Search

Strongylacidon zanzibarense Lendenfeld, 1897 (Fig. 8 A���F) Examined material. Sample Raja 071: Indonesia, Raja Ampat, Goss Over, 15 m, 2006. Description. Massively encrusting sponge, about 2 mm thick; growing on Carijoa riisei colonies up to anthocodiae that remain free to expand and retract (Fig. 8 A, B). The examined sample consists of a single portion of coral that is 6 cm long. Surface smooth, pierced by groups of pores visible without magnification (Fig. 8 A���C). The sponge is mustard coloured in situ, with transparent subectosomal canals converging on elevated oscules (Fig. 8 A). In ethanol the colour is uniformly light yellowish (Fig. 8 B). Skeleton. No specialized ectosomal skeleton, only a membranous peel covering the pulpy body. The choanosomal skeleton is plumose, with strongyles organized in multispicular tracts (25 ��� (66.8 �� 32.0) ��� 140 ��m thick) reinforced with spongin (Fig. 8 D). Numerous chelae and strongyles are also scattered among the tracts. Sand is present in low quantities in the sponge tissue and in the spicule tracts. Spicules. Strongyles straight or slightly curved (Fig. 8 E), 130 ��� (173.8 �� 38.3) ��� 225 x 2 ��� (2.4 �� 0.2) ��� 2.5 ��m. Unguiferate anisochelae with three teeth splayed outwards and different in size on the two extremities (Fig. 8 F), 10 ��� (12.3 �� 0.7) ��� 12.5 ��m. Distribution and remarks. This is the first record for Indonesia and the second after the original description from Zanzibar. The species was also observed in the Bunaken National Park (North Sulawesi) growing on pergamentaceous tubes of polychaetes (C.B. pers. observ.). Strongylacidon zanzibarense was originally described as an epibiont on the carapace of a crab (Lendenfeld 1897) with a crust about 5���8 mm thick (van Soest 2002 b). Van Soest (2002 b) noted that the holotype of S. zanzibarense possessed a reticulation of tracts of strongyles, reinforced by spongin, straight strongyles (160 ��� 260 x 3 ��� 4 ��m) and peculiar unguiferate chelae (about 9 ��m, from the image reported in van Soest 2002 b: 526) that may be considered anisochelae, with different teeth on the opposite extremities. The Indonesian specimen fits with the species described by Lendenfeld especially in the size of the spicules and in the peculiar shape of the chelae. In our specimen the skeleton consists of strongyles organized in multispicular, plumose tracts; this organisation, different from that reported by van Soest (2002 b) for the holotype, is probably due to the slenderness of our specimen (only 2 mm). It has been noted that the plumose, choanosomal skeleton of encrusting Strongylacidon specimens becomes reticulate in massive ones (van Soest 2002 b)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 15-16, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Lendenfeld, R. Von (1897) Spongien von Sansibar. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 21, 93 - 133."]}

Genus Gelliodes Ridley, 1884 Gelliodes hamata Thiele, 1903 (Fig. 33 A���I) Examined material. Sample Bugor Onong: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Onong, 28 m, 27 January 2007. Description. The sponge covers about 7 cm of the colony of Paratelesto rosea, starting from the basal stolons (Fig. 33 A); the rest of the colony is covered by Mycale (Aegogropila) furcata n. sp. Surface microhispid. In ethanol the sponge is purple with whitish shadings (Fig. 33 A, B). Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton consists of an irregular, tangential network of spongin fibres containing single oxeas (Fig. 33 C, D) and scattered sigmas. The choanosomal skeleton is similar to the ectosome but more irregular (Fig. 33 E, F). Ascending fibres of the choanosome pierce the surface making it slightly shaggy (Fig. 33 D). Spicules. Oxeas in a single size class (Fig. 33 G), 200 ��� (265.3 �� 35.2) ��� 305 x 2 ��� (7 �� 3.8) ��� 12.5 ��m. Sigmas of two kinds: sigmas I flabellate (Fig. 33 H), 95 ��� (112.5 �� 9.5) ��� 125 ��m; sigmas II (Fig. 33 I), 17.5 ��� (25.3 �� 4.3) ��� 30 ��m. Distribution and remarks. Indonesia. This is the second record of the species in Indonesia since its first description. Flabellate sigmas are also present in Gelliodes flagellifera Vacelet, Vasseur & L��vi, 1976. The latter and G. h a m a t a are very similar in terms of spicule complement and dimensions, and both can incorporate sand grains and foreign material. In G. flagellifera oxeas are 250 ��� 300 x 7.5 ��� 10 ��m, sigmas flabellate are 100 ��� 120 x 1.2 ��� 2 ��m and regular sigmas are 30 ��� 40 x 1.2 ��� 2 ��m (Vacelet et al. 1976). Vacelet et al. (1976) reported G. flagellifera from Madagascar (as Gelliodes flagellifer (Ridley & Dendy, 1886), originally described by Ridley & Dendy as Gellius flagellifer). According to van Soest et al. (2011), to date Ridley & Dendy���s species is considerd as Haliclona (Gellius) flagellifera and the specimen of Vacelet et al. (1976) is elevated to specific status (as Gelliodes flagellifera). As consequence of the previous considerations G. flagellifera Vacelet et al. 1976 is likely a junior synonym of G. hamata Thiele., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 51-53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Ridley, S. O. (1884) Spongiida. In: Report on the Zoological Collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the Voyage of H. M. S. ' Alert', 1881 - 2. British Museum of Natural History: London, 366 - 482, 582 - 630.","Thiele, J. (1903) Kieselschwamme von Ternate. II. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 25, 933 - 968.","Vacelet, J., Vasseur, P. & Levi, C. (1976) Spongiaires de la pente externe des recifs coralliens de Tulear (Sud-Ouest de Madagascar). Memoires du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle (A, Zoologie), 49,1 - 116.","Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1886) Preliminary Report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. ' Challenger'. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (5) 18, 325 - 351, 470 - 493. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222938609459982","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011)."]}

Mycale (Aegogropila) cf. lilianae Carballo & Hajdu, 1998 (Fig. 23 A���L) (Tab. 10) Examined material. Sample HK 3: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Hawai���i Kay, 1 m, 31 August 2003; sample HK 8: Hawai���i, Oahu Island, Hawai���i Kay, depth between 0.5���3m, 31 May 2007. Comparative material: Mycale (Aegogropila) lilianae Carballo & Hajdu, 1998, paratypes MNRJ 296, MNRJ 369 (two slides). Description. The sponge is very thin (about 1 mm) and completely envelops a colony of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 23 A), with the exception of anthocodiae that are free from the sponge cover. The examined specimens consist of several fragments of coral colonies, up to 8 cm long (Fig. 23 B). The surface is macroscopically smooth, but mycalostyles protrude from the surface making it microhispid. In situ red (Fig 23 A), beige in ethanol (Fig. 23 B). Skeleton. The ectosome is well defined and consists of paucispicular tracts of mycalostyles (4���5 spicules) creating a reticulum with triangular or polygonal meshes (Fig. 23 C). Sigmas, toxas and anisochelae I in rosettes are located in the tracts, while anisochelae II and III are scattered in the tissue. Due to the extreme thinness of the sponge, the choanosome can not be clearly determined; nevertheless ascending tracts of mycalostyles, with sigmas and toxas are visible; these tracts run towards the surface making it hispid (Fig. 23 D). Spicules. Straight mycalostyles slightly constricted beneath the elongated head (Fig. 23 E), 240 ��� 280 x 5 ��� 10 ��m. Centrally the shaft is slightly swollen (Fig. 23 E). Sigmas ���C��� shaped, sometimes ���S��� shaped, in two size classes: sigmas I (Fig. 23 F), 92.5 ��� 117.5 x 5 ��� 11.5 ��m; sigmas II (Fig. 23 G), 17.5���27.5 ��m. Anisochelae palmate, in three size classes, similar in shape: anisochelae I (Fig. 23 H), 42.5���50 ��m; anisochelae II (Fig. 23 I), 22.5���27.5 ��m; anisochelae III (Fig. 23 J), 12.5���17 ��m. Toxas in wide dimensional range (Fig. 23 K), 17.5���380 ��m. Micracanthoxeas generally curved with numerous spines (Fig. 23 L), 5���10 ��m. Refer to Tab. 10 for complete measurements. Distribution and remarks. Brazil. Micracanthoxeas are present in six species of Mycale belonging to subgenera Aegogropila and Carmia (Carballo & Cruz-Barraza 2010): M. (C.) micracanthoxea Buizer & van Soest, 1977; M. (C.) urizae Carballo & Hajdu, 1998; M. (A.) bamfieldensis Reiswig & Kaiser, 1989; M. (A.) escarlatei Hajdu, Zea, Kielman & Peixinho, 1995; M. (A.) lilianae Carballo & Hajdu, 1998; M. (C.) hentscheli Hooper & Wiedenmayer, 1994 (see M. (A.) furcata). Among these, M. (A.) lilianae is the only species close to the Hawaiian specimens in the shape and size of the spicules. The study of the paratypes of M. (A.) lilianae confirmed that the Hawaiian and the Brazilian specimens are morphologically very similar. The measurements of spicules from Carballo & Hajdu (1998) are reported in Tab. 10. In the type locality M. (A.) lilianae was also found living on C. riisei. It is unlikely that the Hawaiian and the Brazilian specimens are conspecific with such a disjunct distribution but in the absence of molecular evidence we can not elucidate their cryptogenic nature., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 37-39, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Carballo, J. L. & Hajdu, E. (1998) Micromorphology in Mycale taxonomy (Mycalidae, Poecilosclerida, Demospongiae) with the description of two new micracanthoxea-bearing species. Contributions to Zoology, 67 (3), 187 - 195.","Carballo, J. L. & Cruz-Barraza, J. A. (2010) A revision of the genus Mycale (Poecilosclerida: Mycalidae) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Contributions to Zoology, 79 (4), 165 - 191.","Buizer, D. A. G. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (1977) Mycale micracanthoxea nov. spec. (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) from the Netherlands. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 11 (3 / 4), 297 - 304. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1016 / 0077 - 7579 (77) 90010 - 2","Reiswig, H. M. & Kaiser, H. (1989) Description of Mycale bamfieldense n. sp. (Porifera. Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) from Vancouver Island. British Columbia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 67 (3), 674 - 677. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1139 / z 89 - 097","Hajdu, E., Zea, S., Kielman, M. & Peixinho, S. (1995) Mycale escarlatei n. sp. and Mycale unguifera n. sp. (Demospongiae) from the Tropical-Western Atlantic. Beaufortia, 45 (1), 1 - 16.","Hooper, J. N. A. & Wiedenmayer, F. (1994) Porifera. In: Wells, A. (Ed), Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 12. CSIRO, Melburne, pp. 1 - 620."]}

