Systematics of 'lithistid' tetractinellid demosponges from the Tropical Western Atlantic-implications for phylodiversity and bathymetric distribution

Astrid Schuster; Shirley A Pomponi; Andrzej Pisera; Paco Cárdenas; Michelle Kelly; Gert Wörheide; Dirk Erpenbeck

doi:10.7717/peerj.10775

Systematics of 'lithistid' tetractinellid demosponges from the Tropical Western Atlantic-implications for phylodiversity and bathymetric distribution

PeerJ. 2021 Apr 2:9:e10775. doi: 10.7717/peerj.10775. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Astrid Schuster^{1

2}, Shirley A Pomponi³, Andrzej Pisera⁴, Paco Cárdenas⁵, Michelle Kelly⁶, Gert Wörheide^{1

7

8}, Dirk Erpenbeck^{1

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
² Current affiliation: Department of Biology, Nordcee, Southern University of Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
³ Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Ft Pierce, FL, USA.
⁴ Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland.
⁵ Pharmacognosy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
⁶ National Centre for Coasts and Oceans, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand.
⁷ GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.
⁸ SNSB-Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany.

Abstract

Background: 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.

Principal findings: In this study we provide sequences of 249 lithistid demosponges using two independent molecular markers (28S rDNA (C1-D2) and cox1 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, Herengeria and Awhiowhio, are reported from the TWA for the first time. The higher-taxa relationships of desma-bearing tetractinellids are discussed and topics for revision suggested.

Conclusion: 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.

Keywords: Integrative taxonomy; Lithistiddemosponges; Tetractinellida; Tropical Western Atlantic.

Grants and funding

Financial support for this study was provided by the German Science Foundation to Dirk Erpenbeck and Gert Wörheide (DFG ER 611/3-1, DFG Wo869/15-1, respectively). The LMU Mentoring and the HELGE AX:Son JOHNSON STIFTELSE provided funding for Astrid Schuster to visit HBOI (Florida, USA) and NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland and Wellington in New Zealand). AS was further funded by Villum Fonden grant no. 16518. Financial support for the R/V Seward Johnson/Johnson Sea Link I+II expedition was provided by HBOI. Michelle Kelly’s participation was funded by NIWA under Coasts and Oceans Research Programme 2 Marine Biological Resources: Discovery and definition of the marine biota of New Zealand (2016/2017 and 2017/2018 SCI). Paco Cárdenas and Shirley A. Pomponi received support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program through the SponGES project (Grant agreement No. 679849). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.