Biodiversity of freshwater sponges (Porifera: Spongillina) from northeast Brazil: new species and notes on systematics Author Nicacio, Gilberto Author Pinheiro, Ulisses text Zootaxa 2015 3981 2 220 240 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3981.2.4 4a1158fd-fb5d-4b37-b0dd-f41849c3326a 1175-5326 242084 81B9E14F-DCC5-47C4-8BB1-637D80C01ECA Uruguaya corallioides ( Bowerbank, 1863 ) ( Figure 4 ) Spongilla corallioides Bowerbank 1863 : 460 , Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago 1969 : 352 , Ezcurra de Drago & Bonetto 1969 : 365 . For other synonyms, see Muricy et al. (2011) . Material studied. UFPEPOR1300 ( in part ), São Francisco River (II), Santa Maria da Boa Vista, Pernambuco, Brazil , 08°48'31.5"S 39°49'59.5"W , coll. L.R.C. Lima, 07.x.2011 . FIGURE 4. Uruguaya corallioides : (a) megasclere strongyle; (b) megasclere oxea; (c) gemmuloscleres; (d) detail of gemmuloscleres surface. Scale bars: a, b, c—50µm, d—5µm. General morphology. Encrusting sponge measuring 1cm in diameter. Megascleres exclusively stout strongyles straight to slightly curved (201–264/15–24µm), smooth, rarely slender oxeas ( Fig. 4 a,b). Microscleres absent. Gemmuloscleres are granulated strongyles (45–96/12–15µm), short, stout ( Fig. 4 c,d). Gemmules are hemispherical, around 470µm in diameter, and gemmuloscleres are embedded tangentially. Distribution and ecological notes. Specimens were found at rocky substrate in running waters: Brazil ( Muricy et al. 2011 ); Argentina , Paraguay , Uruguay and Venezuela ( Bowerbank, 1863 , Hinde 1888 , Bonetto & Ezcurra 1964 , Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago 1969 , Volkmer-Ribeiro & Pauls 2000 ). Remarks. Uruguaya is a monotypic genus with a restricted geographic range in the Neotropical Region. Uruguaya corallioides has a wide distribution in South America . Furthermore, Brazil has the most number of records for this species, mainly in north and south regions. Prior to the present study, however, it was unknown from northeast region.