Freshwater sponges from a Neotropical sand dune area

7 Pages·1999·1.5 MB·

by  Cecilia Volkmer-Ribeiro

FRES1IWATER SPONGES FR( )M A NEOTROPICAL SAND DUNE AREA
CE< II IA V01 K\1I K-KII'.I IRQ, MARIA M F < 'ORRLIA. SLRC.IO I A, BR] MI \ WD MAIJR1CIOA.
MINDONITA
Xoikmer-Riheiro- (".. Correia, M.M.K. Brenha, S.L.A. & Mendonva, MA. I9« 06 30:
FieshwalerspongesfromaNeotropical sanJdunearea MewoirxujtheQueenslandMuseum
44: 643-649. Brisbane, issn QQ?£&835.
.!' .. freshwaterspon* , unjty fromasanddunebeltarea. I^EcoastofBrazil, is
reported for the RtSI tittle. ('on'oheteromeycjiiaheteroselera was the only sponge livingin
erystal clear seasonal ponds nestled among Lhe sand dunes. The sponge forms fan-shaped
'hsaroundthe leaves oi&eocham sp.(Cyperacoae) m tileshallow border ofponds, oi
ive crusts on sporophytic plants of Eifuise/um sp.(Equisetaceac) in deeper parts of
ponds. Towards the boundary, between sand dunes and savanna (cerrado), ponds ait
I
jeCt tO WJttd action, thus more stable and allowing the establishment of shrubby
vegetation and palm trees. Accumulation ofdecaying vegetation produces brownish a
watersinwhichsomeofthefivespongespecies live,all characteristicofthe savanna fauna;
miaspnuihi, Corvpm&yeflia thwtti Dosifiapydanieli, RodlospottgiliaQmctzonensh and
TrachoSpongiila variabilis. An association between twoofthe five savanna species with C
he/enisa'cra was ob$erved in some ponds at the verge ofthe mobile sanddunes. This large
to representthe 'patch concept' inthedj namicsDfttspondsandtheirspoi
communities,i3 Porifera, freslnvater ephemera! habitats, sanddunes, savanna, eeatone.
survival i 9!sjp< i . \L - ' ptafiftw-
Cecilia lolkmer-Riheiru (email ebib(gpatnpffjche.br) Museu tcias Xaturais,
l
fJumiacao Z.H/bfitanica d<> Ri'j (jrandcd(j sul. (_\\ Posted U8S, 90.001-9 U :'•
R;, andGraduateI ' utificia t'niversidade Catolieado Rio (
Sal. Dr. Postal 1429, 90.61*400, Porto Aieg'nc'- R.\ and helhm Researcher qf'CNPq,
Brazil; Maria Marlueia Ferreira Corp tufS A. Bnnha A Muwicj,, drau/c
MDcitauzio2n1c,a,65I.0t2e0p-a2r4t0a,wmStaaodLeuiBzio-IMoglTCLBrUanziivl:er1s0iaFaedberFueadreyraJl99d9o. Maranhua, h: GoflQll\
TheeasternpariofMaranhao State, Brazil, isa MATERIALS AND METHODS
coastal sand dune field containing an amazing
array of seasonal freshwater ponds, nestled 0|it SUTVey offreshwaterSponges ill thesand
amongdunes, stretchingalonglhemunicipalities dunelenticsystem wasundertakenatthe Eand W
niTut6ia,BarreirinhasandlhmibcrlodeCampos borders ofthe Len^ois Maranhenses, Maranhau
and penelralinu 10-50ktn into the countryside State, Brazil {in proximity to the villages of
where it borders with the Vcrrado1 (Brazilian Tutoia and Santo Amaro), with some sites inside
savanna). The National Park of 'Ecncots the National Park, where sand dunes border with
Maranhenscs' was created in 1^X1 to protect the the savanna (Fig I). In response to valuable
western part of ibis area. Under Koeppcn's informationprovided by local residentsoncurrent
classification thisregion isclassedasAWclimate, Water levels (since dr> and wet seasons do not
with the Winy season between Deeembet-Mav, «*lff exactly at the same period each year), our
and the annual mean air temperature between survey was conducted between 20-3(1 October
26,S-27.2c,C.(Padua. 1983). Prior to the present W5. At this time oi^ycar lhe largest ponds
work we knew nothing about the freshwater (approximately 1500m) contained only about
sWcpehroitncaahmelavfpapuweniaatrhosifnttohtihsbeelaNumeneoitsqreuoaepsiocinnaallthlReeengtwiicuotns.vistTaehnmed, c-»>*ounw%saitsd)elrlme]uldCS1la'n|«lol,€pktpetlot>riatluIhnwiea'1ttei5rm»ec™atpgoaecsaialm>«p,lw«eI«bneceh,hw«ia«.
study is part of ongoing investigations of the gStnimues.
