-Reproductive strategies of two common sympatric Mediterranean sponges: Dysidea avara (Dictyoceratida) and Phorbas tenacior (Poecilosclerida).

ABSTRACT: Despite their abundance in benthic ecosystems, life cycles and reproductive features of most sponge species remain unknown. We have studied the main reproductive features of two demosponges, Dysidea avara and Phorbas tenacior, belonging to phylogenetically distant groups: Orders Dictyoceratida and Poecilosclerida, respectively. Both sponges are abundant and share habitat in the Mediterranean rocky sublittoral. They brood parenchymella larvae with different morphology and behaviour. Sampling was conducted monthly over a two-year period in a locality where both species coexist. The two species reproduced in spring-summer, and presented species-specific reproductive features despite being subject to the same environmental conditions. D. avara has a shorter reproductive period than P. tenacior

SUBMITTER: de Caralt S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6087620 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature