The taxonmic status of some Mediterranean clionids (Porifera: Demospongiae) according to morphological and genetic characters
1996
Bavestrello, G. | Calcinai, B. | Cerrano, C. | Pansini, M. | Sara, M. (Universita di Genova (Italy). Istituto di Zoologia)
The taxonomic status of some Cliona species living sympatrically in two Ligurian localities has been studied on the basis of morphological (spicule shape and size, boring pattern, arrangement of choanocyte chambers studied by corrosion casts) and genetic analyses. Results from this study indicate remarkable specificity in the choice of substrata by the Cliona larvae. This comprehensive approach confirmed distinct differences between Cliona viridis and Cliona nigricans. C. viridis is superficial species boring only calcareous algae (alpha stage), whereas the electrophoretic data demonstrate the identity of different growth forms of C. nigricans boring biogenic substrata or living in massive form on detritic bottoms and on Posidonia rhizomes (beta and gamma stages). The calcareous veins embedded in sedimentary rocks along the Ligurian coast are generally bored by C. celata but, in the same habitat, another species has been detected. This species, that shall be described afterwards on a wider lot of specimens coming from different localities, is very close to C. celata in spicule shape, but the spicules are smaller. Moreover the two species are clearly distinguishable on the basis of their boring pattern. Finally the genetic analysis ascertained that there is no gene flux between these two species.
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