engleski

Croatian Endemic Stygobitic Freshwater Sponge Does Not Belong To The Genus Eunapius

Freshwater sponge which inhabits karst caves around Ogulin was described in 1986 as Eunapius subterraneus (Sket and Velikonja (1986) Stygologia 2, 254-266). So far it is the only known obligatory inhabitant of underground waters from the phylum Porifera and is therefore unique in the world. Twenty years old taxonomic position of this endemic stygobitic sponge is based primarily on the morphology of spicules. In order to better characterize this sponge, we have performed genetic analysis and determined primary structures of 18S rDNA, ITS2 (internal transcribed region 2) and cytochrome oxidase I (COI) mitochondrial gene. DNA sequences of the 3 diagnostic DNA regions were compared with the same DNA sequences from freshwater sponges belonging to the family Spongilidae. Our genetic analyses undoubtedly exclude this sponge from the genus Eunapius. E. subterraneus shows much higher genetic similarity with sponges from the genus Ephydatia. However, due to the unique changes in the primary structure of diagnostic DNA regions, this unique Croatian endemic sponge should probably be considered as the only known member of a new genus.

Eunapius

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