taxonID	type	description	language	source
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	description	Fig. 3 Synonymy and other records. Dendroxea sp. Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: S 1 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 1630, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quin- tana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 5.6 m, October 25, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and G. Yáñez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	description	Description. It is a delicate branching sponge, comprised by two thinly twigs 11 cm long, and each up to 2 mm in diameter, anastomosed at the middle. A basal plate that supports the body is lacking. Color yellowish-white in vivo with a transparent dermal layer (Fig. 3 a), the color fades when in alcohol. Surface conulose-looking, consisting of protruding three to four aligned spicules, reaching up to 1 mm outside the surface, the same covered by a delicate dermis. Several scattered oscules up to 1 mm in diameter (Fig. 3 b). Consistency compressible and soft. Skeleton. (Fig. 3 b-c) The ectosomal skeleton is a tangential unispicular layer of oxeas. The choanosomal skeleton is composed by a central longitudinal tract running along the twig. From this axial tract departs an ill-defined unispicular reticulation tending to isodyctial, (forming triangular to rectangular meshes), that also connects to thinner longitudinal multispicular tracts (up to 33.4 µm in diameter) parallel to surface. Many scattered spicules are in between. Collagenous matrix in a relatively low density. Spicules. (Fig. 3 d-e) Oxeas hastate, straight and slightly curved, with both conical and telescoped ends, 171.6 ‒ 215 × 2.8 ‒ 7 µm. A second category of oxeas is a thinly fusiform oxea, 110 ‒ 179.6 × 1.5 ‒ 4.4 µm. Strongyles in lesser number, straight to slightly curved also, 106 ‒ 210 × 7.5 ‒ 9 µm (Fig. 3 e). Frequent swellings or tubercles occur at the middle part of the shaft, as much of strongyles as of the thinner oxeas.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species name refers to the Maya civilization that settled in this area. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is a stygobite species, living at 5.6 m depth. This is the first record of the genus Calyx in anchialine caves. Apart from this, no individuals fell inside the transects of the quantitative survey, indicating a low population size (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018 as Dendoxea sp.).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F16FFA1FF36FEF8FF30703A.taxon	discussion	Remarks. According to Desqueyroux-Faúndez & Valentine’s (2002) definition of the genus, Calyx maya sp. nov. agrees well enough with it. The new species only differs for having a single unispicular layer in the ectosomal skeleton instead of a multi-layer as diagnosed in the genus, owing most probably to the small size and highly delicate branched growth form. The unispicular layer could be an adaptation to the low food availability in the cave environment. Calyx maya sp. nov. is distinguished from the two Tropical Western Atlantic Calyx species, by the presence of its thinly branching habit, a single unispicular layer in the ectosomal skeleton, its variable shaped oxeas from hastate, fusiform, through stair-stepped to strongyle. Besides, a good percentage of spicules of the new species have a tuberous centrotylote on the oxeas, which is absent in both C. podatypa (de Laubenfels 1934 as Haliclona) and C. magnoculata van Soest et al. 2014. C. podatypa is characterized by a choanosomal sub-rectangular reticulation containing multispicular tracts, and among these many interstitial spicules that make vague isodictyal reticulations; along with its massive body, a denser ectosomal skeleton, key shaped oscules, and smaller spicule sizes, 90 ‒ 119 × 2 ‒ 4 µm. Van Soest (2017) re-measured the holotype spicules of C. podatypa USNM 22305, uniform in size and shape, and curved thin oxeas, 117 ‒ 133 ‒ 144 × 2.5 ‒ 3.8 ‒ 5 µm, still different from our new species. C. magnoculata is characterized by its massively encrusting growth form, a dense multilayered crust of intercrossing spicules, and mostly, an isotropic-confused spicule mass at the choanosome, as well as slightly larger spicules (141 ‒ 264 × 6 ‒ 13 µm).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F14FFAFFF36FAB0FCB47632.taxon	description	Fig. 4 Synonymy and other records. Haliclona (Reniera) sp. 2; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: 14, Table 1, S 1 Table, S 3 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F14FFAFFF36FAB0FCB47632.