<![CDATA[Lombok waters are located in the Coral Triangle area, a region with high marine biodiversity, including Porifera. Information on Porifera diversity in Lombok waters is still minimal, due to the difficulty of identifying them. Metabarcoding eDNA is an alternative method for revealing the potential diversity of Porifera non-invasively, widely, quickly, and effectively. This study aimed to determine the diversity of Porifera with eDNA data in Lombok Waters. This study used quantitative methods with bioinformatics tools in the data processing process. The eDNA data were obtained from previous research results that have been stored in GenBank PRJNA768103 which includes seawater and sediment sample types in the 12 µm and 0.4 µm membrane pore fractions in the East, West, and North Lombok regions This study successfully identified 19 genera of Porifera dominated by Hippospongia, Haliclona, and Terpios in each location and sample type. Comparison of alpha diversity showed a significant difference in membrane pore fraction (p = 0,0262). Meanwhile, beta diversity showed a significant difference in the Porifera community between East and North Lombok (p = 0,01). Significant differences in alpha and beta diversity indicate the influence of environmental factors and habitat characteristics in shaping the community structure of Porifera in Lombok waters. These findings highlight the potential of the eDNA approach as an efficient biomonitoring tool for marine biodiversity and support sustainable management and conservation of Lombok’s marine ecosystems.]]>
