Field Guide to Sponges of the Eastern Canadian Arctic

• Main Authors: Dinn, Curtis, Leys, Sally P.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Microscopy; Sponges; Species; Porifera; Field Guide; Spicules; Lancaster Sound; Taxonomy; Northwest Atlantic; Baffin Bay; Canada; Arctic; Labrador Sea; Baffin
• Online Access: https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/2c35aafd-c12c-4ff6-ab79-697514e7267b; https://doi.org/10.7939/R3DF6KJ4G

The goal of this guide is to derive a better understanding of the biodiversity of sponges across the eastern Canadian Arctic. Specimens were collected during research cruises aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Amundsen in October 2015, July 2016 and July 2017. Collection sites were selected based on reported areas of high sponge abundance and particular emphasis was given to deep, hard-bottom habitats where collection of benthic organisms is not possible using traditional sampling methods such as sediment grabs and cores. The study material includes 162 sponge specimens comprising 61 separate species, 19 of which could only be identified to the genus level. This guide describes sponges based on their outer morphology and skeleton.