Checklist of sponges (Porifera) in the Aegean and Levantine Seas
10/17/2023Checklist of sponges (Porifera) in the Aegean and Levantine Seas
Alper Evcen, Bülent Topaloğlu, Melih Ertan Çinar
ORCID IDs: A.E. 0000-0003-1134-2551; M.E.Ç. 0000-0002-1802-2801; B.T. 0000-0001-6620-8072
The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK) Marmara Research Center, 21 41470 Gebze, Kocaeli, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2, 34134, Fatih/Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Department of Hydrobiology, Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
SERPULA Marine Research Limited Company, Teknopark Izmir, Urla, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
Abstract
This study compiled data on the distribution of sponge species along the coasts of countries bordering the Levantine and Aegean Seas (eastern Mediterranean). The checklist comprises 313 species belonging to 67 families, 23 orders, and 4 classes. Out of these species, 37 species are endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean and 77 species are endemic to the Mediterranean. The orders, namely Tetractinellida (44 species), Haplosclerida (36 species), Suberitida (35 species), Poecilosclerida (34 species) and Dictyoceratida (31 species) have the highest number of species in the region. The Aegean coast of Greece has the highest number of sponge species (231 species), followed by the Aegean coast of Türkiye (129 species) and the Levantine coast of Israel (65 species). Due to the limited number of studies performed on sponges, the lowest number of species were found along the Libyan and Syrian coasts. Among the sponges reported, four species, namely Geodia micropuntata, Amphimedon chloros, Niphates toxifera and Paraleucilla magna appear to be alien species in the regions. A total of 14 sponge species listed as endangered or threatened species according to the Bern (1979) and Barcelona (2013) conventions have been recorded in the regions.
Keywords: Sponges, Porifera, Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean Sea, Levantine Sea, check-list
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