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5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave...
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5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Marine Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 1 April 2025 | Viewed by 10352

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Caterina Longo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
Interests: Porifera taxonomy and biology; biodiversity; macrobenthos; marine alien species; filter-feeder invertebrates; marine bioremediation; sponge rearing and translocation; restocking techniques
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Barbara Calcinai

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Interests: taxonomy and ecology of Porifera of the Mediterranean Sea, Indo-Pacific, and Antarctic areas; diversity of Porifera of the Mediterranean coralligenous bioconstruction; bioerosion activity, mainly of Porifera with a particular interest in the pattern of bioerosion and the evaluation of bioerosion rates, taking into account the different mineralogy of the substrate; application of micro-computed tomography in bioerosion studies, for the evaluation of the excavated volume and for the morphological characterization of the perforations
Dr. Marco Bertolino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Via Pastore 3, 16132 Genova, Italy
Interests: morphology, taxonomy and ecology of sponges from the Mediterranean Sea, South America, Indo-Pacific and Antarctic area, from shallow water to deep-sea ecosystems; sponges associated with Mediterranean coralligenous, including of the sponge paleo-communities’ studies of such bioconstructions; dissolution and growth of Demospongiae and Hexactinellida silica spicules in different environmental conditions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

After the delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 5th International Workshop on the Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea and Cave Sponges recommences in September 2023, with the purpose to spread and enhance interest in the taxonomy of porifera, particularly among young researchers.

The workshop and JMSE invite you to join this Special Issue with contributions related to taxonomy, particularly relating deep-sea and cave sponges of the Atlanto-Mediterranean area, as collections of papers on this topic will be presented.

This Special Issue aims to collect papers also related to the same topics in other geographical areas.

Prof. Dr. Caterina Longo
Prof. Dr. Barbara Calcinai
Dr. Marco Bertolino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Porifera; 
  • Taxonomy
  • Deep-habitats
  • Spicules
  • Marine caves
  • Twilight zone
  • Mesophotic