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 1481, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave system, Cozu- mel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 4.5 m, January 12, 2015; coll. F. Calderón- Gutiérrez and German Yañez. PARATYPE CNPGG ‒ 1482, same data as holotype.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F14FFAFFF36FAB0FCB47632.taxon	description	Description. Subglobular shaped sponge, the two specimens are similar in size, 2.1 ‒ 2.3 cm long and 1.2 ‒ 1.9 cm wide. Color varies from beige to brown in vivo with a transparent dermal layer, turning to pale in alcohol (Fig. 4 a). Surface irregular due to agglomerations of tissue, with protruding tips of spicules distant from each other; no oscular openings are clearly seen. Consistency extremely compressible, soft, and fragile that collapses with a slight move. Skeleton. Ectosomal and choanosomal skeletons as a regular reticulation of single spicules making an isotropic net of unispicular tracts, forming triangular to rectangular meshes, 55 ‒ 458 µm wide (Fig. 4 b-c). Spicules. (Fig. 4 d-g) Mainly oxeas, smooth, straight to slightly curved, fusiform, or sharply pointed, 82 ‒ 130 × 2.6 ‒ 3 µm. Some tending to smooth strongyles, straight to slightly curved with both ends tapering to a round point, others with a uniform diameter, 80.6 ‒ 117 × 2.6 ‒ 3 µm.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F14FFAFFF36FAB0FCB47632.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Stygobia refers to its “ stygobiont ” habitat. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality. Ecology. This is a stygobite species. Observed in the cave through Cenote Km- 1, but not after the Cenote Roca Bomba, at depths between 4.5 and 7.6 m, usually fixed on the floor, but also on the cave walls. In accordance with the quantitative survey, its population size along the cave was estimated as 9,729 + / - 3,079 individuals (Calderón- Gutiérrez et al. 2018 as H. (Reniera) sp. 2).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F14FFAFFF36FAB0FCB47632.taxon	discussion	Remarks. At least six other species of Haliclona (Reniera) have been reported from marine cave environments, H. (R.) aquaeductus (Schmidt, 1862), H. (R.) cinerea (Grant, 1826), H. (R.) citrina (Topsent, 1892), H. (R.) cratera (Schmidt, 1862), H. (R.) mediterranea Griessinger, 1971, and H. (R.) subtilis Griessinger, 1971 all recorded in the Mediterranean Sea (Griessinger 1971; Pouliquen 1972; Pulitzer-Finali 1983, De Weerdt 1986, 1989). Additionally, three more Haliclona (Reniera) species in the Caribbean have been reported in marine caves. H. (R.) implexiformis Hechtel, 1965, originally from the reefs of Jamaica, but inhabits marine caves in the Bahamas (Slattery et al. 2013) is characterized by its cushion shaped form, strongylote oxeas 95 ‒ 167 × 3.7 ‒ 9.3 µm, and pinkish-violet color. H. (R.) tubifera (George & Wilson, 1919) is a thinly creeping branch or cushion-shaped with elevated small oscular tubes, oxeas 104 ‒ 171 × 2 ‒ 9.5 µm, and grayish color. H. (R.) mucifibrosa de Weerd et al. 1991, is a thick-walled oscular chimney over a massive base, oxeas 186 ‒ 249 × 7.4 ‒ 13.5 µm, and grayish purple to bluish-gray color. All these Haliclona features differ from H. (R.) stygobia sp. nov. and no other Western Atlantic Haliclona or Haliclona (Reniera) matches with the present new species (see Table 1).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	description	Fig. 5	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 1631, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 5.2 m, October 23, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez. PARATYPES CNPGG ‒ 1632, CNPGG ‒ 1633, CNPGG ‒ 1634, CNPGG ‒ 1635, same data as holo- type.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	description	Description. A slim and delicate tubular sponge with a well-defined central osculum, collapsing outside the water. The holotype measures 2.8 cm long, 1.0 cm wide, with an osculum 3 mm in diameter. Size range 1.1 ‒ 3.0 cm long, 0.5 ‒ 1.1 cm wide, oscula 2 ‒ 4 mm. Color whitish transparent when alive (Fig. 5 a), light beige preserved in alcohol (Fig. 5 b). The surface has some spicules protruded outwards; however, it is believed that the fine dermis was detached during sampling. Consistency soft, smooth, very flexible and limp. Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton consists of a loose subisotropic tangential network with triangular to rectangular meshes, conformed by unispicular tracts fused at the nodes by very scarce amount of spongin (Fig. 5 c). The choanosomal skeleton is a confused subisotropic reticulation similar to the ectosomal, conformed mainly by unispicular tracts but intermingled with short length paucispicular tracts. The mesh range is 5.5 ‒ 204.9 µm wide (Fig. 5 d). Spicules. Mainly straight oxeas, with acerate and hastate ends, 91 ‒ 109.2 × 1.3 ‒ 2.8 µm. Occasionally also straight styles and strongyles, 87 ‒ 96.2 × 2.1 ‒ 3.9 µm, (Fig. 5 e-f).