New records of Neopetrosia carbonaria (Lamarck, 1814) from the Brazilian coast reveal new morphological features and spicule types.

Sponges of the family Petrosiidae have usually a stony and brittle texture due the high silica content of the mineral skeleton that is formed by a more-or-less regular isotropic reticulation of undefined primary and secondary tracts. Neopetrosia species are distributed worldwide and twelve species are found in the Tropical Western Atlantic Ocean, of which four are recorded from the Brazilian coast. Here, we describe new Neopetrosia carbonaria specimens from several localities along the NE Brazilian coast, analyze the Neopetrosia carbonaria holotype and review the previous record of N. carbonaria from the Brazilian coast. Our study reveals new morphological features and spicule types in the Brazilian populations of N. carbonaria. Now, Neopetrosia carbonaria is defined by a thick encrusting to repent or ramose sponge, with reddish brown to brown color or dark green to black color in vivo, two categories of oxeas as megascleres and raphidiform toxas as microscleres. These toxas are quite rare and occur in both black and brown sponges. Due the absence and rarity of raphidiform toxas in some specimens, unrelated to its color, we assume that these differences are intraspecific. However, we suggest that all records of Neopetrosia carbonaria should be reevaluated, since toxas can be easily overlooked, added to the use of molecular methods to investigate the relationship between the Caribbean and Brazilian populations.

Two new Clathria (Axosuberites) Topsent, 1893 (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from Northeastern Brazil.

The genus Clathria Schmidt, 1862 is the richest genus of the family Microcionidae, but only 20 species have been recorded from Brazil until now. Clathria (Axosuberites) Topsent, 1893 is characterized by having digitate, whip-like, arborescent and flabellate growth forms, lacking echinating spicules, well differentiated axial and extra-axial skeleton, styles and/or subtylostyles as principal spicules, and microscleres palmate isochelae and toxas. The subgenus contains 19 valid species, with worldwide distribution predominantly in shallow waters. Six species occur in the Atlantic Ocean and two of them are recorded from the Western Atlantic in South America: Clathria (Axosuberites) riosae Van Soest, 2017, and Clathria (Axosuberites) marplatensis (Cuartas, 1992). Specimens analyzed in this study were collected in 2015 at Mamanguape estuary, Paraíba State, and in 2017 at Tutóia beach, Maranhão State. Here we described two new species of Clathria (Axosuberites) for the first time in Brazilian waters: Clathria (Axosuberites) aurantia n. sp. and Clathria (Axosuberites) hillenburgi n. sp.

A new species of Characella Sollas, 1886 (Tetractinellida; Demospongiae; Porifera) from deeper waters off the coast of Brazil.

Sponges of the Family Pachastrellidae Carter, 1875 are distributed worldwide and found generally in deep water. Up to date, only four species are known for the Brazilian coast (Muricy 2018): Characella aspera Sollas, 1886, C. capitolii Mothes et al. 2007, C. pachastrelloides (Carter, 1876), and Pachastrella monilifera Schmidt, 1868. In this study, a new species of Characella is described from the mesophotic zone off Bacia Potiguar (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). The specimen was preserved in 80% ethanol and deposited in the Porifera Collection of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPEPOR). Taxonomic comparisons were made with data tabulated for all species of Characella available in the World Porifera Database (van Soest et al. 2018).

Halichondriidae Gray, 1867 from the Northeastern Brazil with description of a new species.

In this paper we report and describe material of Halichondriidae sampled at 11 different stations in the Brazilian northeastern coast. Halichondria (Halichondria) marianae sp. nov. is a massively encrusting sponge, with firm texture, soft, fleshy, but compact and compressible. Color in vivo is dark green, becoming grayish or brown after fixation in ethanol; the spicules are smooth oxeas. Amorphinopsis atlantica from the Northeastern Brazil is thickly encrusting to massively, also with firm texture, color in vivo is usually yellow to dark green and both distributed in different regions, brownish after fixation in ethanol; the spicules are smooth oxeas and styles. A taxonomic study of these samples is given, including description and illustrations.

Description of three species of Eurypon Gray, 1867 (Raspailiidae: Demospongiae: Porifera) from the Western Atlantic and a name to replace the the secondary homonym Eurypon topsenti.

