understand their bioactivities.

Different Species of Marine Sponges Diverge in Osteogenic Potential When Therapeutically Applied as Natural Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration in Rats.

A highly porous structure, and an inorganic (biosilica) and collagen-like organic content (spongin) makes marine sponges potential candidates to be used as natural scaffolds in bone tissue engineering. The aim of this study was to characterize (through SEM, FTIR, EDS, XRD, pH, mass degradation and porosity tests) scaffolds produced from two species of marine sponges, Dragmacidon reticulatum (DR) and Amphimedon viridis (AV), and to evaluate the osteogenic potential of these scaffolds by using a bone defect model in rats. First, it was shown that the same chemical composition and porosity (84 ± 5% for DR and 90 ± 2% for AV) occurs among scaffolds from the two species. Higher material degradation was observed in the scaffolds of the DR group, with a greater loss of organic matter after incubation. Later, scaffolds from both species were surgically introduced in rat tibial defects, and histopathological analysis after 15 days showed the presence of neo-formed bone and osteoid tissue within the bone defect in DR, always around the silica spicules. In turn, AV exhibited a fibrous capsule around the lesion (19.9 ± 17.1%), no formation of bone tissue and only a small amount of osteoid tissue. The results showed that scaffolds manufactured from Dragmacidon reticulatum presented a more suitable structure for stimulation of osteoid tissue formation when compared to Amphimedon viridis marine sponge species.

Tissue homeostasis in sponges: Quantitative analysis of cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Tissues of multicellular animals are maintained due to a tight balance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death. Sponges are early branching metazoans essential to understanding the key mechanisms of tissue homeostasis. This article is dedicated to the comparative analysis of proliferation and apoptosis in intact tissues of two sponges, Halisarca dujardinii (class Demospongiae) and Leucosolenia variabilis (class Calcarea). Labeled nucleotides EdU and anti-phosphorylated histone 3 antibodies reveal a considerable number of cycling cells in intact tissues of both species. Quantitative DNA staining reveals the classic cell cycle distribution curve. The main type of cycling cells are choanocytes - flagellated cells of the aquiferous system. The rate of proliferation remains constant throughout various areas of sponge bodies that contain choanocytes. The EdU tracking experiments conducted in H. dujardinii indicate that choanocytes may give rise to mesohyl cells through migration. The number of apoptotic cells in tissues of both species is insignificant, although being comparable to the renewing tissues of other animals. In vivo studies with tetramethylrhodamine ethyl ester and CellEvent Caspase-3/7 indicate that apoptosis might be independent of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization. Altogether, a combination of confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry provides a quantitative description of cell proliferation and apoptosis in sponges displaying either rapid growth or cell turnover.

Marine Demospongiae: A Challenging Treasure of Bioactive Compounds.

In the last decades, it has been demonstrated that marine organisms are a substantial source of bioactive compounds with possible biotechnological applications. Marine sponges, in particular those belonging to the class of Demospongiae, have been considered among the most interesting invertebrates for their biotechnological potential. In this review, particular attention is devoted to natural compounds/extracts isolated from Demospongiae and their associated microorganisms with important biological activities for pharmacological applications such as antiviral, anticancer, antifouling, antimicrobial, antiplasmodial, antifungal and antioxidant. The data here presented show that this class of sponges is an exciting source of compounds, which are worth developing into new drugs, such as avarol, a hydroquinone isolated from the marine sponge Disidea avara, which is used as an antitumor, antimicrobial and antiviral drug.

Living with an enemy: Invasive sun-coral (Tubastraea spp.) competing against sponges Desmapsamma anchorata in southeastern Brazil.

The azooxanthellate corals Tubastraea coccinea and T. tagusensis invaded the Brazilian coast in the 1980s and is still in expansion, favored by lower predation and competition pressure in their new habitats. Interestingly, the native sponge Desmapsamma anchorata has been observed overgrowing these corals. Considering that competitive displacement is expected to play a major role in the successful outcome of an invasion, the present study tested the physical and chemical mechanisms possibly involved in the competition between D. anchorata and the Tubastraea corals through field and aquaria experiments as well as the Raman spectroscopy technique for chemical analysis. Our results showed that the sponge grew in all directions including over Tubastraea colonies and regardless of its presence. There was no evidence of a specific chemical response among sponges or corals. However, we observed the extrusion of mesenteric filaments and tentacles of corals and the projection of sponge tissue during interspecific interaction, which suggests that physical imposition plays a key role for space competition at micro scales. Given the interspersed nature of benthic species distributions and the fast expansion of Tubastraea, it is unlikely that D. anchorata or any other sponges could serve a biological control against these invasive corals at larger scales, but our results showed that at a microscale they can withstand the corals presence and even outgrow them locally.