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	etymology	Etymology. Named “ chankanaabiis ” in reference to the beach where the anchialine cave La Quebrada connects with the sea. Chankanaab means “ small sea ” in the Mayan language. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is a stygobite species. Generally, on the floor, but also on the cave walls, at a depth range of 4.5 to 7.6 m.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1AFFAFFF36FD02FCDA73F3.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Due to the exhaustive studies of Haliclona species realized by de Weerdt (1986, 1989, 2000) from the east and west coasts of the Atlantic Ocean, we are confident on the description and data of H. (Halichoclona) species. Though, there is no other H. (Halichoclona) species in the Caribbean like H. (H.) chankanaabiis sp. nov. distinguished by its lean tubular shape, whitish transparent color, and smaller spicule sizes; the latter feature is not comparable with any other species of the subgenus Halichoclona, so far known. H. (Halichoclona) magnifica de Weerdt et al. 1991 has twice the size of oxeas (146 ‒ 220.6 × 3.6 ‒ 6.7 µm), as well as those from H. (H.) stoneae de Weerdt 2000 (285.7 ‒ 358 × 7.7 ‒ 12.8 µm), and H. (H.) albifragilis (Hechtel, 1965) (145 ‒ 174 × 3 ‒ 5 µm). The three species differ in shape and structure: the former with larger thick-walled tubes over a massive base, and crispy consistency; the second is an encrusting cushion bearing abundant sigmas; the third is thinly encrusting with friable consistency. Moreover, all of them have a rather dense skeleton. The closest species to H. (H.) chankanaabiis sp. nov. in terms of skeletal pattern is H. (H.) vansoesti de Weerdt, de Kluijver & Gomez, 1999, with a loose subisotropic network. However, it differs from the new species by having a thickly encrusting habit and cavernous body, as well as larger spicule sizes (120 ‒ 221.6 × 3.6 ‒ 10.7 µm).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	description	Fig. 6	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 2342, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). 5.6 m depth. October 25, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez. PARATYPE CNPGG ‒ 2343, same data as holotype.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	description	Description. Small cone shaped sponge; holotype 21 × 15 mm in diameter and 6 mm height; paratype 18 × 12 mm in diameter, 8 mm height, with an apical oscule 5 mm diameter (Fig. 6 a). Color white when alive, light beige in alcohol. Surface smooth in parts, microhispid in others, with protruded spicules ca. 0.3 mm outside the surface, showing a punctate appearance despite of its small size. In addition, it is pierced with minute pores all over the surface, ca. 1.0 mm in diameter. Consistency soft, crumbly, fragile. The internal structure is filled here and there by obscured spherical cells or granules 75 ‒ 100 µm in diameter (Fig. 6 c), which are a characteristic feature of the genus. Skeleton. (Fig. 6 b, d) Ectosomal skeleton absent, the choanosomal skeleton is a subisodyctial-like reticulation of unispicular tracts occasionally paucispicular, in which megascleres are joined by spongin at the nodes. Spicules. Two categories of oxeas. Oxea I: mainly curved, few with straight shaft, sometimes with a slight centrotylote, 390 ‒ 490 × 9 ‒ 10.6 µm. Thinner oxea II: straight with steeped ends, slightly curved, some tending to styles 325 ‒ 410 × 1.8 ‒ 5.5 µm. Strongyle slightly curved sometimes centrotyloted, 280 ‒ 440 × 10 ‒ 13 µm. Few styles present, with oxea I and strongyle sizes (Fig. 6 e-g).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The species is named after Germán Yáñez, one of the first cave divers in Mexico, in recognition of his work in the exploration of terrestrial and underwater caves; and also, for his support during the diving in the anchialine cave La Quebrada. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is a stygobite species found at 5.6 m depth.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F18FFACFF36FF30FB5070AE.taxon	discussion	Remarks. This is the only Svenzea species living inside an anchialine cave up to now, whilst the other 4 species living in the Tropical West Atlantic region are inhabitants of coral reefs or mangroves. Svenzea germanyanezi sp. nov. is distinguished by its unique cone shape or volcanic shape, even depicted by its small size, color white, and has mainly oxeas and strongyles. Other Svenzea spp. are characterized by distinct features: 1) S. tubulosa is a tubular sponge, beige in color, and has smaller sizes of just styles: 310 ‒ 395 × 12 ‒ 15 µm (Alcolado & Gotera 1986 as Dragmacidon tubulosa). 