Eurypon  Gray, 1867 comprises 49 valid species distributed worldwide, and in an extensive bathymetric range. Three Eurypon species are known for Brazil, all endemic from the Northeast region. Here, we describe three new species of Eurypon. Two of which are recorded from shallow waters (down to 100 m) off Pernambuco and Paraíba States, and one species is from deep waters (157 m) off Rio Grande do Norte State. Eurypon oxychaetum sp. nov. has large subtylostyles (1025-2125 µm, length), styles, two categories of acanthostyles and oxychaetes; Eurypon potiguaris sp. nov. has large tylostyles (1000-2315 µm, length), two categories of acanthostyles, and thin oxeas; Eurypon verticillatum sp. nov. is a blue sponge with exclusive verticillate acanthostyles. The new species were compared with all other Atlantic species of the genus. A replacement name for the secondary homonym Eurypon topsenti is proposed: Eurypon pulitzeri nom. nov. The presence of verticillate acanthostyles and oxychaetes spicules are reported for the first time in Table 1 genus.

A new shallow water species of Artemisina Vosmaer, 1885 (Microcionidae, Demospongiae; Porifera) from Northeastern Brazil.

Artemisina is a microcionid characterized by lacking a distinctive choanosomal skeleton or definite spongin fibres, lacking also echinating spicules, and with a nearly radial ectosomal skeleton (Hooper 2002). The genus currently has 19 valid species, six of which are recorded from the Atlantic Ocean (Van Soest et al. 2016): A. erecta Topsent, 1904, A. incrustans van Soest et al., 2013, A. melana van Soest, 1984, A. melanoides van Soest et al., 2013, A. transiens Topsent, 1890 and A. vulcani Lévi, 1963. The present study describes a new species of Artemisina from Northeastern Brazil. Four specimens of Artemisina brasili sp. nov. were collected by snorkelling at Pernambuco State. All specimens were preserved in 80% ethanol and deposited in the Porifera Collections at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPEPOR) and Museu Nacional of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ).

New Genus and species of Heteroxyidae from Brazil (Axinellida: Demospongiae: Porifera), with a revised identification key for the family.

Alveospongia sinuosclera gen. nov. sp. nov. is described from shallow-waters off Canavieiras (Bahia, Brazil). The species bears an unusual morphology, combining saccular or alveolar, evenly perforated habit, and sinuous spiny microrhabdose microscleres. This sponge is tentatively classified within the Heteroxyidae Dendy (1905), on the basis of its confused choanosomal architecture of styles, and possession of spiny microrhabdose microscleres. Assays to generate DNA sequences from this material were unsuccessful. We emended the diagnosis of the family to include species bearing saccular/alveolar shape, microrhabdose acanthomicrostrongyles and styles/strongyles with modifications at the ends. The proposed new genus is compared to the remaining heteroxyid genera, as well as Crella (Crellidae), Batzella (Chondropsidae), Goreauiella (Astroscleridae) and Sceptrintus (Podospongiidae). A revised key for identification of Heteroxyidae genera is provided.

Neopetrosia de Laubenfels, 1949 from Brazil: description of a new species and a review of records (Haplosclerida: Demospongiae: Porifera).

The genus Neopetrosia was characterized by has fine brushes of oxeas issued from subectosomal tracts and compact choanosomal network. We report and describe here specimens collected in the coast of Brazil: Neopetrosia sulcata sp. nov. and Neopetrosia proxima. The first was previously recorded from Brazil as Neopetrosia proxima, but it was found that these specimens corresponded to a new species. Thus, we provide here the characterization of N. proxima from Brazilian coast. A taxonomic study of Brazilian samples is given, including description, illustrations and geographic distribution, combined with the comparison of the new species with all other descriptions of Neopetrosia from Atlantic.

Desmacella Schmidt, 1870 from Brazil: Description of two new species and a review of records (Desmacellida: Demospongiae: Porifera).

