Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2015
Clathria is one of the most species-rich genera among Demospongiae, but only nine species have been recorded so far from Brazil. Here we describe a new species of Clathria (Microciona) collected by trawling in waters of Sergipe State (north-eastern Brazil). The new species is differentiated from other encrusting Clathria with a hymedesmioid skeleton by the possession of a combination of long thin subectosomal subtylostyles, two category sizes of acanthostyles, both erect and echinating the basal spongin skeleton, long slightly curved choanosomal principal subtylostyles with tuberculate spine heads and wing-shaped toxas as microscleres.