New Species Of Microscleroderma And Amphibleptula (Demospongiae, Tetractinellida, Scleritodermidae) From Two Contrasting Marine Environments

We record for the first time a nominal species of the genus Microscleroderma in the Western Atlantic, and the first record of the genus Amphibleptula in Mexico. Two new species of 'lithistid' Tetractinellida are described: Microscleroderma mexica sp. nov. from crevices of two reefs in Veracruz, Mexico, and Amphibleptula aaktun sp. nov. from the anchialine cave El Aerolito, Cozumel Island, Mexico. Microscleroderma mexica sp. nov. is characterized by its tubular and cup-shaped to wavy laminar habitus, hirsute surface and two size categories of oxea diactines. Amphibleptula aaktun sp. nov. is characterized by its ficiform or lobular habitus with an exhalant area at the flat top of the body, divided into numerous vertical septa-like structures; its desmas have thinner epirhabds, and thinner oxea than those of Amphibleptula madrepora. This is the second species of Amphibleptula that has been described; hence, we propose the redefinition of the genus. Both species described have a shallow distribution (<= 21 m depth); they are differentiated from each other by the disjunction between their habitats as well as by their morphology.