Sponges of the Gulf of St. Lawrence : field and laboratory guide

Sponges collected during annual multispecies surveys in the Gulf of St. Lawrence have not been consistently identified. In 2018, sponge specimens were collected and taxonomically identified from four trawl surveys and additional specimens were collected and identified from opportunistic samples. Using sponge spicules, skeletal arrangement, and on-board photos, a field guide for future sponge collections in the Gulf of St. Lawrence was created, with descriptions of forty-four sponge taxa found in the region and updated taxa codes for use on board survey vessels in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. This field guide will be used during future surveys to more reliably identify sponges at sea.