Cryptic diversity of genus Leucosolenia (Porifera: Calcarea) of the White and Barents Seas

• Main Authors: Ekimova, Irina, Azevedo, Fernanda, Lavrov, Andrey, Koynova, Alexandra, Ereskovsky, Alexander
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: F1000 Research Limited 2019
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7490/f1000research.1116616.1; https://f1000research.com/posters/8-489

Calcareous sponges of the genus Leucosolenia are a model object for evolutionary developmental biology studies. However, recent studies on the class Calcarea, and in particular on the subclass Calcaronea, indicates the presence of high cryptic diversity within most genera. Our study was aimed on the comprehensive analysis of the species Leucosolenia complicata from the White and Barents Seas using molecular, morphological, embryological and ecological data. We have shown that the species L. complicata dwells only in the North Atlantic. In the White and Barents Seas, the diversity of this genus is represented by a complex of widespread critical species. Financial support by the Russian Science Foundation no. 17-14-01089 and Russian Foundation of Basic Research nos. 19-04-00545 and 19-04-00563 is gratefully acknowledged.