Neotropical freshwater sponge habitats and Severalvariablesweremeasuredinsomeofthe
communitiesundertaken bylheseniorauthorand ponds in the western area (piI. temperature and
collaborators ( Volkmer-R ibeiro, 1992: salinity ). ThepiI wastaken in sttuwithMerckpll
Voikmer-Ribciro & TavatesJ'W; Volkmer- paper. Salinity was also recorded in situ with a
Ribeiroet al., 1983,199 salmometer. Samples of sediments were also
644 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
!••(* 43"W
W
FIG. I.TheLencoisMaranhenses.ThevillagesofTutoiaandofSantoAmaro(arrows)areshown,attheEand
areaoftheLencoisMaranhenses,respectively,aswellastheNational Parklimitsandthecontactareaswiththe
savanna.
collected from the top layer ofpond beds, stored of the dry specimens was deposited in the
in small glass jars, for ponds in which sponges collection of Departamento de Biologia of
were not conspicuous. This was undertaken in Universidade Federal do Maranhao. The other
ordertodetermine,throughthepresenceofspicule patl was deposited in the Porifera Collection of
sediments,whetherspongeshadeverbeenpresent Museu de Ciencias Naturais of Fundacao
intheseponds(Volkmer-Ribeiro&Turcq, 1996). Zoobotanicado Rio Grande do Sul (MCN/POR)
These sediment samples are also currently being with Catalog numbers listed in Tables 1 and 2.
used by the senior author to study recent and
paleo sediments. Entire or cross-sectioned dry RESULTS
specimensofC. heteroscleraweregluedtoastub
and gold-coated for scanning electron A succession of ponds with different spatial
microscope (SEM) observations and areas (Fig. 2A-C) and water color was observed
photographedonaMCNJEOL-5200microscope asoneprogressedfromthemobiledunestowards
equipped with a Pentax SF7 35mm camera. Part the savanna boundary. Ponds situated among the
TABLE 1. Identificationofthespongessampledatthepondsfromthe EareaofLencois Maranhenses, together
with theirenvironmental characteristics and substrates.
PondTsutsoaimapVlieldlaagreound Typeof sample Environment Substrate Watercolor Spongespecies CatMaCloNg/nPuOmRber
LagoadoVidro specimens sanddunes Equisettmisp clear Corvoheteromevcnia 3829-3840
heterosclera
ALrapgooaaddoarPontado specimens sanddunes Eteocharissp clear (\uvhoehteetreosrcolmeeryaenia 3830-3839
Radiospongilla
amazonensis.
I.agoadaPedraHume sediment sanddunes brownishclear Trochospongilla 3854-3856
variabilis,
Con'oheteromeycnia
heterosclera
Radiospongilla
LagoadaPontado amazonensis,
Mangue bottomsediment oasis brownish Trochospongilla 3859
variabilis
LagoadaCoceira sediment grassy field black Corvomeyeniaihumi, 3858
Metaniaspinata
NEOTROPICAL SANDDUNE SPONGES 645
FIG. 2. Study area. A, Lagoa do Vidro, at the Eboundary ofthe Lenc6is Maranhenses. B,LagoadaPontado
Arpoador,showingthestiffCyperaceanvegetationexposedtothesunasthepondbecomesfullydry.C, Lagoa
doPico,atthewesternborderoftheLen^ois,withitssurroundingdunescoveredbybushyvegetationandpalm
trees(photosC. VolkmerRibeiro).