Chondropsis subtilis n. sp. (Fig. 6 A���H) (Tab. 3) Holotype material. MSNG 56260: sample Bugor 504: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Manado Tua Island, Negeri, 15 m, September 2007. Paratype material. MSNG 56261: sample Siladen Village: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, 10 m, October 2008. Comparative material: Chondropsis wilsoni Dendy, 1895 holotype material BMNH, 1902.10.18.155- 156-157 (three slides). Diagnosis. Chondropsis subtilis is characterised by a surface that is covered by a reticulated pattern of fine sand, a main skeleton of longitudinal, ascending tracts of sand, strongyles and foreign spicules embedded in spongin; spicules are thin strongyles (2 ��m) as megascleres and small sigmas as microscleres. Description. The sponge (holotype) encrusts a colony of Carijoa riisei as a pellicle up to 0.5 mm thick (Fig. 6 A, B), leaving only the polyp openings free. The holotype occurs on several branches of the coral, up to 14 cm long (Fig. 6 C). The paratype occurs on several inter-crossing branches of C. riisei covered by numerous other epibionts (bryozoans, vermetids, foraminifera). Consistency soft and compressible. Surface microconulose due to protruding choanosomal bundles; in some portions of the sponge surface sand and spicules create a fine network (Fig. 6 D). In the paratype the surface is collapsed, the conules are more prominent and the sponge surface is strongly shaggy. The colour is pink salmon in situ (Fig. 6 A, B), whitish in ethanol (Fig. 6 C). Skeleton. Ectosomal skeleton of scattered, tangential strongyles, sand and abundant foreign spicules. A regular network of polygonal to circular meshes, about 100 ��m in diameter, is evident on the sponge surface (Fig. 6 D); in some parts of the sponge, the surface consists of an homogeneous layer of sand, foreign spicules and strongyles (Fig. 6 E) and the regular pattern of sand is not evident. Choanosomal skeleton of longitudinal, ascending tracts of spongin (70���125 ��m in diameter), embedded sand grains, strongyles and foreign spicules connected by debris and transverse strongyles; they sometimes branch dichotomously reaching the ectosome (Fig. 6 F). Strongyles from the longitudinal tracts extend beyond the surface thus making it microhispid (Fig. 6 F). Spicules. Abundant strongyles, straight and very thin, (Fig. 6 G), with a central black canal, 142.5 ��� 180 x 2 ��m. Sigmas (Fig. 6 H) ���C��� shaped very thin, abundant and ���S��� shaped rare, 13.5 ��� 18.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 3 for complete measurements. Remarks. The in situ photograph of the holotype shows a massive sponge with scattered oscules close to the colony of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 6 B) and spreading over the octocoral. The massive sponge has the same colour as the epibiontic one described above. They also share similar surface features. We collected only the epibiontic portion but it is very likely that the species is also able to grow in a massive form. All species of Chondropsis have been described from the Indo-Pacific (van Soest et al. 2011). Among these, the species with spicular complement similar to C. subtilis n. sp. (strongyles and sigmas as the unique type of microscleres) are C. ceratosus Kirkpatrick, 1900, C. chaliniformis Lendenfeld, 1889, C. columnifera Dendy, 1895, C. confoederata (Lamarck, 1814), C. kirkii (Bowerbank, 1841), C. lamella (Vacelet, Vasseur & Lev��, 1976) and C. wilsoni Dendy, 1895. Chondropsis australis (Dendy, 1896) differs in having isochelae in addition to sigmas. The remaining species lack microscleres. Chondropsis ceratosus, C. chaliniformis and C. columnifera differ from the new species mainly in having larger sigmas (30���50 ��m, 30 ��m and 35 ��m respectively). Chondropsis kirkii has very small sigmas (5 ��m). Chondropsis lamella differs in having two size categories of sigmas (25���30 ��m and 12 ��m). The examination of the holotype of C. wilsoni reveals that it differs from the new species in having: i) strongyles or tylotes, with irregular extremities, as megascleres (180 x 2.5 ��m), ii) the distribution on the surface of small, scattered exogenous material, without a sandy dermal reticulation, and iii) tracts of strongyles in the choanosome being perpendicular to the surface without tangential, connecting strongyles; these tracts of spicules end in tufts. Chondropsis confoederata differs in having flexuous or bent strongyles (140 ��� 160 x 1 ��� 3 ��m) and a choanosomal skeleton of spongin fibres without clear orientation. Etymology. Named after the latin ��� subtilis ���, meaning thin; referring to its very thin strongyles., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 12-14, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Dendy, A. (1895) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (New Series), 7, 232 - 260.","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Kirkpatrick, R. (1900). Description of Sponges from Funafuti. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (7) 6 (34), 345 - 362.","Lendenfeld, R. Von (1889) A Monograph of the Horny Sponges. Trubner and Co., London, 936 pp.","Lamarck, J. B. P. de Monet, Comte de (1814) Sur les polypiers empates. Annales Museum National D'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 20, 370 - 386, 432 - 458.","Bowerbank, J. S. (1841) Descriptions of three species of sponge, containing some new forms of organization. Microscopical Journal London, 1, 161 - 162.","Vacelet, J., Vasseur, P. & Levi, C. (1976) Spongiaires de la pente externe des recifs coralliens de Tulear (Sud-Ouest de Madagascar). Memoires du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle (A, Zoologie), 49,1 - 116.","Dendy, A. (1896) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (New Series), 8, 14 - 51."]}

Mycale (Aegogropila) furcata n. sp. (Figs. 25 A���F; 26 A���F; 27) (Tabs. 11; 12) Holotype material. MSNG 56265: sample Bugor 307: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, depth not stated, January 2007. Paratype material. MSNG 56266: sample Bugor 332: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, depth not stated, January 2007. MSNG 56436: sample Bugor Onong: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Onong, depth not stated, 27 January 2007 Comparative material: holotype of Mycale (Carmia) hentscheli Hooper & Wiedenmayer, 1994, new name for Mycale macilenta var. australis Hentschel, 1911 ZMB Por 4402 (see van Soest et al. 2011 for details) (Fig. 26 G- N). Diagnosis. Mycale (Aegogropila) furcata n. sp. is characterised by two categories of sigmas, the larger one often with one bifurcate extremity, by two categories of chelae and by toxas similar to raphidotoxas. Description. Very thin encrusting sponge, about 1 mm thick, covering the axis of a colony of Paratelesto rosea (Fig. 25 A, B) up to the bases of anthocodiae (Fig. 25 C). Surface macroscopically smooth but microhispid due to the mycalostyles of the choanosomal tracts. Consistency soft. In some areas transparent, branching canals converging towards elevated oscules. In situ whitish or transparent, with the red colour of the octocoral visible underneath (Fig. 25 A���C). White in ethanol (Fig. 25 B, C). The holotype consists of a small colony of P. ro s ea about 16 cm long, and of two detached fragments (Fig. 25 A, B); the paratype is a colony of about 13 cm that is reproductive and contains numerous larvae (Fig. 25 C). Skeleton. Ectosomal skeleton of tangential mycalostyles organized in tracts and connected by single mycalostyles (Fig. 25 D, E); numerous scattered microscleres. Choanosomal skeleton of plumoreticulate tracts of mycalostyles running towards the surface where they open in fans, making it hispid (Fig. 25 F). Anisochelae I arranged in rosettes over the tracts, beneath the surface. All microscleres are scattered in the tissue. Spicules. Mycalostyles generally straight with a slight constriction beneath the head and with hastate tips (Fig. 26 A), 140 ��� 190 x 2 ��� 3.7 ��m. Anisochelae in two size classes as confirmed by Bhattacharya analysis (Figs. 26 B, C; 27; Tab. 11). The smaller extremity frequently bears fused alae with a space in between. Anisochelae I, more numerous, with the frontal ala shorter than the dorsal one (Fig. 26 B), 17.5���35 ��m; anisochelae II with the smaller extremity characterised by a short tooth on the small, frontal ala (Fig. 26 C), 10���17.5 ��m. Numerous intermediate forms are present. Sigmas numerous, ���C��� or ���S��� shaped in two size classes: sigmas I often with one bifurcate extremity (Fig. 26 D), 52.5 ��� 87.5 x 2 ��� 5 ��m; sigmas II very thin (Fig. 26 E), 25���36 ��m. Toxas very similar to raphidotoxas, with a slight central flexion, variable in length but in a single size class (Fig. 26 F), 51���222.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 12 for complete measurements. Remarks. The species of the subgenus Aegogropila that are similar to this new species for their spicular complement are M. (A.) lilianae (Carballo & Hajdu, 1998), M. (A.) escarlatei Hajdu, Zea, Kielman & Peixinho, 1995 and M. (A.) plumosa Hoshino, 1981. M. (A.) lilianae and M. (A.) escarlatei were described from the Brazilian coasts, while M. (A.) plumosa is known from Japan. Mycale (A.) lilianae has longer and thicker mycalostyles, anisochelae in three classes, toxas of classical shape and micracanthoxeas (Tab. 10). Mycale (A.) escarlatei differs from the new species in spicule dimensions and in the presence of micracanthoxeas; mycalostyles are longer (254���350 ��m), anisochelae are in three categories and toxas (in two categories) are shorter (up to 77 ��m). Mycale (A.) plumosa has longer and gently sinuous mycalostyles (215 ��� 278 ��� 310 x 4 ��� 6 ��� 7 ��m), as well as three categories of sigmas (sigmas III, 10 ��m). The species belonging to the subgenus Carmia (as it is considered likely polyphyletic (van Soest & Hajdu 2002 b)) were also compared to this new species. In particular M. (C.) macilenta (Bowerbank, 1866), M. (C.) hentscheli Hooper & Wiedenmayer, 1994 and M. (C.) tasmani Bergquist & Fromont, 1988 show the spicular complement close to the new species (with subtylostyles and anisochelae in two or three size classes, sigmas in two size classes and a single category of toxas). Mycale (C.) macilenta and M. (C.) tasmani have bigger mycalostyles (198���265 ��m and 175���242 ��m in length, respectively) and sigmas I (85���102 ��m and 65���104 ��m in length, respectively). The comparison with the holotype of M. (C.) hentscheli (Fig. 26 G���N) highlighted differences in the shape of sigmas II and toxas, and in the length of mycalostyles (232���306 ��m). SEM observations revealed the presence of micracanthoxeas in M. (C.) hentscheli (about 4 ��m long) (Fig. 26 N), which had not been reported by previous authors. Etymology. Named after the bifurcate extremities of sigmas., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 41-42, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Hooper, J. N. A. & Wiedenmayer, F. (1994) Porifera. In: Wells, A. (Ed), Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 12. CSIRO, Melburne, pp. 1 - 620.","Hentschel, E. (1911) Tetraxonida. 2. In: Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (Eds.), Die Fauna Sudwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger sudwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905 Vol. 10, Fischer, Jena, pp. 279 - 393.","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Carballo, J. L. & Hajdu, E. (1998) Micromorphology in Mycale taxonomy (Mycalidae, Poecilosclerida, Demospongiae) with the description of two new micracanthoxea-bearing species. Contributions to Zoology, 67 (3), 187 - 195.","Hajdu, E., Zea, S., Kielman, M. & Peixinho, S. (1995) Mycale escarlatei n. sp. and Mycale unguifera n. sp. (Demospongiae) from the Tropical-Western Atlantic. Beaufortia, 45 (1), 1 - 16.","Hoshino, T. (1981) Shallow-Water Demosponges of Western Japan, 1. Journal of Science of the Hiroshima University, (B) 29 (1), 47 - 205.","Soest, R. W. M. van & Hajdu, E. (2002 b). Family Mycalidae Lundbeck, 1905. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow, pp. 669 - 690. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 73","Bowerbank, J. S. (1866) A Monograph of the British Spongiadae Vol. 2. London, Ray Society, pp. 1 - 388.","Bergquist, P. R. & Fromont, P. J. (1988) The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 4 (Poecilosclerida). New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Memoir, 96, 1 - 197."]}

