An overview on the freshwater sponge fauna (Demospongiae: Spongillida) of New Zealand and New Caledonia with new insights into Heterorotula from deep thermal vents of the Lake Taupo

Data on the freshwater sponge fauna of New Caledonia and New Zealand (5 species, 3 genera, and 2 families) of the order Spongillida (Porifera, Demospongiae) is reported in the framework of an assessment of Australasian biodiversity. Literature screening and a comparative study by LM and SEM of these poorly known taxa on the basis of historical and recent materials delineated the compositions of local spongillofauna. Pachyrotula raceki,...