mobile dunes had crystal clear waters whereas Lagoa da Pedra Hume, Lagoa da Ponta do
those approaching the savanna boundary had Mangue,Laguinho,LagoadoPico(Fig. 2C) and
increasinglybrownishcolorandacidicpH(Tables Lagoada'Coceirarepresentasuccessionofponds
1-2). having brownish clear to black water, and
distributed from the mobile sand dunes into the
Lagoa do Vidro (Fig. 2A), Lagoada Pontado almost flat, fixed dunes, covered with grassy or
Arpoador (Fig. 2B) and Lagoa do Cajueiro are bushyvegetation. LagoadaPonta do Mangue is
clearwaterpondsamongstthemobiledunes.The anoasispondwithsurroundingpatchesorislands
dominant plants in these ponds, as potential ofpalmtreesandcontainingshrubbyvegetation.
sponge substrates, were Eleocharis sp. and Lagoa da Coceira was reduced to a fetid, tiny
Equisetum sp. The former plant is a small but muddy pond with black water surrounded by
very abundant Cyperaceae which inhabits the grass. Laguinho was arelatively deep pond, and
shallowmarginalareaofponds,andisthefirstto together with Lagoa da Ponta do Mangue, is a
emerge fromthe water(Fig. 2B) as ponds begin popularfishing site.
to dry up. The second species is also relatively Taxonomic identification of the sponges
W
abundant in deeper parts ofponds, close to the sampledintheEand duneareasarepresented
leeward face ofthe barchan dunes (Fig. 2A). inTables 1 and2,respectively,togetherwiththeir
646 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
TABLE2. IdentificationofthespongessampledatthepondsfromtheWareaofLencoisMaranhenses,together
withtheirenvironmental characteristics and substrates.
PSaonntdosAsmamaprloedVialrloaguend Typeofsample Environment Substrate Watercolor Spongespecies CatMaCloNg/nPuOmRber
sLpaealrgianotiautrydeo12%8C,.a5jwu°aeCtierartot(IeOpmaH-m6); Spseecdiimmeenntss& sanddunes Eleocharissp clear Corvhoehteetreosrcolmeeryaenia 3853
Laguinho Specimens sanddunes stones brownishclear Dosiliapydanieti 3857
submersed Metctniaspinata.
slaalginoiatyd0o.P5i%c,ow<aptUer5.t5e;m- Specimens& witshanbdusdhuynevseg- bpraarnicahnebsuosfhersi- brownish C'oTrrvoocmheoysepnoinagiliilmami. 3089
perature32"Cat0.10pm) sediments etation {Ciysobalantis Radvairoisapbiolnigs,Ula
icaco)
amazonensis
environmental characteristics and substrates. the accelerated production ofgemmules during
Ponds in which only sediments were reported this time of the year. Living specimens of
indicate that living samples ofsponges were not C.heterosclera had a light green color, probably
found. These tables indicate that due to its association with a microscopic green
Corvoheteromeyeniaheteroscleraand M. spinata algae, and this green color could be seen around
were abundant, as were gemmules, particularly in thepond marginswherespongeshadbeenburied
the two extremes ofthe 'pond succession' (i.e. and were decaying in the sand.
very clear ones and the brownish colored ones),
confirming that the sampling period was well The sponge community towards the savanna
chosenandourprediction thatthishuge seasonal boundary included one or more ofthe following
lentic system contained such a fauna. species, but never all live of them: Metania
spinata (Carter, 1881), Corvomeyenia thitmi
The pond sponge communities also revealed (Traxler, 1895), Dosilia pydanielli Volkmer-
interestingdistributionpatterns.Theonlyspecies Ribeiro, 1992, Trochospongilla variabilis
found in clear-water sand dune ponds was C. Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1973, and
heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974), with RadiospongillaamazonensisVolkmer-Ribeiro&
fan-shaped growths on the leaves of the Maciel, 1983. However, leaving this area and
Cyperaceae Eleocharis sp. (Fig. 3A) at the pond heading towards the clear-water ponds we
margins (Fig. 2B), or thick irregular growths on observed associations ofC. heterosclera withR,
the sporophitic plants ofEquisetum sp.(Fig. 3B) amazonensis and T. variabilis.
