Abyssocladia vaceleti, Ríos & Cristobo, 2018

Ríos, Pilar & Cristobo, Javier, 2018, Abyssocladia vaceleti (Porifera, Cladorhizidae): a new deep-sea carnivorous sponge from Patagonia, Zootaxa 4466 (1), pp. 164-173 : 166-170

Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov.

Material examined. Holotype MNCN 1.01/1016 #23 Stn DR10 PAT 1208, off east coast of Patagonia, – 59,571008°;–46,115168°, 1023 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 9th December 2008, 1 specimen.

Paratype NHMUK 2018.6.6.1 #35 (a1) Stn DR11PAT1108, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,635417°;– 44,87205°, 1268 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 26th November 2008, 1 specimen.

Other material examined. #35 (a2,a3) #120(a1; a2; b1; b2; b3) Stn DR11PAT1108, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,635417°; –44,87205°, 1268 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 26th November 2008, 7 specimens.

#45 Stn DR5PAT1208, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,664483°;–45,654833°, 1320 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 5th December 2008, 2 specimens.

#50 Stn DR16 PAT0108, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,421045°; –45,307739°, 1547 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 27th January 2008, 1 specimen.

#72(a1; a2) Stn DR5PAT1008, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,793626°; –46,968555°, 901 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 28th October 2008, 1 specimen.

#19 Stn DR12PAT1008, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,551353°;–46,900092°, 1158 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 3rd November 2008, 1 specimen.

#74a Stn DR5PAT1108, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,180527°; –47,273937°, 1370 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 15th November 2008, 1 specimen.

#67(a, b, c, d) Stn DR9PAT1208, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,688783°; –45,855583°, 1077 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 8th December 2008, 4 specimens.

#70c Stn DR11PAT1208, off east coast of Patagonia, –59,619367°; –45,974983°, 1067 m, RV Miguel Oliver rock dredge, 10th December 2008, 1 specimen.

Type locality. Off east coast of Patagonia, –59,571008°; –46,115168°, 1023 m.

Distribution. SW Atlantic (From –59,180527 to –59,635417° and from –47,273937° to –44,87205). 901–1547 m. Collection information of collected specimens were archived in the PANGAEA data repository https:// doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.891263.

Description. ( Figs. 2–3 )

Habitus. Sponge erect with a long and thin peduncle (2–3 mm) covered with soft tissue and attached to hard substrates such as rocks or small stones by an enlarged base; total length 6.5 to 13 cm. Main body approximately half of total length “mop”-like, elongated, and flattened, 10 to 15 mm wide, bilaterally symmetrical with radially arranged lateral and apical filaments less than 1 mm thick, 5 to 7 mm in length. Colour whitish alive and beige in ethanol ( Fig. 2 ).

Skeleton. The axis of the peduncle consists of a bundle of tornotes compressed longitudinally and spirally arranged, elongating to the center of the body. In the body, multispicular filaments disposed transversally to the main axis forming bundles of styles of various lengths covered by soft tissue packed with embedded abyssochelae and scarce microstrongyles and sigmancistras ( Fig. 3 ).

Spicules: Megascleres. Tornotes. Straight, isodiametric with acerate or mucronate ends, 601–(1048)– 1385 X 7.1–(11.6)–18.7 µm. Tornotes are polytylotes with 2 to 3 annular swollen (sometimes almost spherical or irregular) areas along the shaft.

Styles slightly curved, smooth with a regular and semispherical head, sometimes with a mucron and acerate point, 212–(370)–514 X 5.6–(13.4)–21.0 µm.

Microscleres: Abyssochelae stout, tridentate, with shaft strongly curved, front ala long, close to the opposite, lateral alae very broad. Present in the body tissue and covering the filaments, often in rosette-like arrangement, 32– (38)– 44 X 12.6–(17.4)–21.6 µm.

Arcuate chelae slightly curved with three alae; the central ala presents a length about a third of the total length, 34–(45)– 59 X 10.7–(13.8)–17.1 µm.

Sigmancistras, scarce, in the typical C or S shape, 53.7–(56.4)–59.2 x 3.4–(3.5)–3.6 µm.

Acanthotylostrongyles, scarce, sinuous or straight with a curve, approximately a fourth of its total length, near the basal end. Basal tylotes with spines regularly distributed in the head. Shaft completely covered with short but pointed spines, 87.7–(93.46)–99.2 x 1.9–(2.0)–2.1µm.

Derivatio nominis: To Jean Vacelet, eminent marine biologist of the Station Marine d'Endoume of Marseille, for a lifetime dedicated to the study of marine sponges, especially the carnivores with the description of new species and the study of the particular mechanisms of their feeding. The authors want to thank particularly with this new species, his kind treatment as a fantastic “Maître” at the beginning of their career in the study of sponges and as the good friend, he has proved to be in these 30 first years.

Substrate, depth range, and habitat. Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov. found at depths between 901 and 1547 m in canyons and terraces of the middle slope of the Atlantic Patagonian margin. The middle slope comprises two terraces, named the Nágera and Perito Moreno terraces ( Muñoz et al., 2013). The Nágera Terrace extends from the base of the upper slope to a depth of 930 to 1060 m and the Perito Moreno Terrace from a depth of about 1100/ 1200 to 1400 m. Canyons are oriented from west to east. The bottom in which this species appeared include pebbles, coral fragments of Bathelia candida and Flavellum sp. or primnoid octocorals. Fragments of shells and of coral, spicules that contain quartz and rock fragments darker but in smaller quantity were also found in bottoms of sandy mud composed mainly of bioclasts (globigerinas of small size and spiral foraminiferans).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov. Spicules observed by light microscope. A. Points of tornote. B. Polytylote tornote. C. Style. D–G. Different base of styles with mucron. H. Acanthotylostrongile.. I. Sigmancistra. J–K. Arcuate chelae. L. Abyssochelae in rosette. M. Series of grown forms in abyssochelae.

FIGURE 3. Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov. A. Habitus holotype. B. Habitus Paratype 1. C. Skeleton, of the body and filaments. D. Tornotes. E. Polytylote tornote and ends of tornotes. F. Mucronate base of style. G. Style. H. Acanthotylostrongile. I. Base and end of the same acanthotylostrongile. J–K. Abyssochelae. L–M. Arcuate chelae. N. Young arcuate chelae. O. Sigmancistra.