Hymedesmia (Stylopus) perlucida n. sp. (Fig. 15 A���G) Holotype material. MSNG 56264: sample Bugor 511: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Nain Island, Jalan Masuk, 17 m, 9 September 2007. Diagnosis. Hymedesmia (Stylopus) perlucida n. sp. is characterised by a single category of acanthostyles and by fusiform isotornotes. Description. Very thin encrusting sponge (about Paratelesto rosea (Fig. 15 A���C); only the anthocodiae are free from sponge cover (Fig. 15 C). The holotype covers a portion of a Paratelesto colony that is about 8 cm long (Fig. 15 B). Surface is macroscopically smooth. The consistency is gelatinous. Transparent in situ (Fig. 15 A) and in ethanol (Fig. 15 B), so that the red colour of the octocoral is visible through the sponge tissue; white in dried state (Fig. 15 C). Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton consists of confused plurispicular tracts and scattered tornotes. The choanosomal skeleton consists of single acanthostyles erect on the coral surface and paucispicular tracts of tornotes (Fig. 15 D, E). Spicules. Isotornotes straight, fusiform, gradually thinner towards the extremities (Fig. 15 F), 147.5 ��� (156.5 �� 7.8) ��� 170 x 2.5 ��m. Acanthostyles with small spines concentrated on the head and scarce along the shaft (Fig. 15 G), 110 ��� (131.7 �� 14.7) ��� 155 x 2.5 ��� (3.3 �� 1) ��� 5 ��m. Remarks. Among the nine species of Hymedesmia (Stylopus) of the Indo-Pacific area (van Soest et al. 2011), those closest to this new species are H. (S.) parvispicula Burton & Rao, 1932 and H. (S.) australiensis (Hentschel, 1911), both of which also have tornotes and acanthostyles in a single category. The other known species differ in the larger size of the spicules: H. (S.) acerata (Topsent, 1904) has tornotes of 460���480 ��m, and acanthostyles of 140���380 ��m; H. (S.) dendy Burton, 1930 has tornotes of 700 x 16 ��m and tylostyles of 2 mm and acanthostyles of 120���240 ��m; H. (S.) indivisa Topsent, 1928 has tylotes of 420���540 ��m and acanthostyles of 210���595 ��m; H. (S.) obtusa Topsent, 1904 has acanthostyles of 130���230 ��m and polytylote tylotes of 280 ��m. H. (S.) australis (Bergquist & Fromont, 1988), H. (S.) lissostyla (Bergquist & Fromont, 1988) and H (S.) oculifera (Hentshel, 1911) have two categories of acanthostyles. In H. (S.) parvispicula tornotes vary in shape from strongylote to amphytylotes; their size is also bigger (210 x 3 ��m). Hymedesmia (S.) australiensis differs from the new species especially in the shape of the tornotes, which are characterised by swollen extremities, and in their size (176 ��� 192 x 2 ��m). Etymology. Named after the transparent colour of living tissues., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 25, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Burton, M. & Rao, H. (1932) Report on the shallow-water marine sponges in the collection of the Indian Museum. Part I. Records of the Indian Museum, 34, 299 - 358.","Hentschel, E. (1911) Tetraxonida. 2. In: Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (Eds.), Die Fauna Sudwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger sudwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905 Vol. 10, Fischer, Jena, pp. 279 - 393.","Topsent, E. (1904) Spongiaires des Acores. Resultats des campagnes scientifiques accomplies par le Prince Albert I. Monaco, 25, 280 pp.","Burton, M. (1930) Additions to the Sponge Fauna at Plymouth. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 16 (2), 489 - 507. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0025315400072891","Topsent, E. (1928) Spongiaires de l'Atlantique et de la Mediterranee provenant des croisieres du Prince Albert ler de Monaco. Resultats des campagnes scientifiques accomplies par le Prince Albert I. Monaco, 74, 376 pp.","Bergquist, P. R. & Fromont, P. J. (1988) The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 4 (Poecilosclerida). New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Memoir, 96, 1 - 197."]}

Spirastrella cf. cunctatrix Schmidt, 1868 (Fig. 4 A���G) Examined material. Sample HL 162: Vietnam, Hang Trai Island, Hang Du II Lake, 5 m, 26 April 2004. Description. The sponge, about 1 mm thick, covers the basal stolons and the proximal portion of a colony of Carijoa riisei, as well as a bivalve shell (24 cm 2) where the octocoral colony is settled (Fig. 4 A). The surface is smooth, slightly pink in ethanol, with evident subectosomal canals. Skeleton. Spirasters II are concentrated in the ectosome forming a thick superficial crust (Fig. 4 B). Choanosome with scattered spirasters I and II; tylostyles are grouped in multispicular tracts with tyles towards the substrate (Fig. 4 C) and tips protruding beyond the surface. Spicules. Straight tylostyles with hastate tips and generally rounded heads (Fig. 4 D, G), 225 ��� (341.5 �� 66.9) ��� 450 x 5 ��� (8.5 �� 2.3) ��� 10 ��m, with evident axial canal starting from the head. Spirasters in two categories: spirasters I large, with thick, slightly bent axis and conical large spines (Fig. 4 E, G), 30.5 ��� (46.3 �� 6.9) ��� 60.5 x 5 ��� (7.5 �� 1.3) ��� 10 ��m, numerous spicules have a straight and thin axis; spirasters II small, with spiralled axis or rabd-like with straight axis; numerous intermediate forms (Fig. 4 F, G), 5 ��� (8.7 �� 1.4) ��� 12.5 ��m. Distribution and remarks. The spicule shape of the Vietnamese sample and the skeletal organisation are very similar to S. cunctatrix Schmidt, 1868 as described and illustrated by R��tzler (2002) (see Fig. 5: 223). The holotype has tylostyles with oval or rounded heads, 480 x 8 ��m in length on average; small spirasters of 10 ��� 25 x 5 ��� 23 ��m and large spirasters of 28 ��� 50 x 23 ��� 35 ��m (R��tzler, 2002) slightly larger than those of the Vietnamese specimen. Spirastrella cunctatrix was originally described from the Mediterranean Sea, and later recorded also in the Indo- Pacific area (Mergui-Burma Archipelagos (Carter 1887), Hong Kong (van Soest 1982), Madagascar (Vacelet & Vasseur 1971), the Red Sea (L��vi 1965), and Vietnam (Azzini et al. 2007)) but its distribution has to be considered restricted to the Atlanto-Mediterranean area (van Soest et al. 2011). Further molecular studies could clarify its cryptogenic nature. The species was always described as a thin encrusting sponge, with the exception of the massive sponge record from the Red Sea (L��vi 1965)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Schmidt, O. (1868) Die Spongien der Kuste von Algier. Mit Nachtragen zu den Spongien des Adriatischen Meeres (Drittes Supplement). Wilhelm Engelmann, Leipzig, 44 pp.","Rutzler, K. (2002) Family Spirastrellidae Ridley & Dendy, 1886. In Hooper, J. N. A. & van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges, 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow, pp. 220 - 223. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 23","Carter, H. J. (1887) Report on the Marine Sponges, chiefly from King Island, in the Mergui Archipelago, collected for the Trustees of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, by Dr. John Anderson, F. R. S., Superintendent of the Museum. The Journal of the Linnean Society. Zoology, 21 (127 - 128), 61 - 84.","Soest, R. W. M. van (1982) A small collection of sponges (Porifera) from Hong Kong. In: Morton, B. S. & Tseng, C. K. (Eds.), The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China (Proceedings 1 st International Marine Biolology Workshop), 85 - 95.","Vacelet, J. & Vasseur, P. (1971) Eponges des recifs coralliens de Tulear (Madagascar). Tethys, Supplement 1, 51 - 126.","Levi, C. (1965) Spongiaires recoltes par l'expedition israelienne dans le sud de la Mer Rouge en 1962. In: Israel South Red Sea Expedition, 1962, Report 13. Bulletin Sea Fisheries Research Station, Israel, 39, 3 - 27.","Azzini, F., Calcinai, B., Cerrano, C., Bavestrello, G. & Pansini, M. (2007) Sponges of the marine karst lakes and of the coast of the islands of Ha Long Bay (North Vietnam). In: Custodio, M. R., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Hajdu, E. & Muricy, G. (Eds.), Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation and Sustainability. Rio de Janeiro: Museu National, pp. 157 - 164.","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011)."]}

Mycale (Carmia) sp. (Fig. 29 A���F) Examined material. Sample Bugor 310: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, 7 m, 28 January 2007. Description. Gelatinous, very thin encrusting sponge (about 1 mm thick) on Carijoa riisei (Fig. 29 A, B). Brownish-orange in situ (Fig. 29 A), yellow-whitish in ethanol (Fig. 29 B). The collected specimens consist of six fragments of a colony of Carijoa, up to 14 cm in length (Fig. 29 B). Skeleton. No specialized ectosomal skeleton. Plumose tracts of mycalostyles, reinforced by toxas, without evident direction (Fig. 29 C). Anisochelae scattered in the tissue. Spicules. Thin mycalostyles generally straight, with oval, needle-shaped heads and blunt tips (Fig. 29 D), 125 ��� (194.8 �� 25.8) ��� 212.5 x 2 ��m. Anisochelae with a characteristic tooth on the frontal basal ala (Fig. 29 E), 12.5 ��� (13.6 �� 1.7) ��� 17.5 ��m. Toxas with a well pronounced central flexion (Fig. 29 F), 62 ��� (174.0 �� 82.4) ��� 380 ��m. Remarks. The attribution to the subgenus Carmia is uncertain due to the bad preservation of the specimen. The presence of an ectosomal skeleton is doubtful. Mycale (C.) toxifera (Dendy, 1896) is very close to Mycale (Carmia) sp. especially in the shape of mycalostyles, but the microscleres are different in shape and dimensions (see M. (C.) cf. toxifera description)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 46, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Dendy, A. (1896) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (New Series), 8, 14 - 51."]}

