Klautau, M.; Solé-Cava, A.M.; Borojevic, R. (1994). Biochemical systematics of sibling sympatric species of Clathrina (Porifera: Calcarea). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 22(4): 367-375.
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Klautau, M.; Solé-Cava, A.M.; Borojevic, R.
1994
Biochemical systematics of sibling sympatric species of <i>Clathrina</i> (Porifera: Calcarea)
We have studied isozyme patterns in a population of calcareous sponges belonging to the genusvClathrina, collected at Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The only slightly distinct morphotypes, that would be classified by standard systematics as conspecific, were found to belong to biologically distinct species, with no gene flow among them. We conclude that morphological criteria of spicules and general organization of the skeleton are unreliable for the classification of Clathrina. Moreover, comparison with specimens belonging to another morphologically well defined species indicated that genetic distances did not correlate with the observed grade of morphological differences, precluding the use of spicule-analysis to establish the relative degree of relationship among species belonging to the genus Clathrina, and possibly among sponges of other groups.