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Higginsia Ciccaresei sp. nov. (Porifera: Demospongiae) from a Marine Cave on the Apulian Coast (Mediterranean Sea)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Maurizio Pansini  and
Giuseppe L. Pesce
Maurizio Pansini
Affiliation:
Istituto di Zoologia, Universitá di Genova, via Balbi 5, 1–16126 Genova, Italy.
Giuseppe L. Pesce
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Universitá di L'Aquila, via Vetoio – Coppito, 1–67010 L'Aquila, Italy
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Extract

A new species of sponge: Higginsia ciccaresei sp. nov. (Demospongiae: Desmoxyidae) is described from a marine cave of the Ionian Apulian coast (Mediterranean Sea). It lives in complete darkness, 250 m from the cave entrance, in a basin of anchialine waters of low salinity and relatively cool temperature. The spicule formation process seems to be affected by some of the peculiar characteristics of the ambient water, resulting in spicules of unusual shape and irregular surface. This is the second record of the genus Higginsia – which has a world-wide distribution – from the Mediterranean Sea. The hypothesis that H. ciccaresei could be considered as a tethyan relic which survived in the peculiar habitat of an anchialine cave is also suggested.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 78 , Issue 4 , November 1998 , pp. 1083 - 1091
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1998

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