Potential transoceanic dispersal of cf. and six new tetractinellid sponge species descriptions within the Hawaiian reef cryptofauna.

Kāne'ohe Bay has historically been known for the introduction of alien species from the Caribbean and the Western Indo-Pacific. Recent efforts that explore the reef cryptofauna have shown that in addition to the diversity of non-indigenous species, patch reef environments are rich with undescribed species. Here we integrate molecular phylogeny and systematics to distinguish introduced species from those that are potentially native or endemic. We focus on the order Tetractinellida and document the potential transoceanic dispersal of from the Caribbean to Hawai'i. Our integrative approach allowed us to describe new species of ( sp. nov., sp. nov., sp. nov., sp. nov., sp. nov.) and one new species of ( sp. nov.); all collected from the reef cryptofauna the use of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures. Specimens were barcoded using 28S and COI molecular markers, providing insights into the phenotypic plasticity of sponges and the phylogenetic placement of these new species based on morphological characters. Using both molecular phylogeny and traditional taxonomy enhances the accuracy of species identification and classification, contributing to a broader understanding of sponge biodiversity within the Hawaiian archipelago.