2) S. zeai is massive or thickly encrusting, purple brown in color, and has smaller spicule sizes with styles 205 ‒ 290 × 7 ‒ 12.5 µm, and oxeas 210 ‒ 330 × 7 ‒ 12.5 µm (Alvarez et al. 1998 as Pseudaxinella zeai). 3) S. cristinae has a thickly encrusting body, brown-yellowish color with purple or brown-pinkish areas, mainly with style spicules 310 ‒ 460 × 4.2 ‒ 17.5 µm (Alvarez et al. 2002). 4) S. flava is massive shaped with cavernous body, yellow color when alive, with only styloid spicules (strongyles): 244 ‒ 380 × 2 ‒ 11 µm (Lehnert & van Soest 1998 as Pseudaxinella flava). The new species possesses all the features of the genus, including the presence of granular cells, no ectosomal skeleton, and a choanosomal formed by uni- or paucispicular reticulation.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F19FFAAFF36F9C4FC237752.taxon	description	Fig. 7 Synonymy and other records. Leiodermatium ramosum Schmidt, 1870: 21. Siphonidium ramosum; Schmidt 1879: 28; Pisera & Lévi 2002: 342. Leiodermatium sp.; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: 14, S 1 Table, S 3 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F19FFAAFF36F9C4FC237752.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. CNPGG ‒ 1497, 1498, 1499, 1500, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 4.5 m, January 12, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez. CNPGG ‒ 1623. Same location. Depth 5.2 m, October 23, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez. CNPGG ‒ 1624, 1625, 1626, 1627, 1628, 1629, Same location. Depth 5.6 m, October 25, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F19FFAAFF36F9C4FC237752.taxon	description	Description. This is usually a small sized sponge that is kidney-shaped or irregularly massive in shape, overall size range 4.5 ‒ 7 mm long, 2 ‒ 7 mm wide and 3 ‒ 12 mm high. All of them have two to four cylindrical or siphon-like fistules, which measure less than 1 mm to 2 mm in diameter. The fistules are flattened and open at the top, provided with septate oscules inside (Fig. 7 a). Oscules measure less than 1.0 mm to up to 2 mm diameter. Color orange-brown when alive and when in alcohol. Consistency hard, not compressible at all and crumbles easily when cut. Skeleton. (Fig. 7 b) Choanosomal skeleton consists of rhizoclone desmas tightly bounded to each other forming a strong structure and difficult to cut off; juvenile desmas are smooth, with just a few to several branches. A layer of interlocking tiny desmas at the surface covers the subjacent rhizoclone desmas from the choanosomal skeleton. Choanosomal exotyles, (tylostyle-like) are crossing the choanosomal skeleton, embedded deep in the choanosome, not crossing outside the surface. Spicules. (Fig. 6 c-e) Uneven tetraclone desmas with smooth clones sometimes warty that bifurcate several times, they measure 118 ‒ 220 µm towards the longest size; smaller and smooth desmas measure 13 ‒ 122 µm. Exo- tyles are smooth and straight, pointed ends wispy or blunt, with rounded and rugose or spined heads, 156 ‒ 255 × 2.6 ‒ 3.9 µm, head about 5.5 ‒ 6.7 µm. Geographic distribution. Open reef: Florida (USA), Barbados and Brazil. Anchialine cave: Cozumel (Mexico).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F19FFAAFF36F9C4FC237752.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is the first record of S. ramosum inhabiting cave environments. In the anchialine cave was regularly found adhered to the floor and under rocks, at the shallowest depth known for the species (4.5 - 5.6 m deep), previously recorded at 104 to 439 m. No individuals were observed inside the transects of the quantitative survey (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018 as Leiodermatium sp.) most likely due to their small size and its similar color and shape to the surrounding rocks.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F19FFAAFF36F9C4FC237752.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Our Siphonidium ramosum is quite similar to the re-described holotype by Pisera & Lévi 2002 from Florida. Although their specimens are larger in size (2 ‒ 5.5 cm), compared with the present material, spicule measurements on both are quite similar (desmas 180 ‒ 220 µm, exotyles 160 ‒ 220 × 2 ‒ 3 µm). Other measurements in Mothes & Silva (1999, Table I) are probably out of the range with exotyles up to 532 × 9.5 µm from Brazil, and 304 ‒ 627 × 4.6 µm from Barbados. Consequently, it is noteworthy that our samples, collected from a different envi- ronment and depth, have quite the same desmas and exotyle sizes as those from deep water (229 m) from Florida. It is necessary to confirm the conspecificity of S. ramosum sensu Topsent (1904) from the Mediterranean, since exotyles are too large in size (800 ‒ 1000 × 4 ‒ 6 µm), and some spicules are registered as tylote type (with two swol- len heads) in Pl VIII fig. 5; in addition to the disjunctive geographic range.