Checklist of sponges (Porifera) in the Aegean and Levantine Seas.

This study compiled data on the distribution of sponge species along the coasts of countries bordering the Levantine and Aegean Seas (eastern Mediterranean). The checklist comprises 313 species belonging to 67 families, 23 orders, and 4 classes. Out of these species, 37 species are endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean and 77 species are endemic to the Mediterranean. The orders, namely Tetractinellida (44 species), Haplosclerida (36 species), Suberitida (35 species), Poecilosclerida (34 species) and Dictyoceratida (31 species) have the highest number of species in the region. The Aegean coast of Greece has the highest number of sponge species (231 species), followed by the Aegean coast of Türkiye (129 species) and the Levantine coast of Israel (65 species). Due to the limited number of studies performed on sponges, the lowest number of species were found along the Libyan and Syrian coasts. Among the sponges reported, four species, namely Geodia micropuntata, Amphimedon chloros, Niphates toxifera and Paraleucilla magna appear to be alien species in the regions. A total of 14 sponge species listed as endangered or threatened species according to the Bern (1979) and Barcelona (2013) conventions have been recorded in the regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]