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The synapomorphic character of the genus Acarnus Gray, 1867 is the presence of the cladotylote spicule. Acarnus has 27 valid species worldwide, including five species reported from the Brazilian coast: A. innominatus Gray, 1867, A. nicoleae van Soest, Hooper & Hiemstra, 1991, A. souriei (Lévi, 1952), A. radovani (Boury-Esnault, 1973) and A. toxeata Boury-Esnault, 1973. Here we will describe A. microxeatus sp. nov., whose diagnosis is the presence of smooth microxeas and acanthoxeas, new characters for the genus. We also provide a complete characterization of the skeletal architecture and spicule morphology of A. toxeata, with scanning electron microscopy image (SEM) of the spicule set.

This research presents three new species of carnivorous sponges from the family Cladorhizidae from the Great Barrier Reef, in Queensland, Australia: Abyssocladia falkor sp. nov., Abyssocladia jeanvaceleti sp. nov. and Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. They were collected by ROV during the expedition FK200802—Seamounts, Canyons & Reefs of the Coral Sea Cruise on the RV Falkor from the Schmidt Ocean Institute. In addition, the ROV collection of two complete specimens enabled the redescription of two other Australian species of carnivorous sponge (Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) zygainadentonis Ekins et al., 2020a and Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) maxisigma Ekins et al., 2020a), previously known from the East coast of Australia based on incomplete specimens.

Until now, 127 species of marine sponges have been recorded in the southern Gulf of Mexico (SGoM). In this study, we describe the sponge fauna recorded on 16 coral reefs of the SGoM, defined as the Mexican waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), during a period from 2005 to 2019. We report 80 sponge species, including 34 first geographic records for the southern GoM region. The latter are fully described and illustrated, taking into account 24 that represent new records for the GoM: Agelas conifera, Agelas sventres, Agelas wiedenmayeri, Prosuberites carriebowensis, Desmanthus meandroides, Cliona aprica, Cliona dioryssa, Placospongia ruetzleri, Haliclona (Gellius) megasclera, Haliclona (Reniera) aff. portroyalensis, Neopetrosia proxima, Xestospongia arenosa, Calyx podatypa, Shiphonodictyon xamaycaense, Acarnus innominatus, Iotrochota arenosa, Polymastia tenax, Svenzea cristinae, Svenzea flava, Svenzea tubulosa, Svenzea zeai, Timea stenosclera, Stellettinopsis megastylifera, Suberea flavolivescens. The present work highlights the understimated and remarkable diversity of reef-associated sponges within the Campeche Bank Coral reef systems. Present work data was compiled with existing published information to produce an updated list of 161 known sponges in the southern GoM.

Deep-sea sponges are an imperative component of benthos. They accumulate the suspended organic matter by filtering large quantities of water and, with their intricate structures, provide the most suitable habitats for various associated organisms. We describe three new cadorhizid sponges from the Central Indian Ridge (CIR), Indian Ocean. The sponges are part of the benthic sledge collection conducted onboard the MGS Sagar in the CIR region. A detailed taxonomic description of two novel species, Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) indiyansis sp. nov., and Asbestopluma (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. are provided based on the morphological and molecular (mtCOI and 28S) markers. In addition, another new carnivorous species Chondrocladia sagari sp. nov. is described based on the morphological and mtCOI marker. The systematic and descriptions of new species are discussed based on the structural and phylogenetic analysis. Our study shows that the cladorhizid fauna of the seamounts from the CIR are unique and represent regionally endemic benthic habitats.

Family Latrunculiidae Topsent, 1922 comprises seven genera: Latrunculia Barboza du Bocage, 1869; Sceptrella Schmidt, 1870; Strongylodesma Lévi, 1969; Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly, 2002; Cyclacanthia Samaai & Kelly in Samaai et al. (2004); Bomba and Latrunclava Kelly, Reiswig & Samaai in Kelly et al. (2016) (Samaai & Kelly 2002; Kelly et al. 2016; Samaai et al. 2020), with 83 valid species predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere (de Voogd et al. 2021). Latrunculiidae are differentiated primarily on the form and ornamentation of the diagnostic discorhabd microscleres (see Fig. 1) which may be anisodiscorhabds (Latrunculia, Bomba), isospinodiscorhabds (Cyclacanthia), and isochiadiscorhabds (Tsitsikamma). These may be accompanied by an additional longer microsclere, the amphiclad sceptre and anisoconicorhabd, in Sceptrella and Latrunclava, respectively. Here we describe a new latrunculid genus and species, Biverticillus tenuissimus gen. et sp. nov., from Walters Shoal on the Madagascar Ridge south of Madagascar in the Western Indian Ocean (Fig. 1A), the diagnostic microscleres of which are anisospinodiscorhabds, with two centrally located equidiametral whorls, equally spaced between each other and the apical whorl and manubrium. The microscleres are aniso- in their form because the apical and basal substructures differ slightly in the angle of repose of the spines.