Monanchora enigmatica (Burton & Rao, 1932) (Fig. 9 A���E) Examined material. Sample Bugor 410 (bis 1): Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, 27 m, September 2007. Description. Fleshy, thin sponge, about 1 mm thick, covering the body wall of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 9 A). The sample occurs on two fragments of the octocoral, about 6 cm in length, which are branched and covered by additional epibionts (Fig. 9 A). Macroscopically smooth surface, yellowish in ethanol (Fig. 9 A). Skeleton. Without a definite ectosome. Choanosomal skeleton of multispicular tracts of strongyles, partially embedded in spongin, running towards the surface, and interconnecting, in a confused way, in the interior parts (Fig. 9 B). These tracts are echinated by styles (Fig. 9 C). Spicules. Strongyles straight (Fig. 9 D), 172.5 ��� (186.8 �� 9.8) ��� 207.5 x 2 ��� (2.5 �� 0.3) ��� 2.5 ��m. Styles slightly constricted beneath the rounded extremity and with a pointed tip (Fig. 9 E), 77.5 ��� (140 �� 25.4) ��� 162 x 2.5 ��� (6.3 �� 1.8) ��� 7.5 ��m. No microscleres. Distribution and remarks. This is a new record for the Indonesian Archipelago and the second after its original description from the Nicobar Islands. In his revision of Monanchora, van Soest (2002 c) stated that the assignment to this genus is uncertain for species having only reduced and modified megascleres. This is the case for M. enigmatica, which lacks microscleres and possesses modified megascleres (strongyles). Nevertheless the species is well characterised by its spicular complement of strongyles and styles with a characteristic ���constricted neck��� (177.2 x 2.6 and 128.9 x 5.6 ��m, respectively) and by a ���plumose dendritric skeleton of bundles of thin strongyles��� echinated by styles (van Soest 2002 c). The skeleton arrangement previously described (Fig. 9 B, C) and the spicular features of our specimen (Fig. 9 D���F) fit with those of the Indian species of Burton & Rao (1932), re-described by van Soest (2002 c). This species was also recorded in massive form, incorporating and overgrowing vermetid tubes, close to the sampling locality (B.C. pers. observ.)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 16, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Burton, M. & Rao, H. (1932) Report on the shallow-water marine sponges in the collection of the Indian Museum. Part I. Records of the Indian Museum, 34, 299 - 358.","Soest, R. W. M. van (2002 c) Family Crambeidae Levi, 1963. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges, 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow, pp. 547 - 555. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 58"]}

Biemna fistulosa (Topsent, 1897) (Fig. 19 A���I) (Tab. 8) Examined material. Sample HK 11: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Hawai���i Kai, depth between 0.5���3 m, 31 May 2007; sample HK 12: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Hawai���i Kay, depth not stated, 31 May 2007; sample HK 13: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Hawai���i Kai, depth not stated, 31 May 2007. Description. The HK 11 specimens grew in massive forms around the axis of seven small portions of Carijoa riisei, up to 5 cm long. Specimen HK 13 consists of a small fragment that is very badly preserved, covering a colony of C. riisei. Specimen HK 12 produced long fistules, encrusting the axis of the coral (Fig. 19 A, B). Only a small portion of this specimen was examined. It covers a small colony of C. riisei about 7 cm long, with a small portion of a fistula. The fistula has a thin wall and smooth surface. The sponge is fragile and breaks easily. In situ the sponge is yellow (Fig. 19 A), pale yellowish when preserved. Skeleton. Ectosomal skeleton absent, only a thin membrane with detritus and pigmented cells. Choanosomal skeleton plumoreticulate with multispicular tracts running towards the surface (Fig. 19 C); groups of raphides are visible scattered in the choanosome. Specimen HK 11 has a more regular reticulum. Spicules. Styles, with a slight curve in the basal part of the axis, and with regular head (Fig. 19 D), 295 ��� 370 x 5 ��� 12.5 ��m. Microxeas in two categories: microxeas I smooth and with different extremities (Fig. 19 E), 82.5 ��� 117.5 x 2.5 ��m; microxeas II with one smooth extremity and the other microspined (Fig. 19 F), 20���43.7 ��m. Raphides with spines oriented towards one extremity (Fig. 19 G), 87.5���125 ��m. Sigmas ���C��� and ���S��� shaped with spined extremities and in a single category (Fig. 19 H), 12.5���50 ��m. Commas rare, sinuous and microspined, with spines directed towards the larger extremity (Fig. 19 I), 22.5���37.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 8 for complete measurements. Distribution and remarks. Ambon (Topsent 1897; Desqueyroux-Fa��ndez 1981), Hong Kong (Pulitzer-Finali 1982), East Africa (Pulitzer-Finali 1993) and Hawai���i (Coles et al. 1999). This species is well characterised by its spicule complement with commas and two kinds of microxeas. The specimen recorded from Hawai���i agrees with the previous records of this species in the size and the shape of spicules. Topsent (1897) described B. fistulosa as a fragile sponge with reticulate skeleton; spicules are styles, more or less curved, especially in the apical part (300 ��� 330 x 8 ��m), sigmas very numerous, in two sizes (58 x 2 ��m and 15 x 1 ��m), two kinds of microxeas (33 x 1 ��m and 105 x 3 ��m) and raphides (110 ��m). Commas were not originally described, but later recorded by the same author (Topsent 1913) in the type material., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Topsent, E. (1897) Spongiaires de la Baie d'Amboine. (Voyage de MM. M. Bedot et C. Pictet dans l'Archipel Malais). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 4, 421 - 487.","Desqueyroux-Faundez, R. (1981) Revision de la collection d'eponges d'Amboine (Moluques, Indonesie) constitue par Bedot et Pictet et conservee au Museum d'histoire naturelle de Geneve. Revue suisse de Zoologie, 88 (3), 723 - 764.","Pulitzer-Finali, G. (1982) Some shallow-water sponges from Hong Kong. In: B. S. Morton & C. K. Tseng, (Eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China. Proceedings 1 st International Marine Biolology Workshop, pp. 97 - 110.","Pulitzer-Finali, G. (1993) A collection of marine sponges from East Africa. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia naturale ' Giacomo Doria', 89, 247 - 350.","Coles, S. L., DeFelice, R. C., Eldredge, L. G. & Carlton, J. T. (1999) Historical and recent introductions of nonindigenous marine species into Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaiian Islands. Marine Biology, 135, 147 - 158. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / s 002270050612"]}

Genus Batzella Topsent, 1893 Batzella aurantiaca (L��vi, 1958) (Fig. 5 A���C) Examined material. Sample SC 1: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Shark���s Cove, depths between 9���15 m, 11 June 2007. Description. Encrusting sponges Carijoa riisei of about 2 cm in length. The anthocodiae are free to expand and retract (Fig. 5 A). Yellow in situ (Fig. 5 A) and whitish in formalin. Skeleton. No ectosomal skeleton. Choanosomal skeleton of small bundles of strongyles, not bound by spongin (Fig. 5 B). Spicules. Straight and very thin strongyles, sometimes with slightly different extremities (Fig. 5 C) and with a black axial canal evident microscopically, 180 ��� (194.5 �� 2.3) ��� 205 x 2.5 ��m. Distribution and remarks. Red Sea. This is a new record for Hawai���i. Like B. aurantiaca (L��vi, 1958), the congeneric species B. frutex Pulitzer-Finali, 1982 and B. melanos (de Laubenfels, 1954) were also described from the Indo-Pacific. Batzella frutex is an erect sponge, composed of numerous branches, with a minutely spined surface. The skeleton consists of spongin fibres of 35 ��m in diameter and strongyles of two kinds (regular strongyles 230 ��� 280 x 3 ��m, strongyles with a blunt or mucronate extremity 125 ��� 175 x 3 ��m). Batzella melanos from Marshall Islands is a black, encrusting species, with skeleton confusedly arranged and straight strongyles (227 ��m). L��vi described B. arauntiaca (as Prianos) from the Red Sea as encrusting, orange-brownish in colour, with irregular tracts of straight strongyles (180 ��� 190 x 1.5 ��m) often characterised by an evident central canal. Later, Vacelet & Vasseur (1971) found other specimens of B. aurantiaca encrusting massive corals in Tulear (South West of Madagascar), with larger strongyles (230 ��� 290 x 2.5 ��� 4 ��m). The specimens from Tulear vary in colour from orange to mauve. The specimen growing on C. riisei fits well with these previous descriptions of B. aurantiaca; in particular, strongyles have the same shape and comparable size, and the skeletal organisation is similar. Several hypotheses may explain this record from Hawai���i, geographically distant from the type locality of the species. Batzella aurantiaca may be a new introduction to Hawai���i much like many other recent records in the archipelago (Carlton & Eldredge 2009). Alternatively, it may have been overlooked by previous surveys (de Laubenfels 1950 a; 1951; 1957; Bergquist 1967; 1977). Great help in clarifying the cryptogenic nature of species with such a wide geographical distribution could come from molecular studies, as already happened for Cliona celata (Xavier et al. 2010; Paula et al. 2012) and Chondrilla nucula (Usher et al. 2004)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 10-11, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Levi, C. (1958) Resultats scientifiques des Campagnes de la ' Calypso'. Campagne 1951 - 1952 en Mer Rouge (suite). 11. Spongiaires de Mer Rouge recueillis par la ' Calypso' (1951 - 1952). Annales de l'Institut Oceanographique, 34 (3), 3 - 46.","Pulitzer-Finali, G. (1982) Some shallow-water sponges from Hong Kong. In: B. S. Morton & C. K. Tseng, (Eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China. Proceedings 1 st International Marine Biolology Workshop, pp. 97 - 110.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1954) The sponges of the West-Central Pacific. Oregon State Monographs. Studies in Zoology, 7, 1 - 306.","Vacelet, J. & Vasseur, P. (1971) Eponges des recifs coralliens de Tulear (Madagascar). Tethys, Supplement 1, 51 - 126.","Carlton, J. T. & Eldredge, L. (2009) Marine bioinvasions of Hawai'i: the introduced and cryptogenic marine and estuarine animals and plants of the Hawaiian archipelago. Bishop Museum Bulletins in Cultural and Environmental Studies, 4, 1 - 202.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1950 a) The Sponges of Kane'ohe Bay, O'ahu. Pacific Science, 4 (1), 3 - 36.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1951) The Sponges of the Islands of Hawai'i. Pacific Science, 5, 256 - 271.","Bergquist, P. R. (1967) Additions to the Sponge Fauna of the Hawaiian Islands. Micronesica, 3 (2), 159 - 174.","Bergquist, P. R. (1977) Porifera. Reef and shore fauna of Hawaii. Section 1: Protozoa through Ctenophora. In: Devaney, D. M. & Eldredge L. G. (Eds.), Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, pp. 53 - 69.","Xavier, J. R., Rachello-Dolmena, V., Parra-Velandia, F., Schonberg, C. H. L, Breeuwera, J. A. J. & van Soest, R. W. M. (2010) Molecular evidence of cryptic speciation in the \" cosmopolitan \" excavating sponge Cliona celata (Porifera, Clionaidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 56, 13 - 20. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2010.03.030","Paula, T. S. de, Zilberberg, C., Hajdu, E. & Lobo-Hajdu G. (2012) Morphology and molecules on opposite sides of the diversity gradient: Four cryptic species of the Cliona celata (Porifera, Demospongiae) complex in South America revealed by mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62, 529 - 541. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2011.11.001","Usher, K. M., Sutton, D. C., Toze, S. Kuo, J., Fromont J. (2004) Biogeography and phylogeny of Chondrilla species (Demospongiae) in Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 270, 117 - 127. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.3354 / meps 270117"]}

