Sponge biodiversity of South Georgia island with descriptions of fifteen new species

• Published in: Zootaxa
• Main Authors: GOODWIN, CLAIRE, BREWIN, PAUL E, BRICKLE, PAUL
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Mangolia Press 2012
• Subjects: Porifera; sponge; South Georgia; Antarctic; Southern Ocean; biogeography; SCUBA diving; taxonomy; endemic; South Georgia Island; Antarc*
• Online Access: https://www.mapress.com/j/zt/article/view/zootaxa.3542.1.1; https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3542.1.1

Sponge samples were taken by SCUBA diving from sixteen sites on the north coast of South Georgia island, south westSouthern Ocean. Fifteen new species are described: Iophon husvikensis sp. nov., Clathria (Clathria) stromnessa sp.nov., Clathria (Axosuberites) rosita sp. nov., Clathria (Microciona) matthewsi sp. nov., Lissodendoryx (Ectyodoryx)collinsi sp. nov., Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) barnesi sp. nov., Hymedesmia (Stylopus) pharos sp. nov., Myxilla(Burtoanchora) ponceti sp. nov., Tedania (Tedaniopsis) aurantiaca sp. nov., Tedania (Tedaniopsis) wellsae sp. nov.,Mycale (Mycale) brownorum sp. nov., Mycale (Mycale) cartwrighti sp. nov., Haliclona (Soestella) crowtheri sp. nov.,Microxina myxa sp. nov. and Calyx shackletoni sp. nov. Information is also provided on the distribution and in situexternal appearance of other sponge species such as Cinachyra barbata Sollas 1886, Polymastia invaginata Kirkpatrick1907, Iophon unicorne Topsent 1907, Phorbas glaberrimus (Topsent 1917), Myxilla (Ectyomyxilla) kerguelensis(Hentschel 1914) and Rossella nuda Topsent 1901. These results increase the previously reported low spongeendemicity in South Georgia, which now better aligns with the high endemicity of other groups. However, because wesampled areas that have been poorly sampled in the Southern Ocean / Antarctic region (shallow subtidal, rocky), manyof these species may have wider polar distributions. The effect of the Polar Front as a dispersal barrier to neighbouring biogeographic regions is discussed.