HONOLULU (KHON2) — Researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hawaii Institute for Marine Biology (HIMB) have uncovered 10 new species of marine sponges in Kaneohe Bay.

The groundbreaking studies, published in PeerJ and Zootaxa, showcase the use of a novel method that combines genetic analysis with structural characteristics to identify these species.

Despite being among the oldest life forms on Earth, marine sponges have long been understudied.

This discovery not only sheds light on sponge biodiversity in the Hawaiian Islands but also adds to our understanding of marine life throughout the Pacific region.

“We used ARMS to collect sponges from within the reef,” said Rachel Nunley, a Scientists in Parks intern at Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historical Park and lead author of the study in PeerJ. “After collecting the sponges, we conducted DNA analysis to identify the species. We found that these species in Kaneohe Bay are new to science and haven’t been seen anywhere else in the world.”

Kaneohe Bay is also home to HIMB and is rich with small, isolated patch reefs that are not only filled with undiscovered sponge species but also host non-native species introduced from the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific regions.