Mycale (Carmia) cf. toxifera (Dendy, 1896) (Fig. 28 A���G) (Tab. 13) Examined material. Sample SC. O���ahu: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Shark���s Cove, 14 m, 28 March 2005; sample SC 2: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Shar���s Cove, depth between 9���15 m, 11 June 2007. Description. Thinly encrusting sponge, about 1 mm thick, covering two fragments of Carijoa riisei, up to 5 cm long. Consistency gelatinous. In situ dull orange or ochre (Fig. 28 A), brownish in ethanol (Fig. 28 B). Skeleton. No specialized ectosome. Choanosome made of small tracts of mycalostyles running to the surface and scattered microscleres (Fig. 28 C). Spicules. Mycalostyles straight and very thin, with a well pronounced head (Fig. 28 D), 130 ��� 245 x 2 ��� 2.5 ��m. Palmate anisochelae; the upper part with a well-formed frontal ala, and the basal portion with a single frontal ala and two basal spur-like projections, visible with SEM (Fig. 28 E), 10���16.2 ��m. Sigmas very rare, regular in shape and very thin (Fig. 28 F), 17.5���32.2 ��m. Toxas with a slight central flexion and bent tips (Fig. 28 G), 45���212.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 13 for complete measurements. Distribution and remarks. Australia. The only two Indo-Pacific species of this subgenus that have a similar spicule complement (mycalostyles, sigmas, anisochelae and toxas in a single category) are M. (C.) suezza (Row, 1911) and M. (C.) toxifera. Mycale (C.) suezza has larger spicules: mycalostyles (320 ��� 330 x 4 ��m), sigmas (70 ��m), anisochelae (40 ��m), and toxas (210���310 ��m). The spicule sizes of M. (C.) toxifera (mycalostyles 200 x 4 ��m, anisochelae about 10 ��m, toxas about 95 x 1.7 ��m and very rare sigmas of about 12 ��m) are close to those of our specimens. Dendy (1896) described this species as a massive sponge with a very lax and irregular main skeleton of sinuous, branching and multispicular fibres. Our specimens mainly differ in the thickness of the mycalostyles (very thin). The bad conservation status of the Hawaiian specimens did not allow us to examine the organization of the skeleton, thereby preventing a conclusive species assignment., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 44-45, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Dendy, A. (1896) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (New Series), 8, 14 - 51.","Row, R. W. H. (1911) Reports on the Marine Biology of the Sudanese Red Sea, from Collections made by Cyril Crossland, M. A., B. Sc., F. Z. S. XIX. Report on the Sponges collected by Mr. Cyril Crossland in 1904 - 5. Part II. Non-Calcarea. Journal of the Linnean Society. Zoology, 31 (208), 287 - 400."]}

Strongylacidon meganese (de Laubenfels, 1951) (Fig. 7 A���F) Examined material. Sample Carramba 8 sp. 3: Indonesia, Ambon Island, Depan Tupa, depth not stated, 2008. Description. The sponge encrusts a Carijoa riisei (Fig. 7 A) colony partially covering the polyp calyces (Fig. 7 B). The sample occurs on two branches of the coral, up to 14 cm long. The thickness of the sponge is about 0.5 mm, the surface is smooth, pale yellow in ethanol preserved specimens (Fig. 7 B). Skeleton. No specialized ectosomal skeleton; the main skeleton is a confused arrangement with strongyles organized in tracts without clear orientation and numerous scattered microscleres (Fig. 7 C). Spicules. Strongyles straight and thin (Fig. 7 D), 135 ��� (189.8 �� 29.6) ��� 225 x 1.2 ��� (2.3 �� 0.6) ��� 3.7 ��m. Isochelae (Fig. 7 E), 12.5 ��� (14.9 �� 1.8) ��� 18.7 ��m, frequently with a cutting on the frontal ala. Distribution and remarks. This is a new record for Indonesia and the second record of the species since its original description from Hawai���i. Our specimen fits with the original description of de Laubenfels (1951) who reported this species as a paper-thin incrustation with strongyles of 210 ��� 240 x 3 ��m and chelae 16 ��m long. The species is the only Strongylacidon from the Indo-Pacific area, characterised by arcuate chelae (not unguiferate), by the lack of sigmas and by a single category of strongyles., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 14-15, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Laubenfels, M. W. de (1951) The Sponges of the Islands of Hawai'i. Pacific Science, 5, 256 - 271."]}

Mycale (Aegogropila) phillipensis (Dendy, 1896) (Fig. 24 A���H) Examined material. Sample HL 54: Vietnam, Cong Do Island, Hang Toi Dark Cave, depth not stated, 14 September 2003. Description. Massively encrusting sponge covering the colonies of Carijoa riisei with the exception of the anthocodiae (Fig. 24 A). Light red in situ (Fig. 24 A), yellow-brownish in ethanol (Fig. 24 B). Surface macroscopically smooth, consistency elastic and tough. Sample HL 54 covers a very large colony of C. riisei with varying thickness (up to 5 mm). The colony is strongly branched and about 30 cm long (Fig. 24 B). Skeleton. In the ectosome mycalostyles are organized in loose tracts (Fig. 24 C) connected by single mycalostyles or paucispicular tracts; microscleres are abundant. The choanosomal skeleton consists of plurispicular, plumose, ascending tracts opening in fans towards the surface, making it microhispid (Fig. 24 D). Numerous microscleres are located in the tracts and scattered in the choanosome. Spicules. Mycalostyles fusiform and straight with well defined heads (Fig. 24 E), 260 ��� (309.5 �� 26.4) ��� 350 x 5 ��� (8.3 �� 1.7) ��� 10 ��m. Palmate anisochelae often arranged in rosettes (Fig. 24 F), 12.5 ��� (19.1 �� 3.6) ��� 22.5 ��m. Sigmas I ���C��� or ���S��� shaped, 37.5 ��� (43.3 �� 3.8) ��� 50 ��m (Fig. 24 G). Very rare sigmas II ���C��� shaped, 10���14 ��m (Fig. 24 H), were found in the SEM preparation. Distribution and remarks. Australia (Dendy 1896), Ambon Bay (Topsent 1897), Vietnam (Lindgren 1897; Dawydoff 1952) and Hong Kong (Pulitzer-Finali 1982). In the Indo-Pacific, Mycale (Aegogropila) phillipensis is the only species with a single category of anisochelae and sigmas as microscleres. The other known species have additional toxas, raphides or two to three categories of anisochelae. Our specimen fits well with the description of Dendy (1896) in having the same spicule complement that is comparable in size. In particular, Dendy (1896) described the mycalostyles ���with a well marked head [���] and sharp points��� about 300 x 5 ��m in length, ordinary anisochelae in rosettes of about 37 ��m, and sigmas, simple and contort, of about 45 ��m. The small sigmas here recorded are very rare and were only observed with SEM. The sponge is known to be encrusting or irregularly massive., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 39, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Dendy, A. (1896) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (New Series), 8, 14 - 51.","Topsent, E. (1897) Spongiaires de la Baie d'Amboine. (Voyage de MM. M. Bedot et C. Pictet dans l'Archipel Malais). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 4, 421 - 487.","Lindgren, N. G. (1897) Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Spongienfauna des Malaiischen Archipels und der Chinesischen Meere. Zoologische Anzeiger, 547, 480 - 487.","Dawydoff, C. (1952) Inventaire des animaux benthiques recoltes par moi dans le domaine maritime Indochinois. Poriferes. In: Contribution a l'etude des invertebres de la faune marine benthique de l'Indochine. Supplements au Bulletin Biologique de France et de Belgique, 37, 46 - 51.","Pulitzer-Finali, G. (1982) Some shallow-water sponges from Hong Kong. In: B. S. Morton & C. K. Tseng, (Eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Hong Kong and Southern China. Proceedings 1 st International Marine Biolology Workshop, pp. 97 - 110."]}

Genus Protosuberites Swartshewsky, 1905 Protosuberites epiphytum (Lamarck, 1815) (Fig. 2 A���D) (Tab. 1) Examined material. Sample HK 4 and sample HK O���ahu: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, about 1 m, August 2003; sample HK O���ahu 2006: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island; sample HK 7: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, Hawai���i Kay, depth between 0.5 ��� 2 m, 31 May 2007. Description. Encrusting sponge, about 0.5 mm thick covering the branches and the body walls of the polyps of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 2 A). Several branches of the coral, up to 10 cm long, were examined. In situ sponges are yellow (Fig. 2 A), pale yellow in ethanol. Skeleton. A layer of echinating tylostyles with the head in contact with the octocoral surface; above this a second layer of tylostyles producing a hispid surface (Fig. 2 B, C). Spicules. Tylostyles, numerous with a characteristic flattened and lobed head (up to 4 projections per tyle) (Fig. 2 D), in a large size range 22.5 ��� 350 x 2 ��� 7.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 1 for complete measurements. Tylostyles Distribution and remarks. Australia (see van Soest et al. 2011). This is a new record for Hawai���i. The Hawaiian specimens fit well with P. epiphytum described by Lamarck (1815), in terms of general morphology as well as spicule and skeleton features. This species was considered cosmopolitan but van Soest & de Kluijver (2003) pointed out that the records from the Atlantic-Mediterranean area have to be considered as a distinct species (P. denhartogi van Soest & de Kluijver, 2003), thus suggesting that P. e p i p h y t u m is restricted to the Pacific Ocean. Inside the family Suberitidae the presence of tylostyles with flattened lobate tyles is considered a diagnostic element of the genus Terpios (van Soest 2002 a); the species of this genus are characterised by the lack of a special ectosomal skeleton and by choanosomal tylostyles strands. On the contrary the genus Protosuberites has a choanosomal skeleton of tylostyles erect on the substrate and ectosomal tylostyles in brushes. Tylostyles are often in a large size range, but have no characteristic flattened or wrinkled tyles. We prefer to attribute this species to the genus Protosuberites mainly on the base of the skeletal organisation, considering the choanosomal architecture characters as the trustworthiest in systematic studies (Hajdu & van Soest, 1996)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 6-7, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Lamarck, J. B. P. de Monet, Comte de (1815) Suite des polypiers empates. Memoires du Museum d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 1, 69 - 80, 162 - 168, 331 - 340.","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Soest, R. W. M. van & de Kluijver, M. J. (2003) Protosuberites denhartogi spec. nov., a new name for European ' Prosuberites epiphytum' (Demospongiae, Hadromerida). Zoologische Verhandelingen Leiden, 345, 401 - 407.","Hajdu, E., van Soest, R. W. M. (1996) Choosing among Poriferan morphological characters within the cladistic paradigm. In: Willenz, Ph. (Ed.), Recent Advances in Sponge Biodiversity Inventory and Documentation. Bulletin de l'Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Biologie, 66 (supplement), pp. 81 - 88."]}

