Long‐term sponge stranding along the shores of Sardinia Island (Western Mediterranean Sea)

Abstract

The taxonomic richness and geographic distribution of sponges stranded along Sardinian shores were investigated in the long term by means of a revisited ancient sampling method in order to support a comprehensive species inventory. Almost all stranded species were Keratosa (n = 20), plus 6 species of other Demospongiae taxa. Dictyoceratida were dominant, with 6 genera and 19 species of the families Irciniidae, Spongiidae and Thorectidae: 9 Mediterranean endemics, 7 Atlanto‐Mediterranean and 3 widespread species. Regarding Dendroceratida, only the genus Spongionella was found. Some species (n = 8) were recorded for the first time in circum‐Sardinian seas. A high percentage (54.3%; 19 out of the 35 species) of the total Mediterranean Dictyoceratida fauna was recorded, including the most endangered Mediterranean species, that is of the genera Spongia and Hippospongia. Hippospongia communis, Ircinia variabilis, Spongia zimocca and Spongia officinalis were the most common species. Morphotraits of rare and/or poorly known species were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Comparison among Sardinian sectors, and between Sardinian and adjacent seas, revealed a high similarity of stranded Dictyoceratida, despite the fact that the data from Tyrrhenian and Balearic–Catalan seas were collected mainly from SCUBA records. The cost‐effective sampling method used in the present study seems appropriate to the gross qualitative monitoring of coastal areas (e.g. large unexplored Northern African coasts), in order to assess the conservation status of Mediterranean Keratosa species. The wide distribution of all Mediterranean bath sponge species indicates their good conservation status in circum‐Sardinian seas, a datum that could usefully support the future management of this bioresource, particularly in protected areas.

Sponges of Western Mediterranean seamounts: new genera, new species and new records

“…Despite their importance, very little is known about sponges of the Mediterranean seamounts, which is in contrast to the vast number of studies on sponge taxonomy available in other domains like the continental shelf or the submarine canyons ( e.g . Vacelet, 1961 , 1969 ; Pulitzer-Finali, Hadromerida & Poecilosclerida, 1978 ; Pulitzer-Finali, 1983 ; Boury-Esnault, Pansini & Uriz, 1994 ; Pansini, Manconi & Pronzato, 2011 ; Bertolino et al, 2015 ; Longo et al, 2018 ; Manconi et al, 2019 ; Enrichetti et al, 2020 ). However, in recent years the increase in the use of Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) has facilitated the access and study of seamounts.…”

Collagenic architecture and morphotraits in a marine basal metazoan as a model for bioinspired applied research

“…In order to promote conservation and sustainable experimental mariculture a sponge farming of the target species was utilized as an underwater experimental laboratory, also, with the aim to increase investigations on sponge biology in shallow water (2-3 m depth) and to give support for applied research on blue bioresources, in agreement with the guidelines of the European Commission (2012). Sponge culture plants were harbored in a small marina of Tramariglio Cove (40 35 0 32.47 00 N, 8 10 0 11.50 00 E; Club Nautico Capo Caccia) within the Capo Caccia-Isola Piana Marine Protected Area (MPA, Northern Sardinian Sea, Western Mediterranean; Ledda et al, 2014;Manconi et al, 2019Manconi et al, , 2020Padiglia et al, 2018;Perez-Lopez et al, 2017;Stocchino et al, 2021).…”

Keratose‐dominated sponge grounds from temperate mesophotic ecosystems (NW Mediterranean Sea)

“…For instance, the recent exploration surveys related to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive allowed to collect several information regarding this bathymetric range over large geographic Mediterranean sectors including the Ligurian one (Dominguez-Carrió, 2018;Grinyó et al, 2018;Enrichetti, Dominguez-Carrió, et al, 2019). a For this species we followed Manconi et al (2019).…”