Vol. 47 No. 6, 2008

Taxonomy of Sponges (Porifera) Associated with Corals from the Mexican Pacific Ocean

José Antonio Cruz-Barraza^1,2,* and José Luís Carballo¹

¹Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Estación Mazatlán), Avenida Joel Montes Camarena s/n, Mazatlán (SIN) 82000, PO box 811, México
²Postgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, UNAM, Mazatlán, México

José Antonio Cruz-Barraza and José Luís Carballo (2008) In this paper we describe 6 sponge species living on pocilloporid corals from the Mexican Pacific Ocean: Callyspongia californica, Chalinula nematifera, Haliclona caerulea, Mycale (Carmia) cecilia, M. (C.) magniraphidifera, and a new species of the genus Amphimedon, which constitutes the first record of this genus from the East Pacific Ocean.  These are the only species overgrowing live coral frameworks known so far from the Mexican Pacific Ocean.  Amphimedon texotli sp. nov. is a cushion-shaped to massive digitate blue sponge, with a skeletal structure typical of the genus Amphimedon.  The new species was found growing on different substrata, but its distribution seems to be restricted to coral reef ecosystems.  Chalinula nematifera was exclusively found on corals, and H. caerulea and C. californica were found as much on corals as on other types of substrata.  Mycale (Carmia) cecilia and M. (C.) magniraphidifera were less common species overgrowing live corals, yet were found on other types of substrata.  Our specimens constitute the first record of M. (C.) magniraphidifera from the Pacific Ocean.  We present the distinctive characteristics of these species for the development of later ecological studies, related to the ecological role of these sponges in coralline ecosystems from the Mexican Pacific coast.

Key words: Taxonomy, Sponges, Coral reef, Mexican Pacific Ocean, Interactions.

*Correspondence: Tel: 52-669-9852845.  Fax: 52-669-9826133.   E-mail:joseantonio@ola.icmyl.unam.mx;  jlcarballo@ola.icmyl.unam.mx