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1FFFA9FF36FBE3FE5E75FA.taxon	description	Fig. 8 Synonymy and other records. Cinachyra kuekenthali Uliczka, 1929: 43. Cinachyrella kuekenthali; Ruetzler & Smith 1992: 154. van Soest & Stentoft 1988: 42. Gómez 2002: 70. Cinachyrella kuekenthali; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: S 3 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1FFFA9FF36FBE3FE5E75FA.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. CNPGG – 1478, 1479, 1480, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 4.5 - 5.2 m, January 12, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1FFFA9FF36FBE3FE5E75FA.taxon	description	Description. Subspherical shape, 2.8 cm in diameter with 2.2 cm high (Fig. 8 a). Color yellow when alive, beige in alcohol. Surface strongly hispid owing to the protruding spicules up to 4 mm outside the body, with plenty detritus adhered to it. Porocalices mainly in the upper part measure 2.5 ‒ 4 mm in diameter, around which numerous eggs are placed, 28 ‒ 65 × 44 ‒ 48 µm, (Fig. 8 b). Consistency firm. Skeleton. A radially arranged skeleton, formed by thin tracts extending from the center to the surface; turning hairy in the ectosomal section (Figs. 8 c-d). Spicules. Large oxeas 1950 ‒ 4100 × 20.8 ‒ 40 µm, several in stylote and strongylote modifications, protriaenes and prodiaenes with rhabds 2410 ‒ 4500 × 4.1 ‒ 7.8 µm, clads 57 ‒ 100.5 µm, uncommon anatriaenes two clad sizes 40 ‒ 62 µm, abundant crenulated microxeas straight or center-angulated shaft 78 ‒ 139.8 × 2.7 ‒ 4.4 µm, and micro- spined sigmaspires, 11.4 ‒ 21.8 µm. Geographic distribution. Open reef: North Carolina (US), Bahamas; Gulf of Mexico, Greater Caribbean to Brazil. Anchialine cave: Cozumel (Mexico).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1FFFA9FF36FBE3FE5E75FA.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. Cinachyrella kuekenthali is a common species in open waters and coral reef environments at 4 ‒ 20 m depth, inhabiting reef lagoons and slopes at the east side of the Yucatan Peninsula (Gómez, 2002). It has also been observed in marine caves (Rützler et al. 2014; Slattery et al. 2013), and at the anchialine caves La Quebrada and El Aerolito, Cozumel (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018). The presence of larvae in our samples suggests that C. kuekenthali is reproducing inside the cave environment (Fig. 8 b). No individuals fell inside the transects of the quantitative survey, indicating a low population size (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018). The only congener living in an anchialine cave is Cinachyrella apion quoted by van Soest & Sass (1981 as Cinachyra subterranea) in San Salvador, Bahamas. Furthermore, Cinachyrella alloclada (Uliczka, 1929) has been recorded in marine caves of Bermuda and Brazil (Rützler 2012; Slattery et al. 2013).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1FFFA9FF36FBE3FE5E75FA.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The present material is identical to Cinachyrella kuekenthali owing to the roughened microxeas, a particular trait of the species along with the other morphological traits. The external morphology among the four Caribbean Cinachyrella species is apparently alike owing to their sub-spherical body, strongly hispid surface and porocalices on top, standing out for the possession of the additional spicule and general measurements of each one. The studied specimens did not have any visible adaptation to the anchialine cave environment, compared to those from other studies (van Soest & Stentoft 1988; Ruetzler & Smith 1992; Hajdu et al. 2011), collected from reefs and open sea environments.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1CFFB7FF36F86FFCC17176.taxon	description	Figs. 9 Synonymy and other records. Discodermia adhaerens van Soest, Meesters & Becking, 2014: 416. Discodermia adhaerens; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: 10, Table 1, S 3 Table, S 5 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1CFFB7FF36F86FFCC17176.