Here, we describe four new species of Crellidae Dendy, 1922 and discuss characters and relationships from published molecular phylogenies including crellid sponges. New species proposed are Crella (Pytheas) chiloensis Fernandez, Gastaldi, Pardo & Hajdu, sp. nov., from southern Chile (15 m depth), C. (P.) desventuradae Fernandez, Gastaldi, Zapata-Hernández & Hajdu, sp. nov., from Desventuradas Archipelago (10–20 m depth), Crella (P.) santacruzae Fernandez, Gastaldi, Thompson & Hajdu, sp. nov., from deep waters off Argentina (750 m depth) and Crellomima sigmatifera Fernandez, Gastaldi & Hajdu, sp. nov., from the Chilean fjords region (ca. 20 m depth). These new species are set apart from each other and from known species mainly due to aspects of their spiculation. Chelae microscleres and acanthostyles supply characters that might be used to infer phylogenetic relationships and to verify the monophyly of Crella Gray, 1867 and Crellidae, which has seemingly been contradicted by preliminary molecular data available in the systematics’ literature. Our own interpretation of phylogenetic affinities, in the light of morphological characters from previous taxonomic studies, argues for a classification reassessment of materials (vouchers) included in these molecular phylogenies, especially in the case of Crella incrustans (Carter, 1885). We argue that currently available molecular phylogenetic outcomes for crellid sponges are not supportive of the polyphyly of Crella and Crellidae.

Eight species of Strongylodesma Lévi, 1969 (Demospongiae Sollas, Poecilosclerida Topsent, Latrunculiidae Topsent) are recognised today (Van Soest et al. 2019): three from South Africa (S. algoaensis and S. tsitsikammaensis Samaai et al., 2003; S. aliwaliensis Samaai et al., 2004); two from the Tropical Western Atlantic (S. nigra and S. purpurea Samaai & Kelly, 2009); and two from the Western Pacific Ocean (S. novaecaledoniae and S. tongaensis Samaai & Kelly, 2009). The type species, S. areolata Lévi, 1969, is from Vema Seamount in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 1000 km northwest of Cape Town. Prior to this work, Strongylodesma had not been recorded in the Southwest Pacific region: here we report for the first time, a new species from temperate Australia, S. australiense sp. nov.

Currently 26 sponge species are known for the Peruvian coast, but so far no raspailiids had been recorded from this region. Raspailiidae are distributed worldwide and its species are characterized by encrusting, massive, lobate, fan-shaped or branching growth forms, usually with a very hispid surface. In the present study, three new species of Raspailiidae are described from the Peruvian coast. Two new Eurypon spp. were collected at Islas Lobos de Afuera (Lambayeque). Eurypon lacertus sp. nov. is a thinly encrusting orange sponge with choanosomal skeleton composed of large tylostyles and small acanthostyles, and ectosomal skeleton with anisoxeas. Eurypon hookeri sp. nov. is a crustose, ruby red sponge, with choanosomal skeleton composed of large (subtylo)styles and acanthostyles, and ectosomal skeleton pierced by acanthostyles and (subtylo)styles, often surrounded by bouquets of smaller styles. The third new species, Plocamione matarani sp. nov., was collected at Matarani (Arequipa). It is a thinly encrusting orange sponge, the only Plocamione with two categories of choanosomal styles, and a single category of ectosomal styles, acanthostyles and anisoacanthostrongyles. These are the first records of Eurypon and Plocamione for the Peruvian coast, and the entire Southeastern Pacific, in the case of the latter.

This research presents 17 new species of carnivorous sponges from the family Cladorhizidae sampled at bathyal and abyssal depths off the east coast of Australia during the RV Investigator 2017 Abyss Expedition. The species are comprised of six genera: Abyssocladia escheri sp. nov., A. annae sp. nov., A. gliscofila sp. nov., Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) maxisigma sp. nov., Cladorhiza australis nov. sp., C. poritea sp. nov., C. investigator sp. nov., C. moniqueae sp. nov., C. pentaeiros sp. nov., Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) freycinetensis sp. nov., Ch. (Ch.) callistemonex sp. nov., Ch. (Ch.) zygainadentonis sp. nov., Lycopodina nikitawimandi sp. nov., L. helios sp. nov., L. cassida sp. nov., L. brochidodroma sp. nov. and Euchelipluma claudochela sp. nov. Only three carnivorous species, A. desmophora, As. (As.) desmophora and C. (Meliiderma) tasmaniensis, have been recorded from Australia previously. This expedition also recovered two described species commonly recorded from the Southern Hemisphere Ch. (Ch.) clavata and L. calyx. This paper also redescribes two species from the South Pacific i.e. C. mirabilis and C. similis.

Three new species of carnivorous sponges of the genus Abyssocladia (Demospongiae, Cladorhizidae), A. kanaconi, A. microstrongylata and A. mucronata, are described from the bathyal zone of the Tropical Southwestern Pacific, south of New Caledonia. They were collected in 2016 and 2019 during the KANACONO and KANADEEP 2 expeditions of the Tropical Deep-Sea Benthos program of the French Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle. A new record is reported for the cladorhizid Cercicladia australis Rios, Kelly & Vacelet, 2011, and the spicules of the holotype of the type species of Abyssocladia, A. bruuni Lévi, 1964 are illustrated.

Three new species records, Axinella arctica (Vosmaer, 1885), Semisuberites cribrosa (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870), and Cladocroce spatula (Lundbeck, 1902), and one new combination, Plicatellopsis bowerbanki (Vosmaer, 1885) comb. nov. from eastern Canada are described. The four species have similar growth forms which are either fan or cup-shaped with obvious stalks. This is the first description of a member of the genus Plicatellopsis in the North Atlantic, and the second record of the genus in the northern hemisphere. The four species described here have a history of misidentification in eastern Canada and this work aims to guide future identifications in the region.

A sponge collected along the Aleutian Islands of Alaska revealed an unusual combination of characters including ectosomal acantho - tornotes never before observed. Assignment to Poecilosclerida is without any doubt due to the presence of chelae but assignment to family is more problