A new species of Stoeba (Demospongiae: Astrophorida) from oceanic islands off north-eastern Brazil

The genus Stoeba has 11 recognized species. Herein we describe a new species of Stoeba endemic from two oceanic archipelagoes off north-eastern Brazil (Fernando de Noronha and Sao Pedro e Sao Paulo), constituting the first record of this genus for the western Atlantic. Stoeba latex sp. nov. is characterized by its thickly encrusting to massive shape, stretched surface, brownish-red colour, and spiculation of calthrops and sanidasters with well developed spines; dichotriaenes and oxeas are absent. Stoeba and Dercitus are very closely related genera, and should probably be merged. The genus Stoeba now contains the following valid species: S. dissimilis, S. exostotica, S. extensa, S. lesinensis, S. natalensis, S. occulta, S. pauper, S. plicata, S. reptans, S. simplex, S. syrmatita and S. latex sp. nov. Several other species still await description. A key to the valid species of Stoeba is given.