New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR Author Ekins, Merrick Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia & School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4072 Australia & Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Queensland, Australia Author Hooper, John N. A. 0000-0003-1722-5954 Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia & Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane 4111, Queensland, Australia & john. hooper @ qm. qld. gov. au; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0003 - 1722 - 5954 john.hooper@qm.qld.gov.au text Zootaxa 2023 2023-05-23 5293 3 435 471 http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2 journal article 53431 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2 0929883d-fe33-4514-8927-6a4f07b05653 1175-5326 7961272 FE67E8C2-AFE5-491C-B673-2ECE82FA4D87 Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov. Figures 6–7 , Tables 2–3 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0D481EB3-F3F9-4B0F-9D9B-DC57A25D8E42 Material Examined : Holotype : QM G339390 , Small Detached Plunge Pool , Great Barrier Reef , Queensland , Australia , -12.5341061 , 143.8600016 , 1082.83 m , Site : S0399, Sample : 141, ROV SuBastian , Coll. Mardie McNeil and Rob Beaman on RV FALKOR, cruise FK200802. 18/X/2020 Paratypes : QM G335997 , QM G339387 , QM G338728 , same collection details as QM G339390 . Other Material: QM G339391 same collection details as QM G339390, sample 141C. Etymology : Named in honour of Jean (Janus) Vacelet who as both a gentleman and a scholar has described many of the South Pacific carnivorous sponges, and proved the existence of carnivory in sponges. Distribution : This species is currently known from the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland , Australia , bathyal depth. Description : Growth form : The holotype consists of a pedunculated sponge, with a short stem and a vertically orientated disc shaped body with filaments radiating out in a single plane from the disc margin. ( Figs. 6 A–C ). The circular sponge bodies were 6 to 9 mm in diameter, and 0.4 to 0.6 mm thick. There were up to 50 filaments surrounding the body. The preserved filaments were 4.3 to 9.3 mm long and 0.1 mm in width, and highly contracted and or destroyed during collections, compared to the underwater images which show the filaments as up to one and a half times the width of the body ( Figs. 6 A, B ). The stem lengths were 14 to 22 mm long and 0.4 mm in width. All the specimens had spherical structures within the sponge body, which are most likely to be spermatocytes or oocytes. Some of the specimens such as G338728 were still attached via a holdfast to the underlying rock strata. TABLE 2 . Comparison of spicule measurements smallest–(average)–largest (µm) for Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov.

Specimens	Mycalostyles	Styles (Filaments)	Styles L (Stem)	Styles M (Stem)
(Filaments)
QM G339390	876–(1118)–1480 x	364–(519)–793 x	1060–(1243)–1470 x 387–(673)–962 x
11.9–(15.9)–23.2, n=28	5.0–(7.7)–12.3, n=30	18.3–(24.7)–29.8, n=20 19.1–(26.8)–35.1, n=17
QM G335997	971–(1114)–1240 x	413–(462)–477 x	621–(1006)–1620 x
12.6–(14.5)–15.2, n=5	6.4–(6.9)–7.4, n=13	12.6–(18.9)–24.5, n=9
QM G339387	738–(1223)–1710 x	412–(664)–898 x
11.9–(16.8)–24.8, n=45	4.2–(9.4)–12.9, n=21
QM G338728	1060–(1140)–1260 x	507–(556)–629 x
18.2–(21.5)–26.8, n=5	6.0–(9.7)–11.8, n=5
Cf. QM G339391	700–(991)–1250 x	518–(661)–700 x
12.1–(17.0)–21.0, n=28	5.6–(9.6)–16.0, n=14
Continued.
Specimens	Strongyles (Root)	Isochelae	Sigmancistras
(length x spine width)
QM G339390	315–(478)–678 x 7.5–(11.0)– 44.6–(52.6)–61.4 x 3.5–(4.1)–			8.1–(11.2)–12.9 x 0.6–(1.4)–
26.3, n=21	5.0, n=34	2.0, n=28
QM G335997	42.6–(53.0)–61.2 x 3.5–(4.1)–		10.9–(15.9)–25.3 x 1.2–(1.3)–
6.0, n=24	1.4, n=3
QM G339387	24.5–(50.4)–57.9 x 3.9–(4.4)–		10.2–(12.3)–26.9 x 1.0–(1.4)–
5.0, n=32	2.0, n=27
QM G338728	46.3–(53.1)–59.0 x 3.5–(4.3)–		9.7–(10.1)–11.0 x 1.4–(1.4)–
5.0, n=11	1.5, n=12
Cf. QM G339391	57.9–(106.2)–138.0 x 7.8–		9.1–(11.7)–14.8 x 1.0–(1.4)–
(12.9)–19.8, n=63		1.8, n=28

Colour : White in situ, on deck and in ethanol. Ectosomal skeleton : Thin membranous layer of the filaments is encrusted with small sigmancistras ( Fig. 6 F ). The sponge body and stem are encrusted isochelae overlaying the sigmancistras ( Fig. 6 E ). The lower stem and roots appear to be devoid of any specific ectosomal layer. Endosomal skeleton : The axis of the stem consists of longitudinally arranged styles. The main body and filaments consist of the radiating bundles of styles that form the filaments. The root axis consists of longitudinally arranged strongyles ( Figs. 6 G, H ). FIGURE 6 . Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov. . A. Underwater photo the specimens before collection. Arrows indicating individuals of the same species. The black arrow is the holotype QM G339390. B. A close up of the species in side profile. C. Holotype QM G339390 on the right and paratype QM G335997 on the left. D. Scanning Electron Microscope image of the body face and filaments emerging. E. Close up of the ectosome of the sponge body showing the isochelae on the surface and the sigmancistras covering the styles of the filaments. F. Close up of the filaments showing the ectosomal membrane composed of sigmancistras over the style axis. G. The stem showing the axial bundles of styles. H. The root like appendage. FIGURE 7 . Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov. . Holotype: QM G339390. A. Isochelae. B. Sigmancistras. C. Mycalostyle from the filaments with faint subtylostyle swelling. D. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in C with faint subtylostyle swelling. E. Smaller mycalostyle from the filaments. F. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in E. G. Oxeote style from the stem. H. Magnified ends of the oxeote style illustrated in G. I. Thin sharp oxeote style from the stem. J. Magnified ends of the oxeote style illustrated in I. K. Strongyle from the root like appendages. L. Magnified ends of the strongyle illustrated in K. TABLE 3 . Comparative morphological and distributional data for all stalked disc–shaped species of Abyssocladia .

