Abstract
The cup-shaped demosponge Calyx nicaeensis (Risso, 1826) is an endemic Mediterranean species. It is considered to be a rare species, which needs to be included into international conservation protocols. Between 2023 and 2025, 17 specimens were recorded on the rocky outcrops in the Gulf of Trieste for the first time, within a Site of Community Importance (SCI) of the European Natura 2000 network.
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