Schuster Astrid, Pomponi Shirley A, Pisera Andrzej, Cárdenas Paco, Kelly Michelle, Wörheide Gert, Erpenbeck Dirk
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
Current affiliation: Department of Biology, Nordcee, Southern University of Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
PeerJ. 2021 Apr 2;9:e10775. doi: 10.7717/peerj.10775. eCollection 2021.
Among all present demosponges, lithistids represent a polyphyletic group with exceptionally well-preserved fossils dating back to the Cambrian. Knowledge of their recent diversity, particularly in the Tropical Western Atlantic Ocean (TWA) where they are common in deep waters, is scarce making any comparison between present and past major 'lithistid' faunas difficult. In addition, the lack of sufficient molecular and morphological data hamper any predictions on phylogenetic relationships or phylodiversity from this region. The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI, Fort Pierce, Florida) holds the largest collection of TWA lithistid sponges worldwide, however, the majority remain to be taxonomically identified and revised.
In this study we provide sequences of 249 lithistid demosponges using two independent molecular markers (28S rDNA (C1-D2) and mtDNA). In addition, a morphological documentation of 70 lithistid specimens is provided in the database of the Sponge Barcoding Project (SBP). This integrated dataset represents the largest and most comprehensive of the TWA lithistids to date. The phylogenetic diversity of 'lithistid' demosponges in the Bahamas and Jamaica are high in comparison to other TWA regions; Theonellidae and Corallistidae dominate the fauna, while Neopeltidae and Macandrewiidae are rare. A proposed tetractinellid suborder, one undescribed genus and several undescribed species are recognized and the Pacific 'lithistid' genera, and , are reported from the TWA for the first time. The higher-taxa relationships of desma-bearing tetractinellids are discussed and topics for revision suggested.
This first integrative approach of TWA 'lithistid' demosponges contributes to a better understanding of their phylogenetic affinities, diversity and bathymetric distribution patterns within the TWA. As in the Pacific, the TWA 'lithistid' demosponges dominate deep-water habitats. Deeper taxonomic investigations will undoubtedly contribute to a better comparison between present major 'lithistid' faunas and their fossil record in the Mesozoic.
在所有现存的寻常海绵纲动物中，石海绵目代表了一个多系群，其化石保存异常完好，可追溯到寒武纪。关于它们目前的多样性，尤其是在热带西大西洋（TWA），它们在深水中很常见，但相关知识却很匮乏，这使得很难对当前和过去的主要“石海绵目”动物群进行任何比较。此外，缺乏足够的分子和形态学数据阻碍了对该地区系统发育关系或系统多样性的任何预测。哈伯德海洋学研究所（HBOI，佛罗里达州皮尔斯堡）拥有全球最大的TWA石海绵目海绵收藏，但大多数仍有待进行分类鉴定和修订。
在本研究中，我们使用两个独立的分子标记（28S rDNA（C1 - D2）和线粒体DNA）提供了249种石海绵目寻常海绵纲动物的序列。此外，在海绵条形码项目（SBP）的数据库中提供了70个石海绵目标本的形态学记录。这个综合数据集是迄今为止最大、最全面的TWA石海绵目数据集。与其他TWA地区相比，巴哈马和牙买加的“石海绵目”寻常海绵纲动物的系统发育多样性很高；Theonellidae科和Corallistidae科在动物群中占主导地位，而Neopeltidae科和Macandrewiidae科则很罕见。一个提议的四放海绵亚目、一个未描述的属和几个未描述的物种被识别出来，并且首次在TWA报道了太平洋的“石海绵目”属 和 。讨论了含骨针四放海绵的高级分类关系，并提出了修订主题。
这种对TWA“石海绵目”寻常海绵纲动物的首次综合研究方法有助于更好地理解它们在TWA内的系统发育亲缘关系、多样性和深度分布模式。与太平洋一样，TWA“石海绵目”寻常海绵纲动物在深水栖息地占主导地位。更深入的分类研究无疑将有助于更好地比较当前主要的“石海绵目”动物群与其在中生代的化石记录。
