biostudies-literatureUriz MJBluePharmTrainGrup ConsolidatBenthomics projectMARSYMBIOMICS projecte2958https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC5344016biostudies-literatureUnknown5<h4>Background</h4>Sponges are particularly prone to hiding cryptic species as their paradigmatic plasticity often favors species phenotypic convergence as a result of adaptation to similar habitat conditions. <i>Hemimycale</i> is a sponge genus (Family Hymedesmiidae, Order Poecilosclerida) with four formally described species, from which only <i>Hemimycale columella</i> has been recorded in the Atlanto-Mediterranean basin, on shallow to 80 m deep bottoms. Contrasting biological features between shallow and deep individuals of <i>Hemimycale columella</i> suggested larger genetic differences than those expected between sponge populations. To assess whether shallow and deep populations indeed belong to different species, we performed a phylogenetic study of <i>Hemimycale columella</i> acrossPeerJMolecular phylogenies confirm the presence of two cryptic <i>Hemimycale</i> species in the Mediterranean and reveal the polyphyly of the genera <i>Crella</i> and <i>Hemimycale</i> (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida).PMC5344016FP7 People-INT, Ref. 2013-667786Spanish MICINN, CTM-2010-22218-C02-01SGR-120Spanish MINECO, CTM2013-43287-PGarate LUriz MJAgell GfalseMolecular phylogenies confirm the presence of two cryptic <i>Hemimycale</i> species in the Mediterranean and reveal the polyphyly of the genera <i>Crella</i> and <i>Hemimycale</i> (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida).<h4>Background</h4>Sponges are particularly prone to hiding cryptic species as their paradigmatic plasticity often favors species phenotypic convergence as a result of adaptation to similar habitat conditions. <i>Hemimycale</i> is a sponge genus (Family Hymedesmiidae, Order Poecilosclerida) with four formally described species, from which only <i>Hemimycale columella</i> has been recorded in the Atlanto-Mediterranean basin, on shallow to 80 m deep bottoms. Contrasting biological features between shallow and deep individuals of <i>Hemimycale columella</i> suggested larger genetic differences than those expected between sponge populations. To assess whether shallow and deep populations indeed belong to different species, we performed a phylogenetic study of <i>Hemimycale columella</i> across2017-01-01T00:00:00Z20172026-05-30T08:15:02.792Z2019-03-27T02:38:18ZS-EPMC53440162828670710.7717/peerj.2958