ABSTRACT Marine sponges are a rich source of bioactive natural products with multiple pharmacological properties. In this study, the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of extracts obtained from Aplysina caissara, Haliclona sp. and Dragmacidon reticulatum were evaluated by using the writhing test and formalin-induced mouse paw edema model in mice. All extracts were administered via oral pathway in the doses of 60 and 90 mg/kg. In the writhing test the pre-treatment with all sponges resulted in significant inhibition of the acetic acid-induced response, suggesting an antinociceptive effect. The formalin test showed that the extracts from A. caissara, Haliclona sp. and D. reticulatum, in the tested doses, did not affect the first formalin phase, however, they were effective in the late phase. To assess the potential anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts, the test of formalin-induced paw edema was used. The oral administration of A. caissara, Haliclona sp. and D. reticulatum extracts significantly reduced the formalin-induced paw edema in mice. In conclusion, our data show that marine sponges can be an important source of anti-inflammatory and antinocicpetive products that can be promising therapeutical leads. Furthermore, pharmacological and chemical studies have been developed not only to characterize the mechanism(s) that is/are responsible for the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory action but also to identify the active principles of sponges.

Este trabalho fornece novas informações sobre esponjas agelasidas encontradas na costa norte da plataforma continental brasileira. Agelas sceptrum (Lamarck, 1815) e Agelas wiedenmayeri Alcolado, 1984 têm seu primeiro registro para a costa brasileira. Agelas dispar Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 e Agelas schmidti Wilson, 1902, registradas anteriormente na costa brasileira, são citadas pela primeira vez ao largo da desembocadura do Rio Amazonas.

This work provides new information on agelasid sponges found on the continental shelf off northern Brazil. Agelas sceptrum (Lamarck, 1815) and Agelas wiedenmayeri Alcolado, 1984 have their first record for the Brazilian coast. Agelas dispar Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 and Agelas schmidti Wilson, 1902, previously recorded from Brazil, are cited for the first time off the mouth of the Amazon River.

Uma nova espécie, Spongia (Heterofibria) catarinensis, é descrita para a Ilha das Aranhas (27º29'077''S, 48º21'380''W), Estado de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Difere das outras espécies do gênero do Atlântico sudoeste pela morfologia externa e arquitetura. A nova espécie é caracterizada por apresentar forma massiva, incrustante com projeções lobulares; fibras primárias medindo 60-100 µm; fibras secundárias 11,5-69 µm; fibras pseudoterciárias 2,3-23 µm e distância entre fibras primárias 391-920 µm; distância entre fibras secundárias/pseudoterciárias 92-575 µm; fibras secundárias/pseudoterciárias constituindo malhas poligonais com 30-700 µm de diâmetro. A espécie pertence ao subgênero Heterofibria Cook & Bergquist, 2001 por apresentar uma clara dicotomia de suas fibras.

A new species, Spongia (Heterofibria) catarinensis, is described from Ilha das Aranhas (27º29'077''S, 48º21'380''W), State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It differs from the other southwestern Atlantic species of this genus by external morphology and architecture. The new species is characterized for presenting massive form, incrusting with lobate projections; primary fibres measuring 60-100 µm; secondary fibres 11,5-69 µm; pseudotertiary fibres 2,3-23 µm and distance between primary fibres 391-920 µm; distance between secondary/pseudotertiary fibres 92-575 µm; secondary/pseudotertiary fibres constituting polygonal meshes 30-700 µm diameter. This species belongs to subgenus Heterofibria Cook & Bergquist, 2001 for displaying a clear dichotomy of its fibres.

