Spongia maitasuna Grenier & Pérez

Grenier, Marie, Simmler, Charlotte, Chevaldonné, Pierre, Callizot, Noëlle & Pérez, Thierry, 2024, Searching for Mediterranean bath sponges (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Spongiidae) in the Northeast Atlantic reveals a new species: an integrative taxonomic approach, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 202, pp. 1-23 : 7-11

Spongia maitasuna Grenier & Pérez , 2 0 23 sp. nov.

( Fig. 2A–D )

Material examined

Holotype: MNHN-IP-2018-419 , Baloo tunnel at 14 m depth, Ciboure, France (43°24 ʹ 59″N, 1°39 ʹ 52″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 26 July 2021. Voucher code: 20210726-CIB-BTP6. GenBank accession numbers OR297953 and OR291312 (CO1 and 28S, respectively) .

Paratype 1: MNHN-IP-2018-420 , Western part of Mouro island , semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021. Voucher code: 20210729-ESP-MTP1. GenBank accession number OR291316 (28S) .

Paratype 2: MNHN-IP-2018-421 , Eastern part of Mouro island , shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021. Voucher code: 20210730-ESP-M2TP1. GenBank accession numbers OR297955 and OR291323 (CO1 and 28S, respectively) .

Other specimens examined

20210630-CIB-BPC2, Baloo tunnel at 14 m depth, Ciboure, France (43°24 ʹ 59″N, 1°39 ʹ 52″W). Collector: P. Chevaldonné, 30 June 2021.

20210726-CIB-BTP11, Baloo tunnel at 14 m depth, Ciboure, France (43°24 ʹ 59″N, 1°39 ʹ 52″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 26 July 2021.

20210726-CIB-BTP12, Baloo tunnel at 14 m depth, Ciboure, France (43°24 ʹ 59″N, 1°39 ʹ 52″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 26 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP2, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP3, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP4, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP6, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP7, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210729-ESP-MTP8, Western part of Mouro island, semi-dark to dark cave, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 22″N, 3°45 ʹ 22″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 29 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP7, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP8, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP9, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP10, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP11, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP13, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

20210730-ESP-M2TP14, Eastern part of Mouro island, shallow water cliffs and chaos of rocks and crevices, between 3 and 12 m depth, Santander, Spain (43°28 ʹ 21″N, 3°45 ʹ 18″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 30 July 2021.

Comparative material examined

Spongia officinalis Linnaeus, 1759

( Fig.2E )

20200519-MRS-ITP3, Impérial de Terre, semi-dark cave, between 10 and 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 22″N, 5°23 ʹ 35″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 19 May 2020.

20200519-MRS-ITP4, Impérial de Terre, semi-dark cave, between 10 and 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 22″N, 5°23 ʹ 35″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 19 May 2020.

20200519-MRS-ITP5, Impérial de Terre, semi-dark cave, between 10 and 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 22″N, 5°23 ʹ 35″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 19 May 2020.

20200522-MRS-FTP2, Fauconnière, semi-dark tunnel, between 5 and 10 m depth, Saint-Cyr Les Lecques, France (43°09 ʹ 16″N, 5°40 ʹ 59″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 22 May 2020.

20200522-MRS-FTP3, Fauconnière, semi-dark tunnel, between 5 and 10 m depth, Saint-Cyr Les Lecques, France (43°09 ʹ 16″N, 5°40 ʹ 59″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 22 May 2020.

20200602-MRS-MTP9, Pharillons de Maïre, cliff at 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°12 ʹ 27″N, 5°20 ʹ 17″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 2 June 2020.

20200617-MRS-NTP1, Niolon, semi-dark cave, between 8 and 10 m depth, Marseille, France (43°20 ʹ 15″N, 5°15 ʹ 22″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 17 June 2020.

20220909-MRS2-RTP4, Riou island, overhang at 28 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 23″N, 5°23 ʹ 15″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 September 2022.

20220909-MRS2-RTP5, Riou island, overhang at 28 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 23″N, 5°23 ʹ 15″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 September 2022.

20220909-MRS2-RTP6, Riou island, overhang at 28 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 23″N, 5°23 ʹ 15″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 September 2022.

20220923-MRS2-ITP25, Impérial de Terre, semi-dark cave at 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 22″N, 5°23 ʹ 35″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 23 September 2022.

20220923-MRS2-ITP26, Impérial de Terre, semi-dark cave at 20 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 22″N, 5°23 ʹ 35″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 23 September 2022.

20220923-MRS2-RTP27, Riou island, overhang at 25 m depth, Marseille, France (43°10 ʹ 23″N, 5°23 ʹ 15″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 23 September 2022.

Spongia cf.officinalis

( Fig.2F )

20090617-CEU-ECITP1, ECIMAR campaign, between 3 and 30 m depth, Ceuta, Spain (35°54 ʹ 25″N, 5°18 ʹ 00″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 17 June 2009.

