Discovery of the freshwater sponge genus Corvospongilla Annandale (Porifera: Spongillida) in Australia with the description of a new species and phylogeographic implications

A recent discovery of freshwater sponges in an unexplored hydrographic basin in north-western Australia provided the opportunity to investigate the genusCorvospongillaAnnandale (Spongillida: Spongillidae) using integrative systematics. Emendation of the genus diagnosis is provided. A comparative analysis of aCorvospongillaglobal dataset of morphological traits together with biogeographic patterns disclosed a new AustralasianCorvospongillaspecies and along with molecular analyses provided the basis for a phylogenetic and phylogeographic tree for some Asian, Afrotropical and Australasian lineages.