in deeper parts ofthe pond close to the leeward
dune face (Fig. 2A). Sponges on both substrates TAXONOMIC REMARKS. Ezcurra de Drago
were fullydevelopedandfull ofgemmules. Many (1979) erected Corvoheteromeyenia for
specimens were seen dried out, not far from the CorvomeyeniaaustralisBonetto& Ezcurra, 1966,
pond margin, their gemmules continually swept and C. heterosclera Ezcurra de Drago,1974. The
away by the wind. On the other hand specimens holotype ofthe first species comes from Laguna
still submergedatthepondmargins werealready Setubal, nexttothetown ofSantaFe, Argentina,
halfburied by sand blown in from the dune, the whereas the holotype of the second species
same way as were specimens encrusting comes from NE Brazil, with no precise locality
Equisetum located close to the dune inner wall. data.Thedistinctionbetweenthetwospecieswas
Corvoheteromeyeniaheteroscleraappearstobea based particularly on their respective
species fully adapted to such an environment. gemmoscleres, which are composed of two
SEM
studyofcross sectionsofEleocharis leaves categories differing in size and shape in the first
encrusted with this species (Fig. 3C) disclosed a species, and one category in the second species.
skeletal staicture ofvery slim fibers producing a Specimens from the Lencois Maranhenses agree
very open and irregular network enclosing sand with the second species in spiculation and
grains ofvariable sizes. The presence ofoscular geographical origin. Corvoheteromeyenia
sieves(Fig. 3D)isanotherdeviceusedtoprevent heterosclera has also been collected from other
oseula being clogged with sand. Gemmoscleres sand dune or paleo sand dune areas in S Brazil
were also seen to take part in skeletal fibers, (Volkmer-Ribeiro, unpublished data), and its
togetherwith megascleres and two categories of spicularremainsmaybeusefulindicatorsofsuch
microscleres (Fig. 3E-F), which might be due to environments.
NEOTROPICAL SAND DUNE SPONGES 647
M
$U*$Jm*~
FIG. 3. Freshwater sponges. A, Fan-shaped specimens ofCorvoheteromeyenia heterosclera full ofgemmules
growing onEleocharis sp. B, Specimens ofCorvoheteromeyenia heteroscleragrowing on Equisetum sp. C,
Skeleton of Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera with an open network where sand grains are enclosed
side-by-sidewiththegemmules.D,CrosssectionofaleafofEleocharissp.(arrow,upperleft)encrustedbythe
skeletonofCorvoheteromeyeniaheterosclera, showingan irregulardistributionofthethin skeletal fibersand
(arrow,upperright)thepresenceofanoscularsieve.E,SkeletonofCorvoheteromeyenia,heterosclerawithtwo
gemmulesintheprocessofcompletionatthebottomaswellasabundantfreegemmoscleres(arrow).F,Skeletal
fiberofCorvoheteromeyeniaheterosclera(seearrow in Fig. 3E)showingthe reduced amountofsponginand
thepresenceofthetwocategoriesofmicroscleres(O, microspinedoxea; M,microanfidiscs)and several large
anfidisc gemmoscleres (A) around the megascleres (MG).
648 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
^
- ~ ^piillv^
, hind
-* / /:-:-:vK-:v/-:mX-v-v
iMmmm
4 q
f '
:x-:::^>^^^^/-:v:-y-:-:-:/---
FIG.4.Schematicdrawingofthewind-drivendynamicsthatseasonalpondsaroundthemovingdunesofLencois
Maranhenses are subjected to, together with the vegetation and sponges they contain. E= Eleocharis, Eq=
Equisetum,
DISCUSSION movingdune when again they will be setagainst
the inner side of a barchan dune, protected
Recent literature dealing with the study of against drought and ready to again form the
Neotropical freshwater sponge communities has Equisetum/Corvoheteromeyenia association
shown that the five species recorded in the (Fig. 4).