20070701-CEU-ECITP2, ECIMAR campaign, between 3 and 30 m depth, Ceuta, Spain (35°52 ʹ 38″N, 5°18 ʹ 20″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 1 July 2007.

20070705-CEU-ECITP3, ECIMAR campaign, between 3 and 30 m depth, Ceuta, Spain (( 35°52 ʹ 49″N, 5°18 ʹ 45″W). Collector: T. Pérez, 5 July 2007.

Spongia mollissima Schmidt, 1862 20200809-IT-NTP1, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP2, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP3, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP4, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP5, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP6, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200809-IT-NTP8, Neuralia wreck, between 30 and 35 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°10 ʹ 27″N, 17°54 ʹ 19″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 9 August 2020.

20200810-IT-CTP1, El Camino, photophilic rocky bottoms at 17 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°16 ʹ 12″N, 17°51 ʹ 15″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 10 August 2020.

20200810-IT-StTP2, La Strea, photophilic rocky bottoms at 17 m depth, Porto Cesareo, Italy (40°14 ʹ 54″N, 17°53 ʹ 38″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 10 August 2020.

Spongia nitens ( Schmidt, 1862)

Po.25493, Tel Aviv, Israel ( Idan et al. 2018).

Po.25665 Tel Aviv, Israel ( Idan et al. 2018).

Spongia zimocca Schmidt, 1862

Po.25742 Tel Aviv, Israel ( Idan et al. 2018)

Hippospongia communis (Lamarck, 1814)

20200519-MRS-JTP1, Jarre, cave in the semi-dark part at 15 m depth, Marseille, France (43°11 ʹ 46″N, 5°21 ʹ 55″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 19 May 2020.

20200522-MRS-FTP4, Fauconnière, semi-dark tunnel, between 5 and 10 m depth, Saint-Cyr Les Lecques, France (43°09 ʹ 16″N, 5°40 ʹ 59″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 22 May 2020.

20200522-MRS-FTP6, Fauconnière, semi-dark tunnel, between 5 and 10 m depth, Saint-Cyr Les Lecques, France (43°09 ʹ 16″N, 5°40 ʹ 59″E). Collector: T. Pérez, 22 May 2020.

20201225-TUN-Ep8, harvested by a fisherman in a seagrass meadow, Djerba, Tunisia, 25 December 2020.

Etymology

The species name ‘maitasuna’ comes from ‘maitasun’, which means ‘love’ in Euskara, the Basque Country language. Collected first in a site of the French Pays Basque, the new sponge is thus dedicated to all beloved members of our families, with special thoughts to those recently departed, especially to Marguerite Grenier, century-old grandmother, who passed away while this manuscript was in preparation.

Diagnosis

Massive sponge with unarmoured and non-lacunose surface. Surface covered with evenly disposed conules, sometimes with traces of epibiosis or foreign bodies. Soft and compressible consistency. Skeleton made of primary, secondary, and tertiary fibres. Primary fibres are anastomosed and denser at the surface, piercing the surface, forming conules, and presenting an open space variable in size between each anastomosed primary fibre. Primary fibres harbouring inclusions such as foreign spicules and/or a pith. Secondary fibres containing a pith inclusion and forming a clearly and regular honeycomb network. Tertiary fibres present both at the surface and within the sponge body.

Description

The new sponge is massive and irregular, sometimes slightly branched, with small lobes or protuberances ( Fig. 2A–D ). The sponge can measure ≤ 25 cm in its largest diameter. Its surface is white, beige, light to dark grey, whereas the internal tissue is usually tawny yellow. No change in colour was detected after fixation in 95% ethanol. The sponge surface is sometimes covered by dirty foreign bodies or epibiotic organisms. The surface is very conulose. Oscules can be grouped or not and are often found on the top of each lobe or protuberance. They are bordered by a thin and rather translucid membrane ( Fig. 2A–D ). The sponge consistency is rather soft and tearable.

The ectosomal skeleton presents a very thin epidermal skin, which has a star-like appearance, is easily detachable, and is made of collagen fibrils, from 60 to 350 µm in thickness ( Fig. 3A ) Scattered foreign spicules, debris, or remains of associated invertebrates, such as cirripeds, can be observed.

