"Living fossil" sphinctozoan coralline sponge colonies in shallow water caves of the Osprey Reef (Coral Sea) and the Astrolabe Reefs (Fiji Islands)

Abstract

Three new types of aRecent colonial sphinctozoan coralline sponge are presented. All types show close relationships to the taxon Vaceletia crypta, a non colonial form from Indo-Pacific reef caves. The first two types were discovered in shallow water reef caves of the Osprey Reef, which is 10- cated on the northern Queensland Plateau in the Coral Sea. The sponges are common in these caves. The third type of a colonial sphinctozoan was found only at three localities at the North Astrolabe Reef and Great Astrolabe Reef of the Fiji Islands. The third type shows similarities with a previously described deep water variation of Vaceletia from New Caledonia.