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3060 KiB  
Article
Shedding Light on the Italian Mesophotic Spongofauna
by Margherita Toma, Marzia Bo, Marco Bertolino, Martina Canessa, Michela Angiolillo, Alessandro Cau, Franco Andaloro, Simonepietro Canese, Silvestro Greco and Giorgio Bavestrello
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(11), 2110; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12112110 - 20 Nov 2024
Viewed by 326
Abstract
An analysis of 483 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives carried out along the Italian coast on hard substrata at mesophotic depths (40–200 m) allowed an overview of the rich sponge diversity (53 taxa) of the deep continental platform to be obtained for the [...] Read more.
An analysis of 483 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) dives carried out along the Italian coast on hard substrata at mesophotic depths (40–200 m) allowed an overview of the rich sponge diversity (53 taxa) of the deep continental platform to be obtained for the first time. About 40% of the potential actual species diversity was recognisable using ROV, suggesting that this group is among the richest yet underestimated using this technology in contrast to other megabenthic taxa. Additionally, the study allowed us to gather data on the current basin-scale distribution and bathymetric limits of five common and easily identifiable demosponges with up to 55% occurrence in the explored sites: Aplysina cavernicola, the group Axinella damicornis/verrucosa, Chondrosia reniformis, Foraminospongia spp., and Hexadella racovitzai. Four of these latitudinal distributions were characterised by high occurrence in the Ligurian Sea and a progressive decrease towards the south Tyrrhenian Sea, with an occasional second minor peak of occurrence in the Sicily Channel. In contrast, Foraminospongia spp. showed a maximum occurrence on the offshore reliefs and a second one in the North–central Tyrrhenian Sea, while it was almost absent in the Ligurian Sea. Trophic and biogeographic reasons were discussed as possible causes of the double-peak distributions. The vertical distributions support a more consistent occurrence of all considered taxa in deeper waters than previously known. This suggests that they may more typically belong to the mesophotic realm than the shallow waters, owing to a more extensive sampling effort in the deeper depth range. The five target taxa are typical or associated species of seven reference habitats in the recently revised UNEP/SPA-RAC classification. However, they may create such dense aggregations that they should be listed as new facies in the abovementioned classification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges)
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15 pages, 12301 KiB  
Article
First Survey of the Sponge Community of a Semi-Submerged Marine Cave along the Adriatic Apulian Coast
by Antonella Schiavo, Muriel Oddenino, Guadalupe Giménez and Caterina Longo
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(4), 682; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12040682 - 20 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1568
Abstract
Mediterranean marine caves have been categorized as both biodiversity reservoirs and vulnerable habitats. However, only a few studies have focused on Porifera assemblages within marine caves along the Adriatic Apulian coast (southern Italy). In this study, the sponge fauna of the Rondinella cave, [...] Read more.
Mediterranean marine caves have been categorized as both biodiversity reservoirs and vulnerable habitats. However, only a few studies have focused on Porifera assemblages within marine caves along the Adriatic Apulian coast (southern Italy). In this study, the sponge fauna of the Rondinella cave, a semi-submerged marine cave along the coast of Bari (Southern Adriatic Sea), was investigated for the first time. The use of advanced image analysis in combination with targeted sampling has made it possible to determine the spatial distribution and diversity of Porifera along a transect from the entrance to the end of the cave. Data analysis clustered the stations into two groups, separated according to the distance from the entrance and corresponding to the cave entrance and the semi-dark zone. Sponges were found at all stations covering a considerable part of the substrate, with the highest cover values occurring in the semi-dark zone. A total of 54 sponge taxa were identified: 49 Demospongiae, 3 Homoscleromorpha, and 2 Calcarea. Six species are new records for the Apulian marine caves, one species represents a new record for marine caves, and two species are new findings for the southern Adriatic Sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges)
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19 pages, 9628 KiB  
Article
Sponge Communities of Submarine Caves and Tunnels on the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Northeast Brazil
by Guilherme Muricy, Anaíra Lage, Joana Sandes, Michelle Klautau, Ulisses Pinheiro, Marinella Silva Laport, Bruno Francesco Rodrigues de Oliveira, Carolline Braga Pequeno and Matheus Vieira Lopes
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(4), 657; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12040657 - 16 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1525
Abstract
Submarine caves are important biodiversity reservoirs, but there is little information about the biota of marine caves in the Southwestern Atlantic. Here, we describe three submarine cavities and their sponge communities on the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Northeast Brazil. The underwater cavities were [...] Read more.
Submarine caves are important biodiversity reservoirs, but there is little information about the biota of marine caves in the Southwestern Atlantic. Here, we describe three submarine cavities and their sponge communities on the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, Northeast Brazil. The underwater cavities were explored and collections were made through scuba diving from 5 to 18 m depths. Sapata Cave has a wide semi-dark zone near the entrance, a narrow transition zone, and a dark chimney, which is closed at the top. Ilha do Meio Cave is narrower and shallower than Sapata Cave, but has a long passage that leads to two completely dark rooms. Pedras Secas Tunnel has only a semi-dark zone with high water movement. The sponge communities in the semi-dark zones of the three cavities are rich and dominated by the classes Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha, but Calcarea are also common. The transition zones of both caves are dominated by a desma-bearing sponge, thinly encrusting spirastrellids, and small Homoscleromopha and Calcarea. The dark zone in Ilha do Meio Cave is almost azoic, with only three species. This study has increased the number of sponge species known in submarine cavities on Fernando de Noronha from 29 to 69, highlighting the great richness of the sponge communities in these cryptic environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges)
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15 pages, 3980 KiB  
Article
Taxonomic Investigations on Cladorhizidae (Carnivorous Sponges) of the East Scotia Ridge (Antarctica) with the Description of Three New Species
by Camino Eck, Xiaoyu Kröner and Dorte Janussen
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(4), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12040612 - 31 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1405
Abstract
This study investigates taxonomic characteristics of carnivorous sponges from the Southern Ocean. The specimens were collected in 2010 from deep-sea hydrothermal vents of the East Scotia Ridge during the RRS James Cook Cruise JC42. All the investigated sponges are new to science. They [...] Read more.
This study investigates taxonomic characteristics of carnivorous sponges from the Southern Ocean. The specimens were collected in 2010 from deep-sea hydrothermal vents of the East Scotia Ridge during the RRS James Cook Cruise JC42. All the investigated sponges are new to science. They belong to the genera Abyssocladia and Cladorhiza within the family Cladorhizidae. This study provides descriptions and remarks for the three new species Abyssocladia truespacemeni, Abyssocladia hendrixii and Cladorhiza elsaae. Comparative faunistic and ecological aspects of these sponge genera within the Southern Ocean sponge fauna are discussed. The genera Abyssocladia and Cladorhiza are recorded here for the first time from the ecosystem around hydrothermal vents in the Antarctic deep sea. The descriptions of new species contribute to and expand the current knowledge of the Cladorhizidae and consequently support future taxonomic identifications and descriptions of Antarctic deep-sea carnivorous sponges. The appearance of these newly discovered species underlines the hypothesis that Cladorhizidae is the second most species-rich family of Demospongiae in the Southern Ocean, and many new species of this deep-sea sponge family are still to be discovered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges)
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23 pages, 3017 KiB  
Article
Sponge Community Patterns in Mesophotic and Deep-Sea Habitats in the Aegean and Ionian Seas
by Caterina Stamouli, Vasilis Gerovasileiou and Eleni Voultsiadou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(11), 2204; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11112204 - 20 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2646
Abstract
Sponge assemblages play a significant role in the functioning of the Mediterranean benthic ecosystem. The main goal of this study was to investigate the diversity and distribution of poorly known sponge communities in the mesophotic and deep-sea substrates of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. [...] Read more.
Sponge assemblages play a significant role in the functioning of the Mediterranean benthic ecosystem. The main goal of this study was to investigate the diversity and distribution of poorly known sponge communities in the mesophotic and deep-sea substrates of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. More than 1500 sponge specimens belonging to 87 taxa were collected from 156 stations during experimental and commercial bottom trawling in the Aegean Sea and the eastern part of the Ionian ecoregion, at depths of between 10 and 800 m. A total of 79 sponge species were found in the Aegean and 40 species in the Ionian Sea. Eight of these species are included in lists of endangered and threatened species, two were newly recorded in the Aegean and six were first recorded in the east Ionian Sea. Both community structure and diversity differed between the two ecoregions. Species richness, biomass, abundance and diversity decreased with increasing depth, while different species dominated, in terms of biomass, abundance and frequency of appearance, in the two ecoregions and the separate depth zones. In contrast with previous investigations, which mostly examined shallow-water sponges, no clear resemblance patterns were observed among the north and south Aegean subareas, probably due to the homogeneity of the deep-sea habitats under investigation. This study, using sampling material from fish stock monitoring programs for the first time, contributed to our knowledge of the largely unknown eastern Mediterranean mesophotic and deep-sea sponge populations, which are subjected to intensive trawling activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 5th International Workshop on Taxonomy of Atlanto-Mediterranean Deep-Sea & Cave Sponges)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Long-term survey of sponge biodiversity in a Mediterranean cave with bathyal affinities
Authors: Boury-Esnault, Nicole
Affiliation: Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie Marine et Continentale, Marseille, France

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