Marine bioinvasions are potential threats to biodiversity and ecosystems services, being one of the major environmental, human health and socio-economic problems throughout the world. In 2005, a sponge species never reported before to the Atlantic Ocean was detected in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). This species was initially considered new to science and in less than a decade its populations became very abundant and widespread in the Brazilian coast. In the present work, we performed detailed morphological and molecular analyses of this supposedly new species and found out that it is in fact the Indo-Pacific calcareous sponge Heteropia glomerosa (Bowerbank, 1873). Heteropia glomerosa is the third alien species of calcareous sponge reported in the Atlantic and the second one that allegedly came from the Indo-Pacific. To confirm the taxonomic identification of the Atlantic specimens, we used morphological and molecular tools and re-described the holotypes of H. glomerosa and Uteopsis argentea (Poléjaeff, 1883). We discuss the possibility that biofouling is the introduction source for sponges and present the known distribution of H. glomerosa. Moreover, we verified that H. glomerosa fits seven out of 10 criteria proposed for recognizing alien species. Although this species can be recognized as introduced in the Atlantic Ocean, studies on population genetics, phylogeography, reproduction strategies, larval behaviour, and ecology will be necessary to allow a better evaluation of its invasive potential.

中文翻译：

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Heteropia glomerosa (Bowerbank, 1873) (Porifera, Calcarea, Calcaronea)，大西洋新的外来物种

海洋生物入侵是对生物多样性和生态系统服务的潜在威胁，是全世界主要的环境、人类健康和社会经济问题之一。2005 年，在里约热内卢（巴西）发现了一种以前从未向大西洋报告的海绵物种。这个物种最初被认为是科学上的新物种，在不到十年的时间里，它的种群在巴西海岸变得非常丰富和广泛。在目前的工作中，我们对这个所谓的新物种进行了详细的形态学和分子分析，发现它实际上是印度洋-太平洋钙质海绵 Heteropia glomerosa (Bowerbank, 1873)。Heteropia glomerosa 是大西洋报道的第三种外来钙质海绵物种，也是第二个据称来自印度洋-太平洋的外来物种。为了确认大西洋标本的分类学鉴定，我们使用形态学和分子工具并重新描述了 H. glomerosa 和 Uteopsis argentea (Poléjaeff, 1883)。我们讨论了生物污垢是海绵的引入源的可能性，并介绍了球藻的已知分布。此外，我们证实 H. glomerosa 符合为识别外来物种提出的 10 项标准中的 7 项。尽管该物种被认为是引入大西洋的，但有必要对种群遗传学、系统地理学、繁殖策略、幼虫行为和生态学进行研究，以更好地评估其入侵潜力。我们讨论了生物污垢是海绵的引入源的可能性，并介绍了球藻的已知分布。此外，我们证实 H. glomerosa 符合为识别外来物种提出的 10 项标准中的 7 项。尽管该物种被认为是引入大西洋的，但有必要对种群遗传学、系统地理学、繁殖策略、幼虫行为和生态学进行研究，以更好地评估其入侵潜力。我们讨论了生物污垢是海绵的引入源的可能性，并介绍了球藻的已知分布。此外，我们证实 H. glomerosa 符合为识别外来物种提出的 10 项标准中的 7 项。尽管该物种被认为是引入大西洋的，但有必要对种群遗传学、系统地理学、繁殖策略、幼虫行为和生态学进行研究，以更好地评估其入侵潜力。