Checklist, diversity descriptors and selected descriptions of a highly diverse intertidal sponge (Porifera) assemblage at Costa do Descobrimento (Bahia, Brazil) Author Bettcher, Larissa 0000-0002-6341-8207 Author Fernandez, Julio C. C. 0000-0002-6785-5041 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6785 - 5041 Author Gastaldi, Marianela 0000-0002-2494-016 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & Departamento de Biología, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, San Martín 247, 8520 San Antonio Oeste, Río Negro, República Argentina & CONICET-Centro de Investigación Aplicada y Transferencia Tecnológica en Recursos Marinos Almirante Storni, G ̧ emes, 1030 San Antonio Oeste, República Argentina. https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 2494 - 0166 Author Bispo, André 0000-0003-4025-6839 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 4025 - 6839 Author Leal, Camille V. 0000-0002-1175-6896 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & Departamento de Genética, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, 21941 - 902, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1175 - 6896 Author Leite, Dora 0000-0003-3855-8192 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3855 - 8192 Author Avelino-Alves, Dhara 0000-0002-6850-741X Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6850 - 741 X Author Clerier, Pedro H. B. 0009-0001-5882-3208 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0009 - 0001 - 5882 - 3208 Author Rezende, Dafinny 0009-0008-6554-9754 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0009 - 0008 - 6554 - 9754 Author Gulart, Clara M. R. 0009-0003-8761-3669 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0009 - 0003 - 8761 - 3669 Author Pinheiro, Ulisses 0000-0003-3658-1372 https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 3658 - 1372 Author Hajdu, Eduardo 0000-0002-8760-9403 Departamento de Invertebrados, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s / n, 20940 - 040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil & https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 8760 - 9403 text Zootaxa 2023 2023-05-03 5277 3 443 489 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5277.3.2 journal article 53292 10.11646/zootaxa.5277.3.2 b55f10ed-45cb-4496-9ec1-8cac7a557cea 1175-5326 10268325 ADA46B20-63F6-4AB7-8FE8-1D0989662E6B Prosuberites laughlini ( Díaz, Alvarez & van Soest, 1987 ) ( Tab. 1–2 , 4 ; Fig. 7A–E ) Synonymy. Eurypon laughlini , Díaz et al. (1987) . Studied material. MNRJ 21505 , P.M. M. Recife de Fora ( 16°24.294′ S , 38°59.143′ W , Porto Seguro, BA , Brazil ), intertidal, coll. Hajdu, E. & Avelino, D. , 21 st April 2019 . Description. Thinly encrusting (< 1 mm thick); 4 cm in maximum diameter. Surface rugose, due to irregularities in the underlying substrate, pierced by apices of megascleres. Color in vivo orange-yellow, and beige in fixative ( Tab. 4 ; Fig. 7A ). Skeleton. Unspecialized ectosome, pierced by large choanosomal megascleres. Choanosome with a basal layer of spongin, a little sediment (including sand grains) and megascleres erect on the substrate/basal layer of spongin, bases down. Some megascleres (smaller ones) totally embedded in the choanosomal region ( Figs. 7B–C ) Spicules. Megascleres only ( Tab. 4 ; Figs. 6D–E ): tylostyles, slightly curved, pronounced head, with slight variation in overall shape, 231–431.1– 1174 x 9.7–14.0–18 µm. TABLE 4. Prosuberites laughlini ( Díaz, Alvarez & van Soest, 1987 ) : comparative data on morphology, spicules and known distribution. Spicule measurements in micrometers (µm) are presented as minimum–average–maximum (or minimum–maximum) of length x thickness. Roman numerals represent categories of tylostyles.

sensu	Morphology features	Megascleres (tylostyles)	Distribution (Depth)
Díaz et al. (1987)	Habit thinly encrusting (up to 4 mm thick). Surface hispid. Consistency soft. Color light orange in vivo , and light brown in fixative (EtOH)	126‒1855 x 3‒24; head width, 9‒28	Archipielago de Los Roques National Park, Venezuela, Caribbean / Atlantic (7‒35 m)
van Soest (2017)	Habit thinly encrusting (1–2 mm thick). Surface microhispid. Con- sistency soft. Color in vivo n.r., and pale beige in fixative (EtOH)	I, 984‒1148.0‒1425 x 11‒13.4‒16 II, 402‒555.0‒719 x 11‒11.9‒14 III, 218‒271.0‒336 x 6‒9.2‒13	Suriname / Atlantic (64 m)
MNRJ 21505	Habit thinly encrusting (<1 mm thick). Surface rugose and micro- hispid. Color orangy-yellow in vivo , and beige in fixatie (EtOH)	231‒431.1‒1174 x 10‒14.0‒18	Costa do Descobrimento, Bahia, Brazil / Atlantic (intertidal)

Distribution. Previously, West Indies (Southern Caribbean— Diaz et al. 1987 ), Central America ( Belize — Ŗtzler et al. 2000 ; Panama — Diaz 2005 ), Suriname ( van Soest 2017 ). New record—Southwestern Atlantic (Costa do Descobrimento, BA, Brazil ). Ecology. Encrusting calcareous substrate on the underside of a boulder, next to a diverse assemblage of organisms comprising other sponges, polychaetes and bryozoans. The species appears to be rare in the study area as only a single specimen was collected in five expeditions. Study of the specimen in the lab revealed the presence of Cliona cf. mucronata Sollas, 1878 excavating its substrate (see below). Remarks. The specimen reported upon here perfectly matches the few available previous descriptions for the species. Live color, surface characteristics, shape and dimensions of spicules fit well with the description of Diaz et al. (1987) and van Soest (2017) . The large apparent distribution gap between the southern Bahia / Brazil and Suriname records is most likely an artefact of insufficient sampling or taxonomic effort.