Phylogeny of two new pheronematid sponges from the Caroline Seamount and South China Sea

Abstract

Two new species of genus Pheronemoides are described in this study. The Specimens were collected from the South China sea and the Caroline seamount in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Pheronemoides crustiformis sp. nov. differs from its congeners in exhibiting large microamphidiscs, whip-like and slightly bent microuncinates and small spiny microdiactins. Pheronemoides curvipentactin sp. nov. possesses special pentactine atrialia with round terminal or tapering terminal curved pinular rays and crooked pentactins, making it easily distinguishable from its congeners. Partial sequences of the 28S rDNA and 16S rDNA genes were also amplified to confirm the family assignment of the two new species and to explore the systematic status of Pheronemoides.