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. CNPGG – 1484, 1485, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 4.5 m, January 12, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1CFFB7FF36F86FFCC17176.taxon	description	Description. Thinly encrusting sponge barely 1 mm in thickness, several specimens collected measure ca. 9 cm 2 (Fig. 9 a). Color orange when alive, light gray preserved in alcohol. Surface smooth with slender channels in meander-like shape, visible under light microscopy, no apparent oscules when alive, nor preserved in alcohol (Fig. 9 b). Consistency difficult to describe, due to the thinness of the specimens. Skeleton. A thin carpet of discotriaenes closely packed together conform the ectosomal skeleton, with cladomes that cover the outside surface and their rhabdomes heading to the choanosome (Fig. 9 b). The choanosomal skeleton is a complex link of desmas strongly bound by tubercled zygosis. Additionally, long thin oxeas are present. Spicules. (Fig. 9 c-g) Discotriaenes with different cladome deviations or irregular shaped disc, few ovals to round shaped, with serrated and also smooth margins, the upper surface is usually smooth, but some cladomes show a small warty area, 90 ‒ 213 × 70 ‒ 213 µm. The rhabds are conical and short 15.6 ‒ 36.4 × 3.9 ‒ 10.4 µm. Desmas tend- ing to tetraclone type 260 ‒ 310 × 169 ‒ 210 µm. Oxeas with wispy thin endings, often broken by its thin diameter 390 ‒ 970 × 8 ‒ 10 µm, some with rare stylote modification. Acanthose microrhabds mainly in strongylote category 10.4 ‒ 23.4 µm. Geographic distribution. Open ocean: Bonaire. Anchialine cave: Cozumel (Mexico).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1CFFB7FF36F86FFCC17176.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. Discodermia adhaerens inhabits two different environments: 1) The upper dysphotic zone, at 146 m deep in the open ocean, Bonaire (van Soest et al. 2014). 2) The dark zone of anchialine caves, at 4.5 m deep in La Quebrada, and at 11 m deep in El Aerolito, Cozumel (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018), suggesting the preference of the species for aphotic environments. Its population size along the La Quebrada anchialine cave was estimated as 1,297 ± 782 individuals (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F1CFFB7FF36F86FFCC17176.taxon	discussion	Remarks. The samples studied are identical to Discodermia adhaerens, except that the original description reports thinner oxeas (5 – 7 µm), and slightly longer acanthomicrorhabds (15 – 25 µm). Discodermia polymorpha has been found in numerous marine caves in the Mediterranean Sea, at 3 - 20 m from the entrance of caves, and is also recorded in the bathyal zone of the open ocean at 210 ‒ 360 m (Pisera & Vacelet 2011, Gerovasileiou & Voultsiadou 2012). However, D. polymorpha differs from the present material in shape (spherical to massive) and spiculation categories: presence of micro-oxeas, absence of wispy and thin oxeas, and discotriaenes with larger rhabds (60 ‒ 65 µm). Discodermia species recorded in the Caribbean and southwest Florida are: D. dissoluta Schmidt, 1880 from Cuba is a massive lobulated sponge, violet color and very large desmas 524 ‒ 1000 µm, discotriaenes 160 µm cladome diameter, 110 µm in rhabd, with 15 and 55 µm for acanthorhabds; inhabits framework reef caves, and shallow to deep-sea environments 0 ‒ 150 m deep (Kobluk & van Soest 1989; Pomponi et al. 2001). D. polydiscus (Bowerbank, 1869) recorded from Saint Vincent and Barbados, has an extreme variation on growth forms, it is irregular, variously creeping sponge, ramose, sprawling or cup shaped, except encrusting forms; yellowish-white color; inhabits 91 – 217 m deep (van Soest & Stentoft 1988, Pomponi et al. 2001). The present material conforms to D. adhaerens within the description of van Soest et al. 2014.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	description	Figs. 10 - 11	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 1487 Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 5.2 m, October 23, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez. PARATYPES CNPGG – 1483, same locality as holotype, 4.5 m depth, January 12, 2015. CNPGG – 1486 same locality, 5.6 m depth, October 25, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	description	Description. Spherical to oval shaped with a slightly restricted base, overall size 10 ‒ 13 mm long, 9 ‒ 12 mm wide, 8 mm high, round and deep apical oscula on top, 1.0 ‒ 2.5 mm (Fig. 10 a). Color chestnut brown when alive, turning pale when in alcohol. Surface rough, due to the microtriaenes protruding outside the surface. Longitudinal canals are shown over the surface and some converge to the oscule. Consistency hard, brittle and rough to the touch, it crumbles easily when touched. Skeleton. (Fig. 10 b-c) The ectosomal skeleton consists of tetraclone desmas along with scattered trichotrianes; embedded with the rhabdomes toward the choanosome, and cladomes parallel to the surface. Choanosomal skeleton is made up of desma tetraclones and some smooth ones, probably young stages. Abundant oxeas as well as microsclere spicules fill out the interstices among desmas. Spicules. (Fig. 11 a-i) Tetraclone desmas with smooth clones, and irregular indented endings, 330 ‒ 600 µm long, with clone diameter 25 ‒ 40 µm. Trichotriaenes particularly small, with minute spines scattered in rhabds and deuteroclads, and blunt or conical endings: 31 ‒ 40 × 2.6 ‒ 4.7 µm overall length, some smooth trichotriaenes in the smallest size, diameter of cladome 26 ‒ 52 µm; no dichotriaenes found; oxeas 148 ‒ 153.4 µm. Two or three types of microscleres: amphiaster, and streptaster to spiraster 13 ‒ 31.2 µm.