Tedania (Tedania) brevispiculata Thiele, 1903 (Fig. 16 A���E) Examined material. Sample HL 165: Vietnam, Hang Trai Island, Hang Du II Lake, intertidal, 26 April 2004. Description. Massively encrusting sponge, up to 2.5 cm thick, binding several branches of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 16 A). The sponge presents a smooth but irregular surface with lobate, rounded projections. Beige in ethanol (Fig. 16 A). The sponge is broken in several fragments; the largest are about 12 cm 2. Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton is composed by scattered tornotes, rarely arranged in tracts. The choanosome consists of short, multispicular tracts of styles forming a loose web with numerous dispersed spicules (Fig. 16 B). Spicules. Styles straight, often slightly curved (Fig. 16 C), 215 ��� (231.5 �� 7.2) ��� 252.5 x 5 ��� (8.1 �� 1.6) ��� 12.5 ��m. Tornotes straight with spined tips (Fig. 16 D), 200 ��� (210.7 �� 7.1) ��� 229 x 2.5 ��� (2.75 �� 0.8) ��� 5 ��m. Onychaetes straight or slightly curved with small spines not clearly visible with light microscopy (Fig. 16 E), 42 ��� (137.3 �� 37.6) ��� 165 ��m. The smallest onychaetes, measuring ~ 42 ��m, are not frequent. Distribution and remarks. Ternate, Indonesia (Thiele 1903) and Vietnam (L��vi 1961; Azzini et al. 2007). This species fits with the descriptions of Thiele (1903) and L��vi (1961) who found the species in southern Vietnam. The species was described as a thin encrustation (1���2 mm tick) and with styles, tornotes and onychaetes similar in shape and size (210 x 10 ��m, 170 x 6 ��m, 140 x 1 ��m, respectively) to those of the present specimen. SEM observations revealed the presence of small onychaetes, similar to the larger ones but that have not been previously reported. Samples were recorded at the intertidal level in a dark tunnel connecting a marine lake in Ha Long Bay to the open sea., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 27-28, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Thiele, J. (1903) Kieselschwamme von Ternate. II. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 25, 933 - 968.","Levi, C. (1961) Eponges intercotidales de Nha Trang (Vietnam). Archives de Zoologie experimentale et generale, 100, 127 - 148.","Azzini, F., Calcinai, B., Cerrano, C., Bavestrello, G. & Pansini, M. (2007) Sponges of the marine karst lakes and of the coast of the islands of Ha Long Bay (North Vietnam). In: Custodio, M. R., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Hajdu, E. & Muricy, G. (Eds.), Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation and Sustainability. Rio de Janeiro: Museu National, pp. 157 - 164."]}

Terpios cf. fugax Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 (Fig. 3 A���E) (Tab. 2) Examined material. Sample Bugor 330: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Bunaken Island, Raymond���s Point, 20 m, February 2007; sample Bugor 505: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, depth not stated, September 2007. Description. Thin crust, up to 1 mm thick, covering most of the colonies of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 3 A) and Paratelesto rosea, leaving free only the anthocodiae (Fig. 3 B). One sample (Bugor 505) was observed growing on the substratum around the colony of C. riisei (Fig. 3 A). The specimen Bugor 505 consists of four branches of C. riisei, up to 10 cm long, while Bugor 330 is a small ramified portion of a colony of P. ro s e a about 4.5 cm long. In situ the sponge is vivid blue (Fig. 3 A), while ethanol preserved specimens are grey-light blue (Fig. 3 B). Skeleton. Single tylostyles or tylostyles organized in brushes, with the head on the coral surface and the tips towards the exterior. The sponge surface is thus microhispid (Fig. 3 C, D). Spicules. Tylostyles with very variable heads, generally pluri-lobed (Fig. 3 E), 102.5 ��� 390 x 2 ��� 7.5 ��m. Refer to Tab. 2 for complete measurements. Tylostyles Distribution and remarks. This sponge typically grows on dead coral (van Soest 2002 a). Van Soest et al. (2011) stated that the European records of this species should be assigned to T. gelatinosa (Bowerbank, 1866). Our specimens are indistinguishable from the Caribbean ones described by Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864) and re-described by R��tzler & Smith (1993) both regarding colour and tylostyle shape and size. However, it is unlikely that this species has a disjunct distribution (Caribbean and Indonesia). Therefore, further comparisons including molecular work between Caribbean and Indonesian specimens will be needed to determine whether they belong to the same species., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 8-9, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Bowerbank, J. S. (1866) A Monograph of the British Spongiadae Vol. 2. London, Ray Society, pp. 1 - 388."]}

Monanchora quadrangulata (L��vi, 1958) (Fig. 10 A���D) Examined material. Sample YO- 257 O���ahu: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, 30 m, May 2005. Description. Pulpy sponge encrusting the body wall of Carijoa riisei (Fig. 10 A) up to the anthocodiae. The sample consists of a single fragment of octocoral about 20 cm long. The sponge is about 1 mm thick. Surface smooth and gelatinous, pinkish in ethanol (Fig. 10 A). Numerous larvae are dispersed in the tissue (Fig. 10 A). Skeleton. The ectosome is a thin gelatinous dermal membrane with pores and scattered spicules, sometimes organized in paucispicular thin tracts (Fig. 10 B). The choanosomal skeleton is confused, with few, paucispicular (2���4 spicules across), interconnecting, sinuous tracts and scattered spicules (Fig. 10 C). Spicules. Very thin subtylostyles, with ovoid head (Fig. 10 D) and evident black axial canal, 210 ��� (223 �� 12) ��� 250 x 2 ��m. The spicules look like needles under SEM (Fig. 10 D). Distribution and remarks. This is a new record for Hawai���i and the second record of this species after its original description from the Red Sea. L��vi (1958) described M. quadrangulata as encrusting, with a skeleton of long and curved tracts of spicules and with styles characterised by a roughly rectangular head. The species is an atypical Monanchora (as it lacks microscleres) but is well characterised by the particular shape of its tylostyles. Our specimen fits well with the species of L��vi in its general morphology (encrusting, pulpy), in having a skeleton organized in thin tracts of styles, and in the shape and size of its megascleres (225 x 2 ��� 3 ��m). As discussed for Batzella aurantiaca (see above), also M. quadrangulata was here recorded very far from its type locality. Further studies will have to clarify its cryptogenic nature., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 17-18, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Levi, C. (1958) Resultats scientifiques des Campagnes de la ' Calypso'. Campagne 1951 - 1952 en Mer Rouge (suite). 11. Spongiaires de Mer Rouge recueillis par la ' Calypso' (1951 - 1952). Annales de l'Institut Oceanographique, 34 (3), 3 - 46."]}

Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) spinata n. sp. (Figs. 12 A���J; 13) (Tabs. 5; 6) Holotype material. MSNG 56262: sample Bugor 513: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, 23 m, 11 September 2007. Paratype material. MSNG 56263: sample Bugor 311: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, 25 m, 18 January 2007. Other examined material: sample Bugor 309: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, depth not stated, 18 January 2007; sample Indo 23: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Barat, depth not stated, 8 October 2008; sample Bugor 410 (bis 2): Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, 26 m, September 2007. Comparative material (Fig. 14 A ���I): Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) prostrata Thiele, 1903 holotype material ZMB Por 3160 (only two spicule slides available); Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) dichela (Hentschel, 1911) syntype material ZMB Por 4438. Diagnosis. Hymedesmia (H.) spinata n. sp. is characterised by two types of chelae and acanthostyles in a single category, widely variable in length and in the density of spination; smaller chelae have a characteristic apical spine on each ala. Description. Epibiotic on Carijoa riisei (Fig. 12 A���C), which is completely encrusted by the sponge (1���2 mm thick), leaving only the polyp openings free (Fig. 12 C). Elevated, scattered oscules are evident. The holotype consists of several ramified fragments of C. riisei up to 8 cm long (Fig. 12 B); the paratype covers some branches of C. riisei, up to 10 cm long. Consistency is soft and the surface smooth; brown in situ (Fig. 12 A), whitish or orange when preserved in ethanol (Fig. 12 B, C). Skeleton. Ectosomal skeleton as a thin dermal membrane with scattered tornotes and chelae tangentially disposed (Fig. 12 D). Choanosomal skeleton hymedesmoid; acanthostyles erect with heads on the substrate; scattered isotornotes and chelae in between. Tracts of tornotes run towards the surface connecting to ectosome (Fig. 12 E). Spicules. Isotornotes straight with acerate extremities (Fig. 12 F), 177.5 ��� 245 x 2 ��� 5 ��m. Acanthostyles in a single category, very variable in size and in the distribution of spines, 52.5 ��� 237.5 x 2.5 ��� 10 ��m. Smaller acanthostyles strongly spined and with the tips ending in verticils of small spines (Fig. 12 G) are more frequent (Fig. 13); larger acanthostyles with no evident head, few spines and smooth tip (Fig. 12 H) are uncommon (Fig. 13); numerous intermediate forms with spined and smooth tips occur. Bhattacharya analysis of the acanthostyle lengths shows the presence of three distinct size categories (Fig. 13 and Tab. 5). Only the first and smallest category (with a mean of 81.15 ��m) is, however, represented with a considerable number of spicules. Two other groups, both with fewer spicules, cannot be considered different size classes (Fig. 13 and Tab. 5). Arcuate chelae in two shapes and sizes: isochelae I with typical shape (Fig. 12 I), 22.5 ��� 27.5 ��m; isochelae II, with a very thin curved shaft and inconspicuous alae (about 1 / 7 of the total length), 12.5 ��� 17.5 ��m. A spine at the apex of each ala is visible under SEM (Fig. 12 J). Refer to Tab. 6 for complete measurements. Remarks. As pointed out by Goodwin et al. (2011) a range in skeletal organisations has been documented from Hymedesmia and Phorbas, the thinner specimens having a Hymedesmia -like skeleton and the thicker a Phorbas - like architecture. Given the presence of acanthostyles erect on the substrate and supporting tornotes, we believe this species should be assigned to Hymedesmia. Sixteen species of Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) have been reported from the Indo-Pacific area (van Soest et al. 2011), 15 of which are characterised by a single category of chelae. Among these, the following have chelae sizes overlapping with our specimens: H. (H.) lancifera (Topsent, 1906) and H. (H.) prostrata Thiele, 1903 both of which have chelae ~ 18 ��m long, H. (H.) microstrongylata Bergquist & Fromont, 1988 with chelae of 18���30 ��m, and H. (H.) stylophora Thomas, 1970 with chelae of 16���25 ��m. Hymedesmia (H.) lancifera differs in having centrotylote tornotes with mucronate extremities and smaller acanthostyles (70 ��� 170 x 4.2 ��m); H. (H.) microstrongylata has strongyloxeas and two categories of acanthostyles, with acanthostyle I up to 470 ��m; H. (H.) stylophora has smaller acanthostyles (84���117 ��m) and styles or subtylostyles as dermal spicules. Hymedesmia (H.) prostrata is very close to the new species (Fig. 14 A���D); the re-examination of the holotype (slides of the skeleton) confirmed that it differs mainly in having one type of chelae (Fig. 14 D) in a large size range (10 ��� (15.9 �� 3.9) ��� 22.5 ��m), two types of acanthostyles of similar shape (187���240 ��m and 80���117.5 ��m, respectively; Fig. 14 B, C) and anisotornotes (Fig. 14 A) (about 187.5���205 ��m). Among the species of Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) from the Indo-Pacific area, only H. (H.) dichela (Hentschel, 1911) possesses two categories of chelae; moreover it possesses acanthostyles and anisotornotes similar in shape and size to the new species (Fig. 14 E���I). Nevertheless, the examination of the syntype reveals that in Hentschel���s species the tornotes have different extremities (anisotornotes, 150 ��� (189.3 �� 18.9) ��� 212.5 x 2 ��� (3 �� 1.2) ��� 5 ��m) (Fig. 14 E), acanthostyles (65 ��� (139.2 �� 62.3) ��� 230 x 5 ��� (6.1 �� 1.3) ��� 7.5 ��m) always have smooth tips, not ending in verticils of spines (Fig. 14 F), and chelae I (20 ��� (21.5 �� 1.8) ��� 25 ��m) and II (10 ��� (12.5 �� 1.5) ��� 15 ��m) are similar in shape (Fig. 14 H, I); in particular chelae II, with SEM observations, do not have apical spines. Etymology. Named after the presence of an apical spine on each ala of chelae II., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 21-25, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Thiele, J. (1903) Kieselschwamme von Ternate. II. Abhandlungen herausgegeben von der Senckenbergischen naturforschenden Gesellschaft, 25, 933 - 968.","Hentschel, E. (1911) Tetraxonida. 2. In: Michaelsen, W. & Hartmeyer, R. (Eds.), Die Fauna Sudwest-Australiens. Ergebnisse der Hamburger sudwest-australischen Forschungsreise 1905 Vol. 10, Fischer, Jena, pp. 279 - 393.","Goodwin, C., Jones, J., Neely, K., Brickle, P. (2011) Sponge biodiversity of the Jason Islands and Stanley, Falkland Islands with descriptions of twelve new species. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 91 (2), 275 - 301. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0025315410001542","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Topsent, E. (1906) Eponges recueillies par M. Ch. Gravier dans la Mer Rouge. Bulletin du Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, 12 (7), 557 - 570.","Bergquist, P. R. & Fromont, P. J. (1988) The Marine Fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 4 (Poecilosclerida). New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Memoir, 96, 1 - 197.","Thomas, P. A. (1970) On some deep sea sponges from the Gulf of Mannar, with descriptions of three new species. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 12 (1 / 2), 202 - 209."]}

Desmapsamma vervoorti van Soest, 1998 (Fig. 11 A���I) (Tab. 4) Examined material. Sample Bugor 410 (bis 1): Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, 27 m, September 2007; sample Carramba 1: Indonesia, Ambon Island, Pintu Kota, depth not stated, 12 October 2008; sample Carramba 2 sp. 1: Indonesia, Ambon Island, Depan Tupa, depth not stated, 12 October 2008; sample Carramba 6: Indonesia, Ambon Island, Shipwreck, depth not stated, 14 October 2008; sample Carramba 8 sp. 2: Indonesia, Ambon Island, Tanjung Sial (Semur), depth not stated, 15 October 2008. Description. Thick (about 4 mm) encrusting sponge that completely covers Carijoa riisei colonies (Fig. 11 A), leaving only polyp openings free. Surface macroscopically reticulated by large amounts of sediment (Fig. 11 B). Consistency firm, with surface tough and compressible. Pale pink to light orange in situ; the colour persists in ethanol (Fig. 11 A, B). The collected specimens are fragments of colonies of octocoral up to 9 cm long. Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton is an almost regular reticulation of paucispicular (about 1���4 spicules) tracts of oxeas often reinforced by sand grains (Fig. 11 C). Sometimes foreign bodies completely substitute oxeas. The choanosomal skeleton consists of tracts of oxeas organised in a rather irregular reticulum; sometimes a more regular, isotropic skeleton is detectable (Fig. 11 D). In the ectosome these tracts open in bouquets making the surface hispid. Low quantities of sand are present in the meshes of the choanosomal reticulum. Spicules. Oxeas with hastate points (Fig. 11 E), 105 ��� 240 x 1.2 ��� 11.2 ��m. Isochelae in two categories (Fig. 11 F, G): isochelae I 15 ��� 21.3 ��m, isochelae II 7.5 ��� 13.8 ��m. Sigmas in two categories (Fig. 11 H, I): sigmas I 20 ��� 43.8 ��m sigmas II 10 ��� 18.8 ��m. Refer to Tab. 4 for complete measurements. Distribution and remarks. Indonesia (van Soest 1998; Calcinai et al. 2004 as D. anchorata). This genus includes three species: D. anchorata (Carter, 1882) from the Tropical Western Atlantic, D. vervoorti van Soest, 1998 from Indonesia and D. turbo (Carter, 1885) from Australia (van Soest et al. 2011). Differences between D. vervoorti and D. anchorata are considered inconspicuous by van Soest (1998), but their geographical separation makes the conspecificity unlikely. The description of D. turbo is too brief to allow for any comparisons. In contrast to D. vervoorti van Soest (1998), our samples do not have three clear categories of sigmas, and the choanosomal skeleton is less regular. The recent discovery of the octocoral genus Carijoa being native to the Indo-Pacific (Concepcion et al. 2010) refutes the hypothesis that C. riisei and its associated fauna are introduced species to this area (Calcinai et al. 2004). Interestingly, the Caribbean Desmapsamma is also frequently associated with octocorals, particularly with C. riisei (McLean & Yoshioka 2007)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 19-21, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Soest, R. W. M. van (1998) A new sponge Desmapsamma vervoorti spec. nov. (Poeciloslerida: Desmacididae) from Indonesia. Zoologische Verhandelingen, 323, 427 - 434.","Calcinai, B., Bavestrello, G. & Cerrano, C. (2004) Dispersal and association of two alien species in the Indonesian coral reefs: the octocoral Carijoa riisei and the demosponge Desmapsamma anchorata. Journal of the marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 84, 937 - 941. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0025315404010227 h","Carter, H. J. (1882) Some Sponges from the West Indies and Acapulco in the Liverpool Free Museum described, with general and classificatory Remarks. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (5) 9 (52), 266 - 301, 346 - 368.","Carter, H. J. (1885) Descriptions of Sponges from the Neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (5) 15 (87), 196 - 222.","Soest, R. W. M van, Boury-Esnault, N., Hooper, J. N. A., Rutzler, K., Voogd, N. J. de, Alvarez, B., Hajdu, E., Pisera, A. B., Vacelet, J., Manconi, R., Schoenberg, C., Janussen, D., Tabachnick, K. R. & Klautau, M. (2011) World Porifera database. Available online from http: // www. marinespecies. org / porifera (accessed 2011).","Concepcion, G. T., Kahng, S. E., Crepeaul, M. W., Franklin, E. C., Coles, S. L. & Toonen, R. J. (2010) Resolving natural ranges and marine invasions in a globally distributed octocoral (genus Carijoa). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 401, 113 - 127. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.3354 / meps 08364","McLean, E. L. & Yoshioka, P. M. (2007) Associations and interactions between gorgonians and sponges. In: Custodio, M. R., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Hajdu, E. & Muricy, G. (Eds.), Porifera Research: Biodiversity, Innovation and Sustainability. Rio de Janeiro: Museu Nacional, Serie Livros 28, pp. 443 - 448."]}

Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel, Cerrano, Carlo (2013): Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species. Zootaxa 3617 (1): 1-61, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1

Oceanapia fistulosa (Bowerbank, 1873) (Fig. 35 A���H) Examined material. Sample Bugor 514: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Bunaken Island, Pangalisang, 25 m, 11 September 2007. Description. Massive sponge, with ovoid or spherical body; the sponge lives completely buried in the sediment, with only fistular chimneys above the substrate surface. Inhalant closed fistules with short, apical digitations; only fistules were collected; they are up to 17 cm high, with a diameter about 0.5���2 cm (Fig. 35 A���C). In the area of the Bunaken National Park the fistules of this sponge were frequently observed covered by the octocoral Alertigorgia hoeksemai (Fig. 35 A, C), which was obscuring the sponge below. The colour of the fistules is vivid pink (Fig. 35 A), pale yellowish in ethanol (Fig. 35 B). Skeleton. Only the fistular skeleton was examined. The ectosome is a tangential reticulum of oxeas; the surface is microhispid due to groups of oxeas piercing it at the nodes (Fig. 35 D). The ectosomal skeleton is supported by ascending tracts opening in irregular fans (Fig. 35 E). The internal surface of the hollow fistules is supported by longitudinal, thick parallel tracts of oxeas (Fig. 35 E). In the fistular areas covered by the octocoral, the sponge skeleton appears modified as the ascending tracts, opening in fans and supporting the tangential ectosomal skeleton, are not present (Fig. 35 F). Spicules. Oxeas of usual shape, in two size classes: oxeas I (Fig. 35 G), 210 ��� (242.6 �� 12.9) ��� 260 x 10 ��� (10.9 �� 1.2) ��� 12.5 ��m; oxeas II (Fig. 35 H), 82.5 ��� (90.5 �� 5.6) ��� 102.5 x 3.5 ��� (4.5 �� 0.6) ��� 5 ��m. Small and thin oxeas, probably growing forms, are also present. Distribution and remarks. Australia (Ridley 1884), Indonesia (Topsent 1897) and Indian Ocean (Dendy 1922). This species is very common in the Bunaken National Park (Bavestrello et al. 2002; Cerrano et al. 2007)., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on page 54, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Bowerbank, J. S. (1873) Contributions to a General History of the Spongiadae. Part IV. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1873, 3 - 25.","Ridley, S. O. (1884) Spongiida. In: Report on the Zoological Collections made in the Indo-Pacific Ocean during the Voyage of H. M. S. ' Alert', 1881 - 2. British Museum of Natural History: London, 366 - 482, 582 - 630.","Topsent, E. (1897) Spongiaires de la Baie d'Amboine. (Voyage de MM. M. Bedot et C. Pictet dans l'Archipel Malais). Revue suisse de Zoologie, 4, 421 - 487.","Dendy, A. (1922) Report on the Sigmatotetraxonida collected by H. M. S. ' Sealark' in the Indian Ocean. In: Reports of the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to the Indian Ocean in 1905, Volume 7. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, (2) 18 (1), 1 - 164.","Bavestrello, G., Calcinai, B., Boyer, M., Cerrano, C. & Pansini, M. (2002) The aquiferous system of two Oceanapia species (Porifera, Demospongiae) studied by corrosion casts. Zoomorphology, 121, 195 - 201. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / s 00435 - 002 - 0056 - x"]}