Clathriolide from marine demosponge Clathria (Thalysias) vulpina (Lamarck, 1814): previously undescribed macrocylic lactone with attenuating potential against angiotensin converting enzyme.

Angiotensin-I converting enzyme catalyses the rate-determined step of the conversion of angiotensin-I to angiotensin-II that narrows the blood vessels, and angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitors were recognised as important medications for hypertension-related diseases. Chemical investigation of angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitors from marine demospongiae Clathria (Thalysias) vulpina (family Microcionidae), resulted in a previously undescribed 22-membered macrocyclic lactone derivative, named as clathriolide. The studied compound showed potential angiotensin converting enzyme attenuation property (IC50 0.41 mM), which was comparable with the standard captopril (IC50 0.36 mM). Clathriolide revealed significantly greater antioxidant potentials against free radical species (IC50 < 1 mM) in comparison with the standard α-tocopherol (IC50 > 1.5 mM). Superior electronic characteristics (topological polar surface area > 100) coupled with relatively smaller binding energy and docking score of clathriolide with the aminoacyl residues of angiotensin-I converting enzyme (-11.5 and -12.2 kcal/mol, respectively) described its potential inhibitory property against angiotensin-I converting enzyme.

Ecological and Pharmacological Activities of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) from the Indonesian Marine Sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea.

Two known Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs), 3,4,5-tribromo-2-(2',4'-dibromophenoxy)phenol (1d) and 3,4,5,6-tetrabromo-2-(2',4'-dibromophenoxy)phenol (2b), were isolated from the Indonesian marine sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea. The structure was confirmed using 13C chemical shift average deviation and was compared to the predicted structures and recorded chemical shifts in previous studies. We found a wide range of bioactivities from the organic crude extract, such as (1) a strong deterrence against the generalist pufferfish Canthigaster solandri, (2) potent inhibition against environmental and human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains, and (3) the inhibition of the Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). The addition of a bromine atom into the A-ring of compound 2b resulted in higher fish feeding deterrence compared to compound 1d. On the contrary, compound 2b showed only more potent inhibition against the Gram-negative bacteria Rhodotorula glutinis (MIC 2.1 µg/mL), while compound 1d showed more powerful inhibition against the other human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The first report of a chemical defense by compounds 1d and 2b against fish feeding and environmental relevant bacteria, especially pathogenic bacteria, might be one reason for the widespread occurrence of the shallow water sponge Lamellodysidea herbacea in Indonesia and the Indo-Pacific.

A Metataxonomic Approach Reveals Diversified Bacterial Communities in Antarctic Sponges.

Marine sponges commonly host a repertoire of bacterial-associated organisms, which significantly contribute to their health and survival by producing several anti-predatory molecules. Many of these compounds are produced by sponge-associated bacteria and represent an incredible source of novel bioactive metabolites with biotechnological relevance. Although most investigations are focused on tropical and temperate species, to date, few studies have described the composition of microbiota hosted by Antarctic sponges and the secondary metabolites that they produce. The investigation was conducted on four sponges collected from two different sites in the framework of the XXXIV Italian National Antarctic Research Program (PNRA) in November-December 2018. Collected species were characterized as Mycale (Oxymycale) acerata, Haliclona (Rhizoniera) dancoi, Hemigellius pilosus and Microxina sarai by morphological analysis of spicules and amplification of four molecular markers. Metataxonomic analysis of these four Antarctic sponges revealed a considerable abundance of Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. In particular, M. (Oxymycale) acerata, displayed several genera of great interest, such as Endozoicomonas, Rubritalea, Ulvibacter, Fulvivirga and Colwellia. On the other hand, the sponges H. pilosus and H. (Rhizoniera) dancoi hosted bacteria belonging to the genera Pseudhongella, Roseobacter and Bdellovibrio, whereas M. sarai was the sole species showing some strains affiliated to the genus Polaribacter. Considering that most of the bacteria identified in the present study are known to produce valuable secondary metabolites, the four Antarctic sponges could be proposed as potential tools for the discovery of novel pharmacologically active compounds.