Three species of Desmacella Schmidt, 1870 are described from the Brazilian coast: Desmacella microsigmata sp. nov., Desmacella tylovariabilis sp. nov. and Desmacella annexa Schmidt, 1870. The new species were compared with Desmacella species from the Atlantic Ocean, which differ by the size of their spicules and by the presence of microspined sigmas. Desmacella annexa was found to have microspined toxiform microxeas and sigmas. Desmacella now contains 31 species distributed worldwide.

Three new species of Eurypon Gray, 1867 from Northeastern Brazil (Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae; Porifera).

Three new species of Eurypon from Northeastern Brazil are described: Eurypon clavilectuarium sp. nov.; Eurypon suassunai sp. nov. and Eurypon distyli sp. nov. Samples were collected from the continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia and Paraíba States. While the majority of Atlantic Eurypon species have been described from deep water, two of three new species described in this study were collected from shallow depths. The three new species from Brazil were compared with all other eighteen Eurypon species described from the Atlantic. 

Two new cleistocheliferous species of Clathria of sciophilous habitats from Northeastern Brazil (Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae: Porifera).

We describe two new species of Clathria (Microciona) Bowerbank, 1862: C. (M.) crassitoxa sp. nov. and C. (M.) trairae sp. nov. from Paraíba State (Northeastern Brazil). All are sciophilous species and are represented by small fragments removed from the substrate. Both new species have cleistochelae, and are compared with their cleistocheliferous congeners, differing from all of them by the possession of different combinations of other megascleres and microscleres.

A new species of Lissodendoryx (Anomodoryx) Burton, 1934 (Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from deeper waters off the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

The members of Lissodendoryx Topsent, 1892a are recognized by a spicule combination of ectosomal tylotes or strongyles, isodictyal reticulate architecture, arcuate isochelae and sigmas (Hofman & Van Soest 1995; Van Soest 2002). Five subgenera of Lissodendoryx, are recognized (Van Soest 2002): Lissodendoryx (Acanthodoryx) Lévi, 1961, L. (Anomodoryx) Burton, 1934, L. (Ectyodoryx) Lundbeck, 1909, L. (Lissodendoryx) Topsent, 1892a, and L. (Waldoschmittia) de Laubenfels, 1936. Lissodendoryx (Anomodoryx) is defined by the presence of a single megasclere type (Van Soest 2002). Currently has six recognized species (Van Soest et al. 2014) including two from Brazil (Muricy et al. 2011): L. (A.) recife (Boury-Esnault, 1973) and L. (A.) tylota (Boury-Esnault, 1973). In this paper, a new species of L. (Anomodoryx) is described from the mesophotic zone off Bacia Potiguar (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). The specimen was preserved in ethanol 80% and deposited in the Porifera Collection of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPEPOR).

Two new species of Aulospongus Norman, 1878 with a key to the Atlantic species (Poecilosclerida; Demospongiae; Porifera).

We describe two new species: Aulospongus trirhabdostylus sp. nov. and Aulospongus mandela sp. nov. from Potiguar Basin (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). Both species were compared with their congeners and an identification key for the Atlantic species of Aulospongus is provided. The genus Aulospongus now contains 16 species.

Two new species of the family Niphatidae van Soest, 1980 from Northeastern Brazil (Haplosclerida: Demospongiae: Porifera).

This paper deals with niphatid sponges from the coast of the Bahia State, northeastern coast of the Brazilian shelf (southwestern Atlantic). Two new species are described, Amphimedon estelae sp. nov. and Niphates luizae sp. nov. A taxonomic study of those samples is given, including description and illustrations. Both species were compared with their congeners present in the Atlantic Ocean.

Clathria (Clathria) Schmidt, 1862 from Brazil with description of a new species and a review of records (Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae: Porifera).

We report and describe material of Clathria (Clathria) (Poecilosclerida: Microcionina: Microcionidae) collected from the coast of Brazil: Clathria (C.) nicoleae sp. nov., Clathria (C.) calypso and Clathria (C.) prolifera. Clathria (C.) calypso is also redescribed. Specimens previously recorded from Brazil as Clathria (C.) prolifera were considered to fit better in the taxon Clathria (Wilsonella). The new species was compared with all other (twenty-five) Clathria (C.) species occurring in the Atlantic. The new species differs from the other species by overall morphology and presence of auxiliary tylostrongyle megascleres.