Tedania (Tedania) ignis (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) (Figs. 17 A���F; 18) (Tab. 7) Examined material. Sample K 5: Hawai���i, O���ahu Island, 1 m, 31 August 2003. Description. Pulpy sponge, about 1.5 mm thick, massively encrusting a branch of Carijoa riisei, 7 cm long (Fig. 17 A). The anthocodiae are free from the sponge (Fig. 17 A). Surface macroscopically smooth, consistency soft and tough. Beige in ethanol (Fig. 17 A). Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton is not clearly observable; it is mainly composed of tylotes and onychaetes protruding from the surface and making it hispid (Fig. 17 B); paucispicular tracts of tylotes are tangentially disposed. The choanosome is an irregular reticulation of uni- or paucispicular tracts of styles. In general the skeleton appears isotropic. Spicules. Styles frequently curved (Fig. 17 C), 245 ��� (254 �� 6.9) ��� 270 x 3.75 ��� (7.8 �� 2.7) ��� 10 ��m. Tornotes with rounded and microspined points (Fig. 17 D), 187.5 ��� (199.3 �� 5.8) ��� 207.5 x 2.5 ��� (3.9 �� 0.7) ��� 5 ��m. Onychaetes separable in two size classes with numerous intermediate forms. Onychaetes I, finely spined, with symmetrical tips (Fig. 17 E), 160 ��� (170 �� 10.6) ��� 180 ��m; onychaetes II with clear asymmetrical tips and slightly spread long spines (Fig. 17 F), 40 ��� (49 �� 8.6) ��� 60 ��m. Distribution and remarks. St. Thomas, Cura��ao, Bonaire, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, Florida (van Soest 1984); Antigua (Carter 1882), Jamaica (Hechtel 1965), Bahamas (de Laubenfels 1949; Wiedenmayer 1977), Bermuda (Ridley & Dendy 1887; de Laubenfels 1950 b), Gulf Coast (Little 1963), Belize (Burton 1954 as T. anhelans), Panama (de Laubenfels 1936 b), Hawai���i (de Laubenfels 1950 a) and Palau (de Laubenfels 1954). Van Soest, 1984 re-described the paralectotype of Thalysias ignis Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864), and reported the presence of two size classes of onychaetes (about 50 ��m and 180 ��m in length); the same author also recognized, in his material from Caribbean, two distinct size classes of onychaetes, with numerous intermediate sizes. On the contrary, Hechtel (1965) and Wiedenmayer (1977) detected the presence of a single category only. Bhattacharya analysis based on onychaete lengths shows the presence of two main size classes corresponding to those of Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864) sensu Van Soest (1984: Tab. 7 and Fig. 18). The most frequent class (group 1), 54.6 %, comprises onychaetes between 40���60 ��m (Tab. 7 and Figs. 17 F; 18); the second class with a wide population of spicules (group 3), 34.5 %, comprises onychaetes of about 160���180 ��m in length (Tab. 7 and Figs. 17 E; 18). An additional small group (group 2), 10.9 %, with a mean of 110 ��m is probably composed of growing onychaetes I (Tab. 7 and Fig. 18). The species has been considered to be present in Hawai���i since 1950 (de Laubenfels 1950 a; Kelly-Borges & Valentine 1995), having been transported there along with other sponges of the fouling community (Bergquist 1967). Tedania ignis was also recorded in massive form in O���ahu Island (Kane���ohe Bay, in 2006) and in Pearl Harbor (in 2007) (B.C. pers. observ.). In the absence of molecular evidence we can not exclude that T. ignis constitutes a species complex, comprising morphologically indistinct species., Published as part of Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, pp. 1-61 in Zootaxa 3617 (1) on pages 28-30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3617.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/248150, {"references":["Soest, R. W. M. van (1984) Marine sponges from Curacao and other Caribbean localities. Part III. Poecilosclerida. In: Hummelinck, P. W. & Van der Steen, L. J. (Eds.), Uitgaven van de Natuurwetenschappelijke Studiekring voor Suriname en de Nederlandse Antillen. No. 112. Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands, 62 (191), 1 - 173.","Carter, H. J. (1882) Some Sponges from the West Indies and Acapulco in the Liverpool Free Museum described, with general and classificatory Remarks. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (5) 9 (52), 266 - 301, 346 - 368.","Hechtel, G. J. (1965) A Systematic Study of the Demospongiae of Port Royal, Jamaica. Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History, 20, 1 - 103.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1949) Sponges of the western Bahamas. American Museum Novitates, 1431, 1 - 25.","Wiedenmayer, F. (1977) Shallow-water sponges of the western Bahamas. Experientia Supplementum, 28, 1 - 287.","Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1887) Report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. ' Challenger' during the years 1873 - 1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H. M. S. ' Challenger', 1873 - 1876, Zoology, 20 (59), i - lxviii, 1 - 275, pls I - LI, 1 map.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1950 b) The Porifera of the Bermuda Archipelago. Transactions of the Zoological Society of London, 27 (1), 1 - 154. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1096 - 3642.1950. tb 00227. x","Little, F. J. Jr. (1963) The sponge fauna of the St. George's Sound, Apalache Bay, and Panama City Regions of the Florida Gulf Coast. Tulane Studies in Zoology, 11 (2), 31 - 71.","Burton, M. (1954) Sponges. In: The ' Rosaura' Expedition. Part 5. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History) Zoology, 2 (6), 215 - 239.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1936 b) A comparison of the shallow-water sponges near the Pacific end of the Panama Canal with those at the Caribbean end. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 83 (2993), 441 - 466. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00963801.83 - 2993.441","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1950 a) The Sponges of Kane'ohe Bay, O'ahu. Pacific Science, 4 (1), 3 - 36.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1954) The sponges of the West-Central Pacific. Oregon State Monographs. Studies in Zoology, 7, 1 - 306.","Kelly-Borges, M. & Valentine, C. A. (1995) The Sponges of the Tropical Island Region of Oceania: A Taxonomic Status Review. Chapter 6. In: Maragos J. E. et al. (Eds.), Marine and Coastal Biodiversity in the Tropical Island Pacific Region. Vol 1. Species Systematics and Information Management Priorities. Program on Environment, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, pp. 83 - 120.","Bergquist, P. R. (1967) Additions to the Sponge Fauna of the Hawaiian Islands. Micronesica, 3 (2), 159 - 174."]}

Sponges are characterised by high levels of phenotypic plasticity, thus allowing the same species to live in different habitats by taking different shapes. Here we describe 28 sponge species associated with the octocorals Carijoa riisei, Paratelesto rosea and Alertigorgia hoeksemai in Indonesia, Hawai'i and Vietnam, including four species that are new to science (Chondropsis subtilis, Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) spinata, Hymedesmia (Stylopus) perlucida, Mycale (Aegogropila) furcata). Moreover, a large proportion of the described sponge species (21.4%) represent new records for the studied areas (Indonesia and Hawai'i). In total, we have studied 47 colonies of C. riisei associated with 24 sponge species, 5 colonies of P. rosea associated with 4 species and one colony of A. hoeksemai associated with one sponge species. Collectively, these examples of associations highlight the importance of epibiosis as a biodiversity enhancing process.

Bo, Marzia, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Barucca, Marco, Makapedua, Daisy Monica, Poliseno, Angelo, Forconi, Mariko, Olmo, Ettore, Canapa, Adriana (2012): Morphological and molecular characterization of the problematic whip black coral genus Stichopathes (Hexacorallia: Antipatharia) from Indonesia (North Sulawesi, Celebes Sea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 166 (5): 1-13, DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00834.x, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00834.x

Alien species, particularly when invasive, are likely to represent a major issue when dealing with biodiversity even though their impact at the ecosystem level needs to be better understood and quantified. Anyway, their spread affects almost all the ecosystems, and the trend of this phenomenon seems to increase at global scale. Here, we present a first attempt to a quantitative description of the invasiveness of habitat and ecosystem types in Italy through the facilities of the European Research Infrastructure on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research LifeWatch. The study is adopting an ecosystem level approach in order to assess the fragility of key EUNIS ecosystem/habitat types to alien species. Ecological modeling and geospatial statistics are used to evaluate abiotic conditional factors of the fragility of the most widespread EUNIS ecosystem types along latitudinal and longitudinal gradients in Europe and to map ecosystems fragility at the national and European scale. Ninety-six sites from Italy have been processed and encompassed in 41 habitats (level 2, EUNIS code). Available taxonomical data are referred to about 19,650 records; 10,600 taxa; 10,050 species. The trait "alien species" is going to be harmonized among different taxonomic groups at both geographical and temporal scale. At present, however, the alien trait has been attributed to about 4% of the species data sets, whereas the mean value for Italy is around 3%. The incidence of alien species greatly varies in different environments/habitats, with highest values in terrestrial and freshwater habitats and lowest in marine habitats. Marked differences also occur among different taxonomical groups, with highest incidence of alien species among terrestrial vegetables and vertebrates, lowest for less known groups such as invertebrates.

Active masking behaviours have been widely reported for Majoid spider crabs, although it is known that species living on sandy and muddy bottoms are frequently less masked than those living on rocky substrates. On the other hand, crabs living on soft bottoms may represent rare hard substrates available for larval settlement of other organisms. Inachus communissimus Rizza, 1839 is a spider crab belonging to the Inachidae family, common in the Mediterranean Sea. Individuals collected in two different locations on the sandy-muddy bottoms of the Northern Adriatic Sea (Senigallia and Pedaso), showed exoskeletons mainly covered by the colonial ascidian Diplosoma listerianum (Milne-Edwards, 1841). The large size of the ascidians, encompassing all the portions of the crabs' exoskeleton, and the lack of differences in the abundance of the covering, between adult males and females, support the idea that D. listerianum is an epibiont on the carapace of the crabs. The low level of carapace covering in the juveniles may be attributed to the regular moulting that the crabs undergo until puberty. On the other hand, juveniles actively mask themselves with small fragments of filamentous green algae, affixing them to the hooked setae. This active behaviour is lost when the crabs reach their final size after the pubertal moult.