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The name microtriaeneae refers to the tiny size of the trichotriaene spicule type. Apparently, there is not such a smaller size like this in other congener species. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is a stygobite species; observed from 4.5 to 7.6 m deep.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F02FFB5FF36F986FE6E75A2.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Neosiphonia microtriaeneae clearly distinguishes for having minute triaenes, specifically from the trichotriaene type with microspined deuteroclads and rhabds; additionally, it lacks a pedunculated base or markedly reduced base of attachment; has smaller spicule sizes with various microsclere types, from amphiaster to espirasterlike. Altogether traits different from the four extant Neosiphonia species. N. superstes Sollas, 1888 from Fiji Islands, at 576 ‒ 430 m depth, has desmas reaching 500 ‒ 700 µm, a dichotriaene cladome 348 ‒ 550 µm, with rhabds 100 ‒ 200 µm, oxeas 675 ‒ 2280 µm, microscleres 32 ‒ 45 µm. N. fruticosa (Wilson, 1925) from the Philippines has desmas 160 µm, dichotriaene primary clads 30 ‒ 35 µm, secondary clads 100 ‒ 130 µm long, with rhabds 105 ‒ 125 µm long, oxeas 100 ‒ 240 some possibly foreign 400 ‒ 600 µm, microscleres 20 ‒ 24 µm. N. motukawanui Kelly, 2007 from New Zea- land, at 780 ‒ 910 m depth, has desmas 460 ‒ 800 µm long, dichotriaene cladomes 523 ‒ 619 µm with rhabds 100 ‒ 142 µm, oxeas 600 µm others broken, microscleres 18 ‒ 38 µm (Data according to Kelly, 2007). Neosiphonia schmidti Sollas, 1888 probably belongs to a different genus according to Pisera & Lévi 2002 on account of its desma different to the genus Neosiphonia, they also quote the presence of a fragment in Havana. Moreover, coordinates settled in Sollas’s habitat (22 ° 9 ’ 30 ” N 52 ° 21 ’ 20 ” W) clearly justifies not being in the Gulf of Mexico or Cuba. We suggest extending the suite of diagnostic characters of the genus Neosiphonia with the new species presented, inserting: rounded body supported or not on a stem, smooth or spiny dichotriaenes, and microscleres amphiasters to spirasters.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	description	Fig. 12 Synonymy and other records. Diplastrella sp.; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: Table 1, S 3 Table, S 5 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. HOLOTYPE CNPGG ‒ 1496, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quin- tana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 4.7 m, January 12, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez. PARATYPES CNPGG ‒ 1495, same data as holotype. CNPGG ‒ 1545, 1546, 1547, 1548, same locality. Depth 5.2 m, October 23, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yañez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	description	Description. Thinly encrusting sponge, the size range of samples is 1.1 ‒ 5 cm long, 0.5 ‒ 2 cm wide and less than 1 mm thick (Fig. 12 a). Color mustard yellow when alive, light grey in alcohol, crystal glows in dry state. Surface microhispid, velvety looking owing to the protruding tylostyles (Fig. 12 b). Several oscules in clusters at whitish areas of preserved specimens. Consistency incompressible owe to the thinly encrusting body and detaches easily from the rock. Skeleton. A single basal layer of microscleres covers the entire body surface pierced by many tylostyles, the latter protruding upright or leaned to the surface with almost 1 mm outside it, with tips upwards. Microscleres are also placed around the bases of tylostyles. Spicules. (Fig. 12 c-g) Peculiar tylostyles smooth and straight, always with prominent trilobate heads to up to six lobes, with concave endings or ending in a hollow-like shape, probably in two overlapping size categories, overall range 270 ‒ 800 × 7.8 ‒ 15 µm, head 14.3 ‒ 26 µm in width, 4.4 ‒ 18.2 µm in length. Two categories of asters occur, 1) large spheraster-like, 25 ‒ 49.4 µm as the more common microsclere, some tend to an oxyspheraster-like in a smaller size 7.8 ‒ 18.2 µm. 2). Small diplasters in low numbers, and overlapping in size with the previous one, with an average size of 7.8 µm, are difficult to see.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality, Cozumel Island. Geographic distribution. Only known from the type locality.