WoRMS source details
Turner, T.L., Morrow, C., Picton, B., Goodwin, C. & Thacker, R.W. (2025). A Common Garden of Halichondria Sponges: Taxonomic Revision of Northeast Pacific Halichondriidae Reveals Many Cryptic Introduced Species. Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists. 4(1): 1-56.
516844
10.18061/bssb.5811 [view]
Turner, T.L., Morrow, C., Picton, B., Goodwin, C. & Thacker, R.W.
2025
A Common Garden of <i>Halichondria</i> Sponges: Taxonomic Revision of Northeast Pacific Halichondriidae Reveals Many Cryptic Introduced Species
Bulletin of the Society of Systematic Biologists
4(1): 1-56
Publication
Sponges (phylum Porifera) possess biochemical, cellular, and physiological traits with valuable biotechnical applications. However, our ability to harness these natural innovations is limited by a classification system that does not fully reflect their evolutionary history. In this study, we uncover numerous cryptic species within the genus Halichondria that are morphologically indistinguishable from the well-known Ha. panicea. Many of these species have habitat preferences and geographic distributions that strongly suggest they have been dispersed by human activity. Most of these species are broadly sympatric with their closest relatives, and these overlapping distributions allow us to use patterns of DNA variation to infer reproductive isolation between clades in nature. With reproductively isolated species thus delineated, we can use DNA states as taxonomic characters to formally describe them. Though much remains to be learned about these newly discovered species, the natural “common gardens” of these sponges in California, New York, and other locations provide opportunities to test hypotheses about their diversification in future work.
North-west Pacific, warm temperate and boreal
Systematics, Taxonomy
Date
action
by
Axinyssa piloerecta Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Axinyssa tuscara (Ristau, 1978) (additional source)
Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea (Pallas, 1766) (additional source)
Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930 represented as Halichondria (Halichondria) bowerbanki Burton, 1930 (additional source)
Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria cascadia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria dokdoensis Kang, Kim & Kim, 2022 (additional source)
Halichondria galea Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870) represented as Halichondria (Eumastia) sitiens (Schmidt, 1870) (additional source)
Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978) (basis of record)
Hymeniacidon fusiformis Turner & Lonhart, 2023 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon globularis Ott, McDaniel & Humphrey, 2024 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935) accepted as Rhaphidostyla kitchingi Burton, 1935 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon perlevis (Montagu, 1814) (additional source)
Hymeniacidon pierrei Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 accepted as Rhaphidostyla pierrei (Turner, Morrow, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025) (original description)
Hymeniacidon ungodon de Laubenfels, 1932 (additional source)
Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870) (taxonomy source)
Topsentia fernaldi (Sim & Bakus, 1986) (additional source)
Axinyssa tuscara (Ristau, 1978) (additional source)
Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea (Pallas, 1766) (additional source)
Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930 represented as Halichondria (Halichondria) bowerbanki Burton, 1930 (additional source)
Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria cascadia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria dokdoensis Kang, Kim & Kim, 2022 (additional source)
Halichondria galea Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870) represented as Halichondria (Eumastia) sitiens (Schmidt, 1870) (additional source)
Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 (original description)
Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978) (basis of record)
Hymeniacidon fusiformis Turner & Lonhart, 2023 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon globularis Ott, McDaniel & Humphrey, 2024 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935) accepted as Rhaphidostyla kitchingi Burton, 1935 (additional source)
Hymeniacidon perlevis (Montagu, 1814) (additional source)
Hymeniacidon pierrei Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025 accepted as Rhaphidostyla pierrei (Turner, Morrow, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025) (original description)
Hymeniacidon ungodon de Laubenfels, 1932 (additional source)
Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870) (taxonomy source)
Topsentia fernaldi (Sim & Bakus, 1986) (additional source)
Celtic Seas for Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930
Celtic Seas for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Celtic Seas for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870)
North American Pacific Fijordland for Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870)
North and East Barents Sea for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North and East Iceland for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Northern California for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Northern California for Topsentia fernaldi (Sim & Bakus, 1986)
Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Coast and Shelf for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Coast and Shelf for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Halichondria cascadia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870)
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Hymeniacidon fusiformis Turner & Lonhart, 2023
Scotian Shelf for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Scotian Shelf for Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870)
South European Atlantic Shelf for Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930
Southern California Bight for Axinyssa piloerecta Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria (Halichondria) bowerbanki Burton, 1930 (origin: alien)
Southern California Bight for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria dokdoensis Kang, Kim & Kim, 2022 (origin: alien)
Southern California Bight for Halichondria galea Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon pierrei Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Celtic Seas for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Celtic Seas for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria columbiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North American Pacific Fijordland for Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870)
North American Pacific Fijordland for Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870)
North and East Barents Sea for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
North and East Iceland for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Northern California for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Northern California for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Northern California for Topsentia fernaldi (Sim & Bakus, 1986)
Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Coast and Shelf for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Oregon, Washington, Vancouver Coast and Shelf for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Halichondria cascadia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870)
Puget Trough/Georgia Basin for Hymeniacidon fusiformis Turner & Lonhart, 2023
Scotian Shelf for Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Scotian Shelf for Halichondria sitiens (Schmidt, 1870)
South European Atlantic Shelf for Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930
Southern California Bight for Axinyssa piloerecta Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria (Halichondria) bowerbanki Burton, 1930 (origin: alien)
Southern California Bight for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria californiana Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria dokdoensis Kang, Kim & Kim, 2022 (origin: alien)
Southern California Bight for Halichondria galea Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Halichondria zabra Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon actites (Ristau, 1978)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon kitchingi (Burton, 1935)
Southern California Bight for Hymeniacidon pierrei Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria hygeia Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria pinaza Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Virginian for Halichondria urca Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Holotype CAS 245233, geounit Southern California Bight, identified as Hymeniacidon pierrei Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Holotype CAS 245235, geounit Southern California Bight, identified as Axinyssa piloerecta Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Holotype ARC 82019, geounit Scotian Shelf, identified as Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Holotype CAS 245235, geounit Southern California Bight, identified as Axinyssa piloerecta Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
Holotype ARC 82019, geounit Scotian Shelf, identified as Halichondria akesa Turner, Morrow, Picton, Goodwin & Thacker, 2025
