ИСТИНА

Calcareous sponges of the genus Leucosolenia are a model object for evolutionary developmental biology studies. However, recent studies on the class Calcarea, and in particular on the subclass Calcaronea, indicates the presence of high cryptic diversity within most genera. Our study was aimed on the comprehensive analysis of the species Leucosolenia complicata from the White and Barents Seas using molecular, morphological, embryological and ecological data. We have shown that the species L. complicata dwells only in the North Atlantic. In the White and Barents Seas, the diversity of this genus is represented by a complex of widespread cryptical species. How to cite: Ekimova I, Azevedo F, Lavrov A et al. Cryptic diversity of genus Leucosolenia (Porifera: Calcarea) of the White and Barents Seas [version 1; not peer reviewed]. F1000Research 2019, 8:489 (poster) (https://doi.org/10.7490/f1000research.1116616.1)