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. This is a stygobite species. Observed at the entrance of the cave and throughout up to Cenote Km- 1, from 4.5 and 7.6 m deep, generally on the floor and under rocks. Its population size along the cave was estimated as 6,486 ± 1,801 individuals (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F01FFB3FF36FEA0FB277103.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Diplastrella cozumella sp. nov. is markedly distinguished by the trilobed trait on tylostyle heads with concave endings, a trait that does not occur in another congeneric taxon. Two western Atlantic species of Diplastrella, lack this type of tylostyle, in addition to have different spicule sizes. D. megastellata Hechtel, 1965 from Jamaica and also recorded in a marine cave at the Bahamas (Slattery et al. 2013), has thicker tylostyles 9 ‒ 26 µm, and large branching spherasters 29 ‒ 79 µm. D. spirastrelloides van Soest, 2017 recorded in the Guyana shelf at 94 m depth, also has thicker tylostyles 5 ‒ 24 µm, and larger spiraster-like 11 ‒ 26 µm. Two more species of Diplastrella have been observed in marine caves from the Mediterranean (Gerovasileiou & Voultsiadou 2012), D. bistellata (Schmidt, 1862) and D. ornata Rützler & Sarà, 1962, again not conspecific with the new species.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F06FFB1FF36F9AAFB0D768A.taxon	description	Fig. 13, Table II. Synonymy and other records. Plakinastrella onkodes Uliczka, 1929: 60; Zea 1987: 227; Gómez 2002: 68; Rützler et al. 2014: 13; Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018: 10, S 3 Table.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F06FFB1FF36F9AAFB0D768A.taxon	materials_examined	Material examined. CNPGG ‒ 1549, CNPGG ‒ 2329, Cenote S- 1, La Quebrada anchialine cave, Cozumel, Quin- tana Roo, Mexico (20 ° 26 ’ 16.75 ’’ N, 86 ° 59 ’ 47.44 ’’ W). Depth 5.6 m, October 23, 2015; coll. F. Calderón-Gutiérrez and German Yáñez.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F06FFB1FF36F9AAFB0D768A.taxon	description	Description. Small cushion-shaped or irregular specimens, 5 ‒ 10 mm high, 6 ‒ 8 mm wide; color orange when alive dark brown when in alcohol (Fig. 13 a). Surface smooth to the eye, slightly wavy, with small star-shaped furrows with contracted central oscules. Consistency firm, only slightly compressible. Skeleton. (Fig. 13 b, d) The ectosomal skeleton is a reticulation of tracts which are packed by small diods (diactinal spicules) in all directions; other diods perpendicular to surface are disposed in a palisade-like arrangement. Altogether, conforming round meshes at the subsurface layer. Choanosomal skeleton dense and confused, spicules of all types in all directions. Spicules. (Figs. c, e) Diods with a central kink in two or three size categories, 19 ‒ 171.6 × <1 ‒ 6.5 µm, slim triods 13 ‒ 34.6 × 1.3 ‒ 2.7 µm (base of rays), and calthrops 15.2 ‒ 41.6 × 2.8 ‒ 7.8 µm (base of rays) (Table II). Geographic distribution. All through the Greater Caribbean.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F06FFB1FF36F9AAFB0D768A.taxon	biology_ecology	Ecology. Plakinastrella onkodes is commonly found from coral reefs, up to 20 m deep. It has been also found inhabiting marine caves in the Bahamas and Belize (Slattery et al. 2013, Rützler et al. 2014), and at the anchialine caves La Quebrada and El Aerolito, Cozumel (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018). No individuals fell inside the transects of the quantitative survey, indicating a low population size (Calderón-Gutiérrez et al. 2018).	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
03DB8F4A7F06FFB1FF36F9AAFB0D768A.taxon	discussion	Remarks. Apparently, spicule sizes of P. onkodes can vary within a wide range of sizes. In the material studied, diods are within the range dimensions except with Zea’s measurements (Table II). Triod sizes are according with Uliczka (1929) and Pulitzer-Finali (1986), but smaller than those from Zea (1987) and Rützler et al. (2014). The calthrops are smaller in size within the material studied than those of the quoted authors. However, the differences in size are most probably owed to the differences in environmental conditions. Two more Plakinastrella species have been reported from marine caves, P. microspiculifera Moraes & Muricy, 2003 from Brazil (Moraes 2011); and P. copiosa Schulze, 1880 from the Mediterranean (Pouliquen 1972), not similar to the present species.	en	Gómez, Patricia, Calderón-Gutiérrez, Fernando (2020): Anchialine cave-dwelling sponge fauna (Porifera) from La Quebrada, Mexico with the description of the first Mexican stygobiont sponges. Zootaxa 4803 (1): 125-151, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4803.1.7
