Sponge species from ports of the inner and middle parts of İzmir Bay (Aegean Sea, Eastern Mediterranean)

Abstract

Four sponge species (Sycon raphanus, Sycon ciliatum, Paraleucilla magna and Dysidea fragilis) were found on artificial hard substrata of several ports in the inner and middle parts of Izmir Bay. The invasive alien species Paraleucilla magna, is being recorded for the first time from the Aegean coast of Turkey. It was very abundant almost at all studied ports, covering up to 35% of the sampled surfaces. The morphological and distributional features of the four species are described.