present study, found in the ponds close to the The region extending between the areas
savanna boundary, generally thrive in seasonal occupied by these two faunas thus biologically
ponds N to S throughout the Brazilian savanna and physically defines a savanna/sand dune
(Volkmer-Ribeiro, 1992; Volkmer-Ribeiro et al., ecotone. This particular ecotone best fits the
1998). Thus, two characteristic faunal dynamic 'patchconcept' (White&Picket, 1985),
assemblages are present: one in the savanna driven by constant disturbance through dune
ponds with five species, and one which is mono- movement. The Lencois Maranhenses is an
specific and lives in the sand dune ponds. outstandingexampleofthepatchconceptwithits
Observations made here on the characteristics pond system, spatial and temporal relationships
of C, heterosclera match well with our present todunemovement,anddynamicspongefauna. It
understanding of the processes associated with alsoillustratestheremarkableabilityoffreshwater
constant disturbances imposed by dune sponges to manage constant disturbance via
movement on populations. The living barchan asexual reproduction when gemmules produced
dunes,whichmove inthedirectionofthewindin by these sponges are especially selected
coastal areas, is awell known geomorphological mechanisms to withstand drought and to
phenomenon (Termier & Termier, 1963). The passively disperse via the wind, enabling all six
Lencois Maranhenses is, however, unique in its species to opportunistically colonise new pond
situation being in a tropical area with a marked systems as they develop.
rainy season, resulting in temporary
accumulation of water in ponds on the leeward ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sides of moving dunes, with the ponds
subsequently displaced next season. The wind, The authors acknowledge the kind assistance
which was seen to blowthe sand into the ponds, of Dr. Marcio F.Costa Vaz dos Santos of the
was also seen to blow ahead the gemmules from Biology Dept., Universidade Federal do
dry, exposed sponges growing on Eleocharis at Maranhao, Sao Luiz, for identification ofplant
the perimeter of ponds. Moreover, the erect specimens. The authors are indebted to two
position of plant leaves together with the fan- anonymousreviewersas well astothe editor, for
shaped moq^hology of the sponges appears to valuablecommentsonthemanuscript. Thanksto
facilitate gemmule dispersal via wind action. Rejane Rosa and M.Sc. Laura Maria G. Tavares
These are the pioneers of new sponge (MCN)for,respectively,preparationofFigs1and
populations, opportunistically waiting in place 1 1, and operation ofthe SEM. A grant from the
where the new border of the pond with National Council for the Scientific and
Eleochariswillbesituatednextseason.Thesame Technological Development ofBrazil (CNPq.)-
process applies to sponges encrusting on RHAE Program to the senior author funded her
Equisetum, which will be passed over by the travelling and field expenses..
NEOTROPICAL SAND DUNE SPONGES 649
LITERATURE CITED extreme South ofBrazil. Iheringia, Zoologia 63:
3-10.
EZCURRA DE DRAGO, I. 1979. Un nuevo genera VOLKMER-RIBEIRO, C, MANSUR, M.C.D.,
sudamericano de esponjas: Corvoheteromeyenia MERA, PA.S. & ROSS, S.M. 1998. Biological
gen. nov. (Porifera: Spongillidae). Neotropica. indicators ofthe quality ofwateronthe island of
25(74): 109- 118. Maraca, Roraima, Brazil. Pp. 403-414. In
PADUA, M.T.J. 1983. Osparquesnacionaisereservas Miliken, W. & Ratter, J. (eds) MARACA: The
biologicas do Brasil. (Instituto Brasileiro de biodiversity and Environment ofan Amazonian
Desenvolvimento Florestal: Brasilia). Rainforest.(JohnWiley&SonsLtd:Chichester).
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Sedimentation. (D. Van Nostrand: London). analysis of siliceous spicules of a freshwater
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sponges in some Peat-bog ponds in Brazil. Acta Microscopica 5(B): 186-187.
Amazoniana. 121(2): 317-335. VOLKMER-RIBEIRO, C. & TAVARES, M.C.M.
VOLKMER-RIBEIRO, C. & De ROSA-BARBOSA, 1993. Sponges from theflooded sandbeachesof
R. 1972. OnAcallerecurvata(Bowerbank,1863) two amazonian clear water rivers (Porifera).
and an associated fauna of other freshwater Iheringia,Zoologia75: 187-188.
sponges. Revista Brasileira de Biologia 32(3): WHITE, P.S. & PICKET, S.T.A. 1985. Natural
303-317. disturbance and Patch Dynamics: An
VOLKMER-RIBEIRO, C, DeROSA-BARBOSA, R. Introduction.Pp. 3-13.InPicket, S.T.A.& White,
&MELLO,J.F. 1983.Theunexpectedoccurrence P.S. (eds) The Ecology ofNatural Disturbances
of Drulia browni (Bowerbank, 1863) and Patch Dynamics. (Academic Press: Orlando,
(Porifera:Spongillidae) in an oxbow lake at the Florida).