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 Heteromeyenia cristalina Batista, Volkmer-Ribeiro & Melão, 2007 ( Figure 9 ) Heteromeyenia insignis sensu Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago 1964 : 252 . Heteromeyenia stepanowii sensu Volkmer-Ribeiro 1981: 88 , Volkmer-Ribeiro & Grosser 1981 : 177 , Tavares et al. 2003 : 174 . For other synonyms see Muricy et al. (2011) . Material studied. UFPEPOR854, coll. G. Nicacio, 12.iii.2009 , UFPEPOR855, coll. G. Nicacio, 06.viii.2009 , UFPEPOR897, coll. G. Nicacio, 12.viii.2009 , UFPEPOR898, coll. G. Nicacio, 02.ix.2009 , UFPEPOR899, coll. G. Nicacio, 25.ix.2009 , UFPEPOR933, coll. U. Pinheiro, 23.x.2009 , UFPEPOR941, coll. U. Pinheiro, 11.xii.2009 , UFPEPOR1089, coll. G. Nicacio, 01.iv.2010 , Riacho do Prata Stream, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil , 8°1'9.40"S 34°56'39.93"W . FIGURE 9. Heteromeyenia cristalina : (a) UFPEPOR941 specimen in situ ; (b) megasclere; (c) microsclere; (d) gemmuloscleres; (e-f) gemmules. Scale bars: a—2cm, b—50µm, c,d—30µm, e,f—100µm. General morphology. Encrusting sponge, fleshy, globular shaped ranging 3–10cm in diameter. Consistency of live sponge moderately soft, surface hispid. Caramel colour ( Fig. 9 a). Megascleres straight to slightly curved oxeas (276– 456/6–15µm), sparsely microspined ( Fig. 9 b). Microscleres sharply pointed oxeas (63–102/3–4µm), from curved to straight entirely spined with microspines ( Fig. 9 c). Gemmuloscleres birotules (51–87µm/4–6µm), bearing tapered spines on shaft, cut rotules (12–21µm) microspined ( Fig. 9 d). Gemmules are hemispherical averaging 540µm, abundant often at basal portion and scattered in the sponge body. Gemmular theca with welldeveloped pneumatic layer of spongin chambers and gemmuloscleres radially embedded ( Fig. 9 e,f). Distribution and ecological notes. Brazil : ( Muricy et al. 2011 ); Argentina ( Bonetto & Ezcurra 1964 , Ezcurra de Drago 1993). Specimens were found in ponds on artificial substrate in standing waters with Chironomidae larvae ( Diptera ) as symbionts. This species is widespread in all Brazilian regions.