Sponges occurring at Alagoas State reefs, in north-eastern Brazil, are poorly known. This work reports on the sponges of Maceió coral reefs, the state ´s capital. A total of 29 species were identified so far. These were Agelas dispar, Amphimedon aff. complanata, A. viridis, Biemna microacanthosigma, Chalinula molitba, Chondrilla aff. nucula, Chondrosia collectrix, Cinachyrella apion, C. alloclada, Cliona aff. celata, C. varians, Dragmacidon reticulatum, Dysidea etheria, Echinodictyum dendroides, Geodia corticostylifera, G. papyracea, Haliclona curacaoensis, H. manglaris, H. melana, Iotrochota birotulata, Ircinia strobilina, Mycale diversisigmata, Niphates erecta, Placospongia aff. melobesioides, Scopalina ruetzleri, Spirastrella coccinea, S. hartmani, Tedania ignis and Tethya sp. The numbers of species in each station varied from 16 to 24. Mycale diversisigmata is a first record for the southern Atlantic. These preliminary results indicate the occurrence of a moderately rich sponge fauna at the Maceió reef’s area, arguing for stricter control on human impact on these urban reefs.