Sponge (Porifera) species from the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean), with a checklist of sponges from the coasts of Turkey Turk J Zool 2012; 36(4) 460-464 © TÜBİTAK Research Article doi:10.3906/zoo-1107-4 Sponge (Porifera) species from the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean), with a checklist of sponges from the coasts of Turkey Alper EVCEN*, Melih Ertan ÇINAR Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, İzmir - TURKEY Received: 05.07.2011 Abstract: Th e present study deals with sponge species collected along the Mediterranean coast of Turkey in 2005. A total of 29 species belonging to 19 families were encountered, of which Phorbas plumosus is a new record for the eastern Mediterranean, 8 species are new records for the marine fauna of Turkey (Clathrina clathrus, Spirastrella cunctatrix, Desmacella inornata, Phorbas plumosus, Hymerhabdia intermedia, Haliclona fulva, Petrosia vansoesti, and Ircinia dendroides), and 19 species are new records for the Levantine Sea (C. clathrus, Sycon raphanus, Erylus discophorus, Alectona millari, Cliona celata, Diplastrella bistellata, Mycale contareni, Mycale cf. rotalis, Mycale lingua, D. inornata, P. plumosus, Phorbas fi ctitius, Lissodendoryx isodictyalis, Hymerhabdia intermedia, H. fulva, P. vansoesti, I. dendroides, Sarcotragus spinosulus, and Aplysina aerophoba). Th e morphological and distributional features of the species that are new to the Turkish marine fauna are presented. In addition, a check-list of the sponge species that have been reported from the coasts of Turkey to date is provided. Key words: Sponges, Porifera, biodiversity, distribution, Levantine Sea, Turkey, eastern Mediterranean Türkiye’nin Akdeniz kıyılarından (Levantin Denizi, doğu Akdeniz) sünger (Porifera) türleri ile Türkiye kıyılarından kaydedilen süngerlerin kontrol listesi Özet: Bu çalışma, 2005 yılında Türkiye’nin Akdeniz kıyılarında bulunan bazı sünger türlerini ele almaktadır. Bölgede 19 familyaya ait toplam 29 tür tespit edilmiş olup, bunlardan Phorbas plumosus Doğu Akdeniz, 8 tür Türkiye faunası (Clathrina clathrus, Spirastrella cunctatrix, Desmacella inornata, Phorbas plumosus, Hymerhabdia intermedia, Haliclona fulva, Petrosia vansoesti ve Ircinia dendroides) ve 19 tür Levantin Denizi (C. clathrus, Sycon raphanus, Erylus discophorus, Alectona millari, Cliona celata, Diplastrella bistellata, Mycale contareni, Mycale cf. rotalis, Mycale lingua, D. inornata, P. plumosus, Phorbas fi ctitius, Lissodendoryx isodictyalis, Hymerhabdia intermedia, H. fulva, P. vansoesti, I. dendroides, Sarcotragus spinosulus ve Aplysina aerophoba) için yeni kayıtlardır. Türkiye deniz faunası için yeni türlerin morfolojik ve dağılım özellikleri sunulmuştur. Ayrıca, Türkiye kıyılarından rapor edilen sünger türleri için bir kontrol listesi verilmiştir. Anahtar sözcükler: Süngerler, Porifera, biyoçeşitlilik, dağılım, Levantin Denizi, Türkiye, Doğu Akdeniz * E-mail: [email protected] 460 A. EVCEN, M. E. ÇINAR Introduction Studies on sponges along the coasts of Turkey date Th e eastern Mediterranean, especially the Levantine back to 1885. Colombo (1885) reported 5 species Sea, is one of the oligotrophic areas of the world’s [Leucandra aspera, Geodia gigas, Suberites domuncula, oceans. Th e primary production of the sea has been Petrosia (Petrosia) fi ciformis, and Siphonochalina estimated as 45 mgC m–2 day–1 (Ediger and Yılmaz, coriacea] in the Çanakkale Strait. Later, Ostroumoff 1996), which is almost 10 times lower than that of (1896) listed 31 sponges from diff erent depths of the western Mediterranean (350-450 mgC m–2 day– the Sea of Marmara and the İstanbul Strait. Sponge 1) (Moutin and Raimbault, 2002). Th e biodiversity diversity in the Sea of Marmara was also taken into of the region was known to be impoverished, account by Demir (1952-1954), Caspers (1968), and accounting for less than 50% of the total number of Topaloğlu (2001a). In the Aegean Sea, Sarıtaş (1972, species reported in the Mediterranean Sea (Coll et 1973, 1974) encountered a total of 50 sponge species in al., 2010). Th is west-east decline of the biodiversity İzmir Bay. Yazıcı (1978) studied some sponge species in the Mediterranean is also obvious for sponges. collected around Gökçeada (northern Aegean Sea). In the Levantine Sea, almost 85 sponge species have Some sponge species were later reported in faunistic been reported to date (Burton, 1936; Lévi, 1956; and ecological works performed in the Aegean Sea Tsurnamal, 1967, 1969; Ilan et al., 1994, 2003; Perez (Geldiay and Kocataş, 1972; Kocataş, 1978; Ergüven et al., 2004; Vacelet et al., 2007; Vacelet and Perez, et al., 1988; Katagan et al., 1991; Ergen et al., 1994; 2008; Voultsiadou, 2009), whereas 681, 432, and 200 Cinar and Ergen, 