Suberitidae (Demospongiae, Hadromerida) from the North Aegean Sea

Abstract

Sampling in the North Aegean Sea yielded nine species of the family Suberitidae, four of which, Pseudosuberites sulphureus, P. hyalinus, Suberiles ficus and S. syringella, are new for the fauna of the Eastern Mediterranean, and three more, S. carnosus, S. domuncula, and S. massa, are new records for the fauna of the Aegean Sea. For each of the nine species comments on the systematics, as well as geographical and ecological information is given. A redescription is given of the little known species Suberites massa Nardo. A review of the distribution of all Mediterranean Suberitidae is also presented, in which it is concluded that a further three species not represented in our material have been reported from the Eastern Mediterranean, viz. Laxosuberites ectyoninus, Prosuberites longispina, and P. epiphytum. Six suberitids reported from other parts of the Mediterranean so far have not been found in the Eastern Mediterranean