A new species of Haliclona (Demospongiae: Haplosclerida) living in association with Geodia media Bowerbank (Mexican Pacific coast)
Haliclona (Haliclona) sonorensis sp. nov. (Haplosclerida, Chalinidae) is described from different shallow water localities from the Mar de Cortés (Mexican Pacific coast). The new species is characterized by its thickly incrusting form, scarce and slightly elevated oscules, and pinkish violet color in life, in conjunction with internal characteristics such as an ectosomal skeleton formed by tangential isotropic unispicular reticulation and a regular choanosomal skeleton of unipaucispicular primary lines interconnected by unispicular secondary lines. Spicules are short and robust oxeas. Both the choanosomal skeleton and typical oxeas morphology are characteristic of the subgenus Haliclona. The new species has always been found growing in a mutualistic relationship with the sponge Geodia media Bowerbank, 1873.