As amostras foram coletadas com draga retangular ao largo da costa (04º13'00" -02º34'02" N, 47º54'05" -50º50'07" W), pela Comissão Pesca Norte I, em 1968, através da Diretoria de Hidrografia e Navegação da Marinha do Brasil com o N./Oc. " Almirante Saldanha" em profundidades que variaram de 56 a 95 m. Oito espécies são aqui registradas, entre as quais Niphates alba Van Soest, 1980, Placospongia melobesioides Gray, 1867 e Terpios belindae Rützler & Smith, 1993 são identificadas pela primeira vez para a costa brasileira. As demais espécies, Aplysina fulva (Pallas, 1766), Ircinia strobilina (Lamarck, 1816), Niphates erecta (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864), Neopetrosia proxima (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) e Plakinastrella onkodes Uliczka, 1929 são conhecidas pela primeira vez para a área estudada. Todas as espécies identificadas são também registradas para o Caribe. Os espécimes encontram-se depositados na Coleção de Porifera do Museu de Ciências Naturais, Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

The collections were dredged off the coast (04º13'00" -02º34'02" N, 47º54'05" -50º50'07" W). They were collected between 56 to 95 depths, during an oceanographic expedition, Diretoria de Hidrografia e Navegação da Marinha do Brasil, by R/V " Almirante Saldanha" in 1968. Eight species are here registered, among which Niphates alba Van Soest, 1980, Placospongia melobesioides Gray, 1867 and Terpios belindae Rützler & Smith, 1993 represent new registers for Brazil. The other species: Aplysina fulva (Pallas, 1766), Ircinia strobilina (Lamarck, 1816), Niphates erecta Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, Neopetrosia proxima (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) and Plakinastrella onkodes Uliczka, 1929 represent new records to the studied area. All registered species are also known from Caribbean. Specimens are deposited in the Porifera Collection of the Museu de Ciências Naturais, Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Ampliam-se os limites meridionais de sete espécies de poríferos para costa brasileira. Duas espécies representam novos registros: Chalinula zeae de Weerdt, 2000 e Terpios manglaris Rützler & Smith, 1993 e cinco são novas ocorrências para o estado de Santa Catarina: Callyspongia (Toxochalina) pseudotoxa Muricy & Ribeiro, 1999; Mycale (Carmia) magnirhaphidifera van Soest, 1984; Hymeniacidon heliophila Parker, 1910; Monanchora arbuscula (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) e Scopalina ruetzleri (Wiedenmayer, 1977). Apresenta-se também a descrição taxonômica das espécies em questão e as três últimas são descritas pela primeira vez para a costa brasileira, uma vez que foram apenas citadas por outros autores.

The southern boundaries of seven species of Brazilian coast sponges were enlarged. Two of them represent new records: Chalinula zeae de Weerdt, 2000 e Terpios manglaris Rützler & Smith, 1993 and five were registered for the first time from the state of Santa Catarina: Callyspongia (Toxochalina) pseudotoxa Muricy & Ribeiro, 1999; Mycale (Carmia) magnirhaphidifera van Soest, 1984; Hymeniacidon heliophila Parker, 1910; Monanchora arbuscula (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) and Scopalina ruetzleri (Wiedenmayer, 1977). The taxonomic description of species is also provided and the three latter were described for the first time from the Brazilian coast, since other authors only cited it.

Three species of Halichondrida, Dragmacidon reticulatus (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) (Axinellidae), Myrmekioderma rea (Laubenfels, 1934) (Desmoxyidae) and Topsentia ophiraphidites (Laubenfels, 1934) (Halichondriidae), collected from 30 to 184 m depths, were recorded for the first time from State of Maranhão, north-northeast coast of Brazilian shelf.

Two new Mycale (Naviculiiia) Gray, 1867 are described, M. (N.) arcuiris sp. n. and M. (N.)purpurata sp. n., from the Paulista Biogeographic Province (Southwestern Atlantic). They both occur in the São Sebastião Channel area (São Paulo stale coast), the former extending its known distribution to "Arvoredo Marine Biological Reserve" (Santa Catarina state coast). The new species are sibling and differ from each other by a series of very small traits, the most notorious being live-color: yellow, orange, green, white, grey and beige, always light, in M. (N.) arcuiris sp. n. and bordeaux in M. (N.) purpúrala sp. n. Both species are compared with other known M. (Naviculiiia). Mycale (Aegogropila) henlscheli Sim & Lee, 2001 is transferred to subgenus Naviculiiia and given a new name, viz. M. (N.) chungue nom. n., as the specific name was preoccupied by M. (Curmia) henlscheli Bergquist & Fromont, 1988. An identification key for all the species hitherto assigned to the subgenus is provided.