Effects of Seasonal Anoxia on the Microbial Community Structure in Demosponges in a Marine Lake in Lough Hyne, Ireland.

Climate change is expanding marine oxygen minimum zones (OMZs), while anthropogenic nutrient input depletes oxygen concentrations locally. The effects of deoxygenation on animals are generally detrimental; however, some sponges (Porifera) exhibit hypoxic and anoxic tolerance through currently unknown mechanisms. Sponges harbor highly specific microbiomes, which can include microbes with anaerobic capabilities. Sponge-microbe symbioses must also have persisted through multiple anoxic/hypoxic periods throughout Earth's history. Since sponges lack key components of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway responsible for hypoxic responses in other animals, it was hypothesized that sponge tolerance to deoxygenation may be facilitated by its microbiome. To test this hypothesis, we determined the microbial composition of sponge species tolerating seasonal anoxia and hypoxia in situ in a semienclosed marine lake, using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. We discovered a high degree of cryptic diversity among sponge species tolerating seasonal deoxygenation, including at least nine encrusting species of the orders Axinellida and Poecilosclerida. Despite significant changes in microbial community structure in the water, sponge microbiomes were species specific and remarkably stable under varied oxygen conditions, which was further explored for Eurypon spp. 2 and Hymeraphia stellifera However, some symbiont sharing occurred under anoxia. At least three symbiont combinations, all including large populations of Thaumarchaeota, corresponded with deoxygenation tolerance, and some combinations were shared between some distantly related hosts. We propose hypothetical host-symbiont interactions following deoxygenation that could confer deoxygenation tolerance.IMPORTANCE The oceans have an uncertain future due to anthropogenic stressors and an uncertain past that is becoming clearer with advances in biogeochemistry. Both past and future oceans were, or will be, deoxygenated in comparison to present conditions. Studying how sponges and their associated microbes tolerate deoxygenation provides insights into future marine ecosystems. Moreover, sponges form the earliest branch of the animal evolutionary tree, and they likely resemble some of the first animals. We determined the effects of variable environmental oxygen concentrations on the microbial communities of several demosponge species during seasonal anoxia in the field. Our results indicate that anoxic tolerance in some sponges may depend on their symbionts, but anoxic tolerance was not universal in sponges. Therefore, some sponge species could likely outcompete benthic organisms like corals in future, reduced-oxygen ecosystems. Our results support the molecular evidence that sponges and other animals have a Neoproterozoic origin and that animal evolution was not limited by low-oxygen conditions.

Hyrtioscalaranes A and B, two new scalarane-type sesterterpenes from Hyrtios erectus with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Two new scalarane-type sesterterpenes, hyrtioscalaranes A and B, were isolated from the organic extract of the Demosponge Hyrtios erectus through extensive chromatographic purification. Hyrtioscalarane A exhibited significantly greater attenuation property against cyclooxygense-2 (IC50 0.83 mM) than that displayed by hyrtioscalarane B (IC50 0.98 mM). The greater selectivity index of hyrtioscalaranes (> 1) than that exhibited by the commercial anti-inflammatory agent ibuprofen (0.43) further supported the higher selectivity of the former towards pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase-2. Hyrtioscalarane A exhibited greater antioxidant activities as determined by 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (IC50 0.77 mM) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (IC50 0.81 mM) free radical quenching properties than those displayed by hyrtioscalarane B (IC50 > 0.83 mM) and the antioxidative agent α-tocopherol (IC50 1.51 mM). The greater binding energy (-14.32 kcal/mol) and docking score (15.22 kcal/mol) of hyrtioscalarane A at the active site of cyclooxygenase-2 along with the higher electronic parameters and balanced hydrophobicity could attribute its potential anti-inflammatory activity.

A checklist of marine sponges (Porifera) of peninsula India.

An inventory of sponges from the shallow subtidal reefs of the west and east coasts of southern India is presented. The specimens offered in this paper were based on in-situ collections unlike the previous records of dry and net-entangled collections. A total of 101 species belonging to 12 orders, 22 families, 5 subfamilies and 44 genera from 4 subclasses of Class Demospongiae and one species from Class Calcarea are recorded. We recorded 18 new records to India, six new species combinations, 37 potential new records, and 40 species for the first time from the southwest coast.