Species	Reference	Morphology	Total height x	Skeleton
width (mm)
Abyssocladia falkor nov.	This work	Pedunculate, short erect stem and a vertically	50 x 10	Dense longitudinal bundles of mycalostyles and styles in the axis
sp	orientated disc shaped body with filaments	of peduncle, body with radial skeleton, bundles of mycalostyles
radiating out in a single plane from the disc	extending into filaments, roots strongyle bundles
margin
Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti	This work	Pedunculate, short erect stem and a vertically	40 x 30	Dense longitudinal bundles of mycalostyles in the axis of
pedunsp . nov.	orientated disc shaped body with filaments	cle, body with radial skeleton, bundles of mycalostyles extend-
radiating out in a single plane from the disc	ing into filaments, roots strongyle bundles
margin
Abyssocladia annae	Ekins, Erpenbeck	Pedunculate, erect stem supporting a slightly	3 x 2	Peduncle axis longitudinally arranged subtylostyles, body with
Ekins, Erpenbeck &	& Hooper, 2020:	cupped-shaped obovate (leaf-like, flabel-	radiating subtylostyles projecting only in one quadrant
Hooper, 2020	23–25, Fig. 4	late, fan-shaped) apical body, lacking lateral
filaments
Abyssocladia carcharias	Kelly & Vacelet,	Pedunculate, long thin, flattened circular	7 x 3.4	Dense longitudinal bundles of mycalostyles in the axis of pedun-
Kelly & Vacelet, 2011	2011: 58–60 , Figs.	body, with short blunt radiating filaments	cle, body with radial skeleton, bundles of mycalostyles extend-
2–3	ing into filaments
Abyssocladia dominalba	Vacelet, 2006 :	Long thin pedunculate with an ovoid or	28–31	Peduncle axis with longitudinally arranged long fusiform styles,
Vacelet, 2006	575–577, Fig. 14	subspherical body, body with dense spicular	supported by radiating bundles of fusiform styles and smaller
bundles laterally radiating	styles with tips directed outwards
Abyssocladia fryerae	Hestetun, Rapp &	Pedunculate, short stem, disc-shaped droplet-	25 x 12	Stem with tightly packed subtylostyles entering center of
Hestetun, Rapp & Pom-	Pomponi, 2019:4,	like body, radiating long filaments in a single	disc-shaped body with radial skeleton, filaments and disc also
poni, 2019	Fig. 2	plane from disc margin	composed of subtylostyles
Abyssocladia huitzilo-	Vacelet, 2006 :	Erect pedunculated, enlarged base, long thin	41 x 0.3– 0.6	Axis of peduncle tightly packed with longitudinal bundles of
pochtli Vacelet, 2006	569–573, Figs.	peduncle, flattened semicircular disc-like	long substrongyles, body with radiating bundles and irregularly
9–11	body, with numerous free radiating spicule	dispersed large substrongyles, filaments with smaller bundles of
fascicles protruding	substrongyles
Abyssocladia inflata	Vacelet, 2006 :	Thin pedunculate, flattened discform body,	8.5 x 3.5	Axis with longitudinally arranged styles extremely reduced liv-
Vacelet, 2006	573–575,	hispid surface, with short filaments	ing tissue, body with skeleton of radiating styles protruding from
Figs. 12–13	surface

......continued on the next page TABLE 3. (Continued)

Species	Reference	Morphology	Total height x	Skeleton
width (mm)
Abyssocladia kellyae	Hestetun, Rapp &	Long stalk with disc-shaped body and radial	43 x 7	Main skeleton with tightly arranged longitudinal mycalostyles,
Hestetun, Rapp & Pom-	Pomponi, 2019: 5,	filaments in a single plane on disc margin,	Radiating filaments composed of mycalostyles, subtylostyles and
poni, 2019	Fig. 3	enlarged basal plate	tylostyles within sponge body
Abyssocladia lakwollii	Vacelet & Kelly,	Pedunculate, flattened disc attached to a thin	up to 57	Peduncle tightly packed longitudinal bundles of large mycalo-
Vacelet & Kelly, 2014	2014: 387–392 ,	peduncle with radiating filaments forming a	styles, basal attachment tightly packed shorter mycalostyles 1
Figs. 1–3	flat to concave umbrella	and substrongyles, mycalostyles 1 of the peduncle fan out in the
disc, diverging into radiating bundles towards the rim, disc with
many small diverging bundles of mycalostyles 2
Abyssocladia oxyasters	Ekins, Erpenbeck,	Pedunculate, erect, long thin stem with	140–160 x	Axis of stem and filaments with longitudinal bundles of myca-
Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie	Goudie & Hooper,	plano-convex disc shaped body on apex	0.6	lostyles 1, basal holdfasts contain smaller thicker curved oxeote
& Hooper, 2020	2020: 247–251,	encircled by radiating filaments, and conical	anisostyles 2
Figs. 4–6	basal disc holdfast
Abyssocladia natushimae	Ise & Vacelet,	Erect pedunculate long stem on circular	88 x 1–2.2	Base cored by substrongyles, short microstrongyles and micro-
Ise & Vacelet, 2010	2010:889–892 ,	base, mop-like inflated apical body with long	scleres, axis of peduncle tightly packed with long mycalostyles
Figs. 2–5	filaments in one plane, ending with inflated	longitudinally and spirally arranged, upper part of peduncle
bulbous tips	covered by soft tissue packed with microstrongyles and few
microscleres, axis of filaments supported by bundles of
mycalostyles and microstrongyles
Abyssocladia polycepha-	Hestetun, Pomponi	Erect pedunculate central stem with side	35	Densely packed bundles of mycalostyles in the central stem and
lus Hestetun, Pomponi &	& Rapp, 2016:	branches each ending in a disclike	branches, radiating bundles of mycalostyles projecting from the
Rapp, 2016	523–525, Figs. 2–3	body bearing filamentous projections	body and constituting the skeleton of the filaments, disc-shaped
body also with a network of less well organized subtylostyles
Abyssocladia stegosau-	Hestetun, Rapp &	Stalked, vertical disc-shaped radial body,	48 x 1–3	core axis of longitudinal, tight tracts of mycalostyles, fleshy
rensis Hestetun, Rapp &	Pomponi, 2019:	filaments radiating in a single plane from	parts of radial body with subtylostyles and tylostyles bases, base
Pomponi, 2019	11, Fig. 5	disc margin,	with styles or substrongyles

......continued on the next page TABLE 3. (Continued)

Species	Spicules of main axis (LxW um)	Spicules of lateral	Spicules of basal	Chelae (L um)
filaments or body	attachment
(LxW um)	(LxW um)
Abyssocladia falkor nov. sp	Mycalostyles 715–1020 x 10.0–30.7,	Subtylostyles	Strongyles	Abyssochelae 27.5–52.8 x 1.9–8.6
oxetote styles 282–621 x 6.4–14.7,	192–830 x 3.2–12.3	220–490 x 5.5–14.7
sinuous styles 222–540 x 4.9–13.5
Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti	mycalostyles I 620–1620 x 12.6–29.8	mycalostyles I	strongyles	Isochelae 24.5–61.4 x 3.5–6.0
sp. nov.	mycalostyles II 387–962 x 19.1–35.1	738–1710 x 11.9–26.8	315–678 x 7.5–26.3
mycalotyles II
364–898 x 5.0–12.9
Abyssocladia annae	subtylostyles 288–1000 x 3.1–15.2	undifferentiated	absent	Abyssochelae 48.2–72.2 x 5.1––14.9
Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper,
2020
Abyssocladia carcharias	mycalostyles 510–1070 x 8–19	undifferentiated	base missing	unguiferate abyssochelae 1, 116–197
Kelly & Vacelet, 2011	microstyles 140–240 x 2.5–5	abyssochelae 2, 60–86
abyssochelae 3, 35–48
Abyssocladia dominalba	styles 620–2500 x 7–35	undifferentiated	base missing	arcuate isochela 80–170
Vacelet, 2006	abyssochelae—cleistochelae 40–45
anisochelae 9.5–11
Abyssocladia fryerae Heste-	subtylostyles 582–1130 x	undifferentiated	undifferentiated	arcuate isochelae 77.9–
tun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019	3.8–23.5	110.3
Abyssocladia huitzilopochtli	styles—substrongyles 1	undifferentiated	substrongyles 3 (base),	abyssochelae (body, upper stem) 60–80
Vacelet, 2006	(peduncle, filaments), 1050–2500 x 15–30	560–750 x 21–30	arcuate isochelae 1 (body, filaments), 67–90
substrongyles 2 (body, filaments),	arcuate isochelae 2 (base of stem), 40–55
260–660 x 5–10
Abyssocladia inflata	styles 1075–1800 x 21–33	undifferentiated	base missing	abyssochelae—cleistochelae 80–100
Vacelet, 2006	arcuate isochelae 14–150
Abyssocladia kellyae Heste-	mycalostyles 1262–2321 x 19–33	subtylostyles	Undifferentiated	arcuate isochelae78– 132
tun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019	1018–1994 x 20–35
tylostyles
275–592 x 6–15

......continued on the next page TABLE 3. (Continued)

Species	Spicules of main axis (LxW um)	Spicules of lateral	Spicules of basal	Chelae (L um)
filaments or body	attachment
(LxW um)	(LxW um)
Abyssocladia lakwollii Vace-	mycalostyles 1, 750–1800 x 15–31	undifferentiated	mycalostyles 1,	anchorate isochelae 1, 110–150
let & Kelly, 2014	mycalostyles 2, 330–1150 x 6–20	380–980 x 18–30	anchorate isochelae 2, 58–92
substrongyles	arcuate isochelae 3, 27–36
250–1150 x 12–30	cleistochelae 48–70
Abyssocladia oxyasters	mycalostyles 1, 1380–3810 x 15–54	undifferentiated	oxeote anisostyles 2,	palmate cleistochelae 62–123 x 17–37
Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie &	392–1560 x 20–50
Hooper, 2020
Abyssocladia natushimae Ise	mycalostyles 1,	mycalostyles 2,	Sub–strongyles	cleistochelae–abyssochelae 38–(54)–75
& Vacelet, 2010	1350–(1657)–1940 x 19 – (34)–26.5	395 –(1016)–1790	395–(642)–980 x
microstrongyles	x 10–(16)–24	22–(36)–45
14–(64)–250 x 4–(6)–10
Abyssocladia polycephalus	mycalostyles	subtylostyles-mycalostyles	base missing	arcuate isochelae 28–(43)–50
Hestetun, Pomponi & Rapp,	720–(933)–1070 x 14–(17)–22	430–(686)–960 x 5–(10)–13
2016	strongyles
380–(568)–780 x 15–(18)–22
Abyssocladia stegosaurensis	mycalostyles	mycalostyles same as stem	Undifferent–iated	palmate isochelae 20–40
Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi,	846–1741 x 15–53	subtylostyles
2019	491–1134 x 7–17
tylostyles 181–573 x 4–9

......continued on the next page TABLE 3. (Continued)

Species	Sigmancistras (L um)	Sigmas (L um) and other microscleres	Locality, depth range
Abyssocladia falkor nov. sp	6.9–10.9 x 0.5–1.8	Sigmas I 50.6–67.2 x 0.8–1.5, sigmas II 16.8–33.1 x 1.1–3.1, Spherical microstrongyles 8.4–26.0 x 5.8– 12.9, Tylostyle microtrongyles 9.0–73.3 x 2.8–8.5	Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, bathyal
Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov.	8.1–26.9 x 0.6–2.0	absent	Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, bathyal
Abyssocladia annae Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020	11.6 – (15.6)–18.5	absent	off the continental shelf of central New South Wales, Australia, abyssal
Abyssocladia carcharias Kelly & Vacelet, 2011	sigmancistras 1, 15–16.2 x 1.9–2 sigmancistras 2, 8–128–12	absent	Kermadec Seamounts, New Zealand, bathyal
Abyssocladia dominalba Vacelet, 2006	1, 30–40 2, 9.5–12.5	absent	North-Fijian back-arc Basin, bathyal
Abyssocladia fryerae Hestetun, Rapp & Pom- poni, 2019	17.9–22.9	absent	Marianas, NW Pacific, abyssal
Abyssocladia huitzilopochtl i Vacelet, 2006	1, 20–24 2, 11–12 orthancistras (body, filaments) 150–195	microxeas (possibly foreign) 30–95 x 0.3–1	Middle America Trench, off Mexico, bathyal
Abyssocladia inflata Vacelet, 2006	15–18	Acantho–microxeas 130–350 x 3–5	Easter microplate, East Pacific Rise, bathyal
Abyssocladia kellyae Hestetun, Rapp & Pom- poni, 2019	22–32	absent	Marianas, NW Pacific, abyssal
Abyssocladia lakwollii Vacelet & Kelly, 2014	15–20	absent	Far eastern Solomon Islands, bathyal
Abyssocladia oxyasters Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020	21.5–40 x 2–7	oxyasters 74–136	Great Australian Bight, bathyal
Abyssocladia natushimae Ise & Vacelet, 2010	1, 20–23 2, 9–12	absent	Izu-Ogasawara Arc, Japan, mesophotic
Abyssocladia polycephalus Hestetun , Pom- poni & Rapp, 2016	9.4–(9.8)–11.0	absent	Muir Seamount, Bermuda, bathyal
Abyssocladia stegosaurensis Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019	6–9	absent	Marianas, NW Pacific, bathyal

Megascleres: The sponge filaments are composed of two different but overlapping size groups of styles. The measurements of spicules for all the specimens are listed in Table 2 , the spicule measurements for the holotype only are listed in the following text. The large mycalostyles present in the filaments are long and straight, with a blunt tip, they are 880–(1120)– 1480 x 12 –(16)–23 µm in size, with the slightest tylostyle thickening ( Figs. 7 C, D ). The smaller styles in the filaments ( Figs. 7 E, F ) are blunt styles, they are 360–(520)–703 x 5–(8)–12 µm in size. The stem is also composed of two different sizes of oxeote styles, the larger are long and straight, with a slight central thickening, and sharp points ( Figs. 7 I, J ), which are 1060–(1240)– 1470 x 18 –(25)–30 µm in size. The shorter oxeote styles of the stem have an obvious central thickening and a blunt tip ( Figs. 7 G, H ) and are 390–(670)–960 x 19–(27)–35 µm in size. The roots are composed of just one class of strongyle ( Figs. 7 K, L ) and are 320–(480)–680 x 8–(11)–26 µm in size. Microscleres: The microscleres are composed of a single size class of palmate isochelae ( Fig. 7 A ) 45–(53)–61 µm in size and a single size class of sigmancistras ( Fig. 7 B ) 8–(11)–13 µm in size. Remarks: This species is morphologically very similar to Abyssocladia falkor sp. nov. , with the same pedunculated disc shaped body. However, it differs markedly by the shape of the isochelae and the lack of the protective microspheres and microstrongyles. Most of the specimens contained filamentous curved raphide-like spicules, which were often on the outside of the ectosome (such as in Fig. 6 E ), and sometimes presented as bundles in spicule digests. However, examination of the spicules (~100–200 x 1–2 µm) at extreme magnification (X8000) on the SEM, revealed them to have minute thorn-like scales. It is concluded these are non-native and perhaps were snagged from an hexactinellid glass sponge. One of the specimens (QM G339391) has a much larger range of sizes of chelae (almost two separate size classes of chelae), with a much more robust spine. This specimen was badly damaged during the collection. It may well be a different species, but until there is the collection of another complete specimen, it is retained here as Abyssocladia cf. jeanvaceleti sp. nov. Both this species and the uncertain specimen (cf. QM G339391) are very different to the umbrella-shaped sponge Abyssocladia bruuni Lévi, 1964 (p.78, Fig 30), with respect to the sponge size and the styles, and the isochelae are 70–75 µm long with the single tooth 30 µm wide, and are of a crab-like shape. The sigmancistras in Lévi’s species are twice as large, being 29–30 µm in length. Abyssocladia bruuni sensu Koltun, 1970 , illustrated in his Fig. 17 (1– 5) and Plate III, Fig. 5 , displays a similar shape of chelae and a similar range in sizes of chelae, a sigmancistra and as well as a large style and a much smaller subtylostyle. However, it differs from this new species (including the cf. specimen QM G339391) mainly by the differences in shape of the sponge body. Koltun’s specimen came from the Vityaz collections, collected in the South Pacific Ocean (Station 3655, Bougainville Trench). Abyssocladia bruuni Lévi, 1964 and Abyssocladia bruuni sensu Koltun, 1970 are clearly unrelated to each other. This is also supported by the redescription of Abyssocladia bruuni by Vacelet (2020) . We propose Koltun’s species Abyssocladia bruuni to be renamed Abyssocladia vladimirii nom. nov. The alternate name Abyssocladia koltuni ( Ereskovsky & Willenz, 2007 ) is preoccupied. Neocladia flabelliformis Koltun, 1970 is accepted as Koltunicladia flabelliformis ( Koltun, 1970 ) ( type by original designation).