Microbiota of exotic calcareous sponges

This study brings, for the first time, the microbial diversity associated with two exotic calcareous sponges, showing possible strategies for their adaptation to new environments. Our results demonstrate that bacteria with potential detoxifying activity could be key for the survival of exotic sponges in polluted port areas, where they usually arrive. Furthermore, our study can guide future researches on microbial functionality of calcareous sponges and highlight the importance of investigating multiple localities to know the sponge-associated microbiota.