A new species of Haliclona (Flagellia) Van Soest, 2017 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Heteroscleromorpha) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada.

Haliclona (Flagellia) Van Soest, 2017 is a recently erected subgenus characterized by the presence of flagellosigma microscleres which are often distinctive between species (Van Soest 2017). Members of the taxon also have normal sigmas within a confused skeleton formed by oxea megascleres. The subgenus has a global distribution and contains 10 species (Van Soest et al. 2019). A large and abundant new species collected throughout the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence is characterized by thick and abnormally shaped flagellosigmas, two sizes of oxea, and abundant normal sigmas. Lambe (1896) previously reported Haliclona (Flagellia) porosa (Fristedt, 1887) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the species is known to occur in nearby Arctic waters (Fristedt 1887; Lundbeck 1902; Hentschel 1916; Koltun 1959, 1966; Van Soest 2017; Dinn Leys 2018). However, H. (F.) porosa is characterized by the presence of very few normal sigmas and no thick flagellosigmas. Type specimens were preserved in 95% ethanol and were deposited in the Atlantic Reference Centre (ARC) in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada. The taxonomic identification was performed through spicule analysis using light and scanning electron microscopy, following methods described by Dinn et al. (2020).

Acanthella danerii sp. nov. (Demospongiae, Bubarida, Dictyonellidae) from Chilean fjords (South Pacific Ocean).

The use of SCUBA diving for marine research in the Chilean fjords has increased the possibility of obtaining information on the sponge assemblages living in this environment. However, much work is still needed to achieve a satisfactory knowledge of the benthos of this wide region. As to sponges, just consider that seventeen new species have been recently described by several authors (Hajdu et al., 2013; Fernandez et al., 2016; Bertolino et al., 2019) with detailed information of this benthic fauna for this area. Aim of this work is the description of a new species of Acanthella (Dictyonellidae van Soest, Diaz Pomponi, 1990), Acanthella danerii sp. nov.. It was collected at "Seno Magdalena" (44°61'48.63" S 72°95'83.12" W) (Chilean fjords) by SCUBA, at 20 m depth, on hard substrates of a vertical wall ending on a rocky bottom that slopes down to 32 m during a survey in August 2016.

Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico, with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges.

Porifera has been relatively well studied from underwater caves worldwide. However, sponges in Mexico are only known from two anchialine caves: La Quebrada and El Aerolito, both in Cozumel Island. An ecological study found that sponges have the second highest species richness and density in La Quebrada. The aim of the present work is to describe the sponge biodiversity inhabiting the dark zone of La Quebrada anchialine cave. A total of ten species were found and are described herein, six are new species to science vis. Calyx maya n. sp. a thinly branched sponge; Haliclona (Reniera) stygobia n. sp. globe-shaped with the thinnest diameter of oxeas in its group; Haliclona (Halichoclona) chankanaabiis n. sp. tubular habit with the smallest oxeas in its group; Neosiphonia microtriaeneae n. sp. characterized by very small dichotriaenes; Svenzea germanyanezi n. sp. a lone conical shape; and Diplastrella cozumella n. sp. for its tri to multilobed tylostyles. The other four species are previously known from open reefs or deep-sea: Discodermia adhaerens, Siphonidium ramosum, Cinachyrella kuekenthali, and Plakinastrella onkodes. This is the only inventory of Porifera in Mexican caves up to now, thus the species here described are the first stygobiont sponges from Mexico with an endemism rate of Porifera in this anchialine cave of 60%. Conservation programs are needed to preserve this unique and special ecosystem.

First record of Ciocalypta Bowerbank, 1862 (Demospongiae, Suberitida, Halichondriidae) in the Eastern Pacific, with description of a new species from Peru.

Ciocalypta includes species with finger-shaped fistules emerging from a basal mass and skeleton composed by a central axis and secondary tracts supporting the ectosome. Although worldwide distributed, no species of this genus has been reported from the Eastern Pacific. In this study, a new Ciocalypta is described from shallow waters of the southern coast of Peru. Ciocalypta magnastyla sp. nov. is greenish white, possesses the typical fistules with oscula located at their tips, and it is characterized by the presence of large styles (370-1000/5.0-32.5 µm) in combination with oxeas of intermediate size (160-500/5.0-12.5 µm). This new species constitutes the first record of the genus for the Peruvian coast as well as for the entire Eastern Pacific.