The choanosomal skeleton presents primary fibres, which are irregular and sinuous, sometimes difficult to observe and to distinguish because they appear anastomosed with secondary fibres, and in some places, they can also divide and join again ( Fig. 3B–D ). They measure 30–70 µm in diameter and are cored with inclusions of foreign spicules and/or debris of various abundance. They also include a black or translucid pith. These primary fibres with a pith can be observed near the surface into conule formation and/or across the sponge body ( Fig. 3A, C ). However, when foreign debris and spicules are widely present, the pith in the primary fibres can be difficult to observe. Near the surface, close to the conule formations, the network of primary fibres is denser in comparison to the rest of the sponge body. The space between two primary fibres, thus between conules, seems to be empty, with very few tertiary fibres and foreign spicules and debris. Perforated plates are inconsistently present close to the primary fibres ( Fig. 3D ). The secondary fibres form a dense network, clearly showing a honeycomb shape of variable mesh size ( Fig. 3B ), from 70 µm × 120 µm to 300 µm × 500 µm. These fibres measure 20–50 µm in diameter and they can contain an irregular pith, black or translucid ( Fig. 3E ). Tertiary fibres, ~10 µm in diameter, are found throughout the sponge body ( Fig. 3F, G ). Sometimes they form a thinner network that also has a clear honeycomb shape with variable mesh size (50–130 µm in diameter). In some places, these fibres appear to be linked to the thicker secondary fibres ( Fig. 3H ), but in some places they look rather disconnected from the rest of the skeletal architecture.

Distribution

South European Atlantic Shelf ( Spalding et al. 2007), Bay of Biscay, French Pays Basque, and Spanish Cantabria (this work).

Ecology

Spongia maitasuna is found on rocky substrate in shallow water cliffs, boulders, or semi-dark and dark cavities, habitats usually with high wave energy. This sponge presents a patchy distribution and lives in syntopy with S. lamella . In some cases, both Spongiidae present contact interactions.

Some specimens may have epibiotic organisms, mostly encrusting sponges and zoanthids. No sign of predation was observed. In the specimens collected between late June and late July, various stages of embryogenesis were observed, including early fertilized eggs, various morula stages, and pre-larvae. No spermatic cysts were observed.

Taxonomic remarks

The new species is assigned to Spongia because its body is not lacunose, as in Hippospongia or Hyatella, and it does not present an armoured ectosomal skeleton, as in Coscinoderma or Leiosella . Unlike Rhopaloeides , which presents long and simple fascicles of primary fibres, the primary fibres of the new species are simple and sometimes anastomosed. In Spongia , the new species should belong to the subgenus Spongia , because it presents a simple primary skeleton with regular and polygonal meshes. However, considering the present status of the genus, we prefer not to use this infrageneric, lower rank classification (see the Discussion section).

Spongia maitasuna shares with the type species of Spongia the very thin collagenic epidermal skin and the fact that primary fibres are never forming fascicles, in other words they are never fused. In S. officinalis , the primary fibres are thicker than in the new species, ranging from 50 to 100 µm. The network of secondary fibres is much denser in S. officinalis , and the meshes do not have the typical honeycomb shape of the new species. This structure of the secondary skeleton is found in S. cf. officinalis from Ceuta, Strait of Gibraltar. The main difference in this case lies in the primary fibres, which are slightly larger than in the new species (70–110 µm), and in the overall growth form ( Fig.2 ). Spongia maitasuna has a morphology similar to S. nitens , and both species display a pith within their primary fibres. But S. nitens has a denser secondary skeleton, and the secondary fibres are devoid of pith. Moreover, tertiary fibres were present in the two studied specimens of S. nitens , but according to the literature they can be absent ( Vacelet 1959, Manconi et al. 2013). They were recorded in all specimens of the new species. Finally, the new species shares with the studied specimen of S. zimocca the anastomosed primary fibres and the thickness of the secondary fibres, although they can be reported thicker (50–80 µm) in the literature ( Vacelet 1959, Manconi et al. 2013). In the studied specimen of S. zimocca , the primary fibres are much thicker, 50–100 µm (100–200 µm in the literature) than in the new species. These fibres also present a pith, although this trait has not been reported previously ( Vacelet 1959, Castritsi-Catharios et al. 2011, Manconi et al. 2013), and rare foreign spicules. Finally, the spongin network is overall irregular and denser in S. zimocca than in the new species.

Figures

Figure 2. A–D, in situ pictures of Spongia maitasuna in Baloo tunnel, Ciboure, France (A, B) and Mouro Island, Santander, Spain (C, D). E, Spongia officinalis from Marseille, France.F, Spongia cf.officinalis from Ceuta, Strait of Gibraltar, Spain.

Figure 3. Sections of the spongin skeleton of Spongia maitasuna. A, general view of the surface and the skeleton, showing the epiderm made of collagen fibrils and the primary fibres with a pith (arrows).B, secondary fibres organized in a regular honeycomb network.C, in the primary fibres, the pith can be black (black arrow) or translucent (white arrow). D, perforated plates close to the primary fibres.E, secondary fibres with a pith (arrows). F, spicules and debris in the ectoderm.G, tertiary fibres.H, detail of a junction between secondary and tertiary fibres (arrow).