1998; Kocak et al., 1999; Topaloğlu, species have been listed in the whole Mediterranean, 2001a, 2001b; Çinar et al., 2002). On the Levantine western Mediterranean, and Aegean Sea (Coll et al., and Black Sea coasts of Turkey, no sponge species 2010; Voultsiadou, 2005b), respectively. However, have been reported to date. this picture could be biased and might indicate the Th is study deals with the sponge species collected scarcity in the number of faunistic studies performed within the framework of a project by the Scientifi c in the Levantine Sea (Çinar, 2003). and Technological Research Council of Turkey Th e Levantine Sea was greatly infl uenced by (TÜBİTAK; No: 104Y065) concerning the structures the Lessepsian migrants aft er the opening of the of zoobenthic communities on the southern coast Suez Canal in 1869. Some species belonging to of Turkey. Th e aims of this study were to assess diff erent groups such as Caulerpa racemosa (Algae), the sponge diversity in the shallow-water benthic Rhopilema nomadica (Scyphozoa), Pomatoleios habitats of the southern coast of Turkey and to kraussi (Polychaeta), Branchidontes pharaonis present morphological and distributional features of (Mollusca), and Siganus spp. (Pisces) have become the species that are new to the fauna of Turkey. Th is dominant components of the benthic and pelagic paper also provides a checklist of the sponge species communities in the area. Almost 955 alien species that have been reported on the coasts of Turkey to have been reported from the Mediterranean Sea so date. far (Zenetos et al., 2010). Th e majority of alien species (almost 75%) are known from the eastern part of Materials and methods the Mediterranean. According to a recent review (Zenetos et al., 2010), no alien sponge species exist in Sponge specimens were collected in the shallow-water the Mediterranean Sea. However, Burton (1936) and benthic habitats (depths of 0-5 m) of the southern (Tsurnamal, 1969) considered 7 species [Callyspongia coast of Turkey in September and October 2005 by viridis (as Haliclona viridis), Chrotella cavernosa scuba diving and snorkeling (Figure 1). However, a (cited as Cinachyrella australiensis), Damiriana soft -bottom benthic sample (with shell fragments) schmidti (cited as Lissodendoryx schmidti), Geodia that included a specimen of Phorbas plumosus was micropunctata, Heteroneme erecta (cited as Hyrtios also taken into account in this study. In the fi eld, erecta), Mycale erythraeana, and Reniera spinosella] sponge specimens collected were put in jars and fi xed to be Lessepsian migrants. Th ese species were later with a 4% formaldehyde solution. excluded from the alien list of the Mediterranean due In the laboratory, sponge specimens sorted from to debates regarding their taxonomic positions (see other benthic groups were washed under tap water Zenetos et al., 2005). and preserved in 70% alcohol. Preparations of 461 Sponge (Porifera) species from the Mediterranean coast of Turkey (Levantine Sea, eastern Mediterranean), with a checklist of sponges from the coasts of Turkey 27° 28° 29° 30° 31° 32° 33° 34° 35° 36°E 38°N 37° 36° Figure 1. Map of the investigated area with the locations of sampling sites. spicules and skeletons followed the standard practice isodictyalis, Hymerhabdia intermedia, H. (H.) fulva, proposed by Rützler (1978). Spicule preparations were P. (S.) vansoesti, I. dendroides, Sarcotragus spinosulus, made by dissolving sponge fragments in boiling nitric and Aplysina aerophoba) are new to the Levantine acid, and aft er rinsing in water and ethanol, spicules fauna. were permanently mounted on microscope slides. A Th e descriptions and distributional features of the minimum of 20 spicules of each type were measured species that are new to the marine fauna of Turkey with an ocular micrometer. Th e classifi cation used are as follows. in this work was that proposed by Hooper and Van Soest (2002), with the amendments given in the Class CALCAREA Bowerbank, 1864 World Porifera Database (Van Soest et al., 2011). Th e Family CLATHRINIDAE Minchin, 1900 author’s citations in the species presentation include Clathrina clathrus (Schmidt, 1864) the original description, where available, completed Grantia clathrus Schmidt 1864: 24, Fig III. Taf 3. with the most recent publications giving a complete 3a. description. Clathrina clathrus; Klautau and Valentine 2003: Th e specimens presented here are deposited at the 17-18, Fig. 12. Museum of the Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University (ESFM). Material examined: Many specimens were photographed at station K38 (29.09.2005, on rock, 3 m). Results Notes: Th is species has a yellow irregular mass of Th e materials collected along the southern coast of anastomosed tubes, massively