Metabolomics on the study of marine organisms

Plant science

Bearing the wrong identity: A case study of an Indo-Pacific common shallow water sponge of the genus Neopetrosia (Haplosclerida; Petrosiidae).

Sponges of the order Haplosclerida are often abundant and characteristic components of Indo-Pacific reefs, but are often misidentified, because of the lack of clear distinctive morphological characters. Neopetrosia exigua is an example of a haplosclerid sponge that is very common in Indonesian shallow coral reef environments but bears several different names. In the present study we investigated type material of several Indo-Pacific Neopetrosia species with a similar morphology and examined freshly collected specimen materials including specimens that are deposited at several institutions. In addition, we used molecular phylogenetic methods for assisting the morphological examinations. We conclude that the true identity of Neopetrosia exigua should be Neopetrosia chaliniformis. Likewise, N. exigua and N. pacifica should be considered as junior synonyms of N. chaliniformis. In conclusion, we advocate that molecular barcoding could significantly aid on sponge species' delimitation that possess limited morphological characters.Conservation Biolog

Phylogeography of the Sponge Suberites diversicolor in Indonesia: Insights into the Evolution of Marine Lake Populations

The existence of multiple independently derived populations in landlocked marine lakes provides an opportunity for fundamental research into the role of isolation in population divergence and speciation in marine taxa. Marine lakes are landlocked water bodies that maintain a marine character through narrow submarine connections to the sea and could be regarded as the marine equivalents of terrestrial islands. The sponge Suberites diversicolor (Porifera: Demospongiae: Suberitidae) is typical of marine lake habitats in the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Four molecular markers (two mitochondrial and two nuclear) were employed to study genetic structure of populations within and between marine lakes in Indonesia and three coastal locations in Indonesia, Singapore and Australia. Within populations of S. diversicolor two strongly divergent lineages (A & B) (COI: p = 0.4% and ITS: p = 7.3%) were found, that may constitute cryptic species. Lineage A only occurred in Kakaban lake (East Kalimantan), while lineage B was present in all sampled populations. Within lineage B, we found low levels of genetic diversity in lakes, though there was spatial genetic population structuring. The Australian population is genetically differentiated from the Indonesian populations. Within Indonesia we did not record an East-West barrier, which has frequently been reported for other marine invertebrates. Kakaban lake is the largest and most isolated marine lake in Indonesia and contains the highest genetic diversity with genetic variants not observed elsewhere. Kakaban lake may be an area where multiple putative refugia populations have come into secondary contact, resulting in high levels of genetic diversity and a high number of endemic specie

Metabolic variation in Caribbean giant barrel sponges: influence of age and sea-depth

NWO# 16.161.301Environmental Biolog

Influence of the geographical location on the metabolic production of giant barrel sponges (Xestospongia spp.) revealed by metabolomics tools

Animal science

Callyspongia (Euplacella) biru spec. nov. (Porifera: Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) from Indonesia

A new sponge species Callyspongia (Euplacella) biru spec. nov. is described from various locations within Indonesia (NE Bali, SW & NE Sulawesi and NE Kalimantan). The species is assigned to the subgenus Euplacella of the genus Callyspongia because it has brushes of spicules on the nodes of its double-meshed ectosomal skeleton. The species is discussed and compared with relevant Callyspongia records from other Indonesian and neighbouring Indo-Pacific areas