Species ID
OC-SP-0002815
Discovered
Phylum
Porifera
Species ID
OC-SP-0002815
Provisional Species Name
Abyssocladia sp_OCSS0447
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Abyssocladia
Lowest Known Rank
Genus
Status
Discovered
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Embargo
No
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Porifera
Class
Demospongiae
Order
Poecilosclerida
Family
Cladorhizidae
Genus
Abyssocladia
Date Identified
15/08/2025
Taxonomic Remarks
This species shares many of the external and internal taxonomic features of A. hendrixii, however, this specimen (A. nsp. 1) has an abundance of large onychaetes in the disc head, which the former species does not. Measurements of other skeletal features are similar to A. hendrixii. A. hendrixii was also found at the South Sandwich Islands, and so there is a possibility that A. nsp. 1 is a variant. However, to have a large and important megasclere feature from the disc missing, when A. hendrixii’s disc was subsampled for taxonomy, would be strange. To completely confirm, it would be important to look at slides prepared of A. hendrixii. Although I am confident it is likely a new species, it is very closely related to A. hendrixii.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
07/04/2026
Description of Material
Specimen is a pedunculate, disciform body with projections, a classic morphology found within Abyssocladia genus. The disciform body consists of radiating spicules. The base was found in this specimen. The specimen is c. 20 cm in height. Megascleres: Mycalostyles: 1300-1450+ μm (Disc), Mycalostyles: 980-1025 μm (Base), Onychaetes: 560-610 μm (Disc), Onychaetes: 450+ μm (Base), Substrongyles: 510-610, Microscleres: Palmate-arcuate isochelae: 65-80μm (Disc)
Ecology
Carnivorous
Distribution
North Trench; Coordinates: -58.07936, -24.74988; Depth: 3689 m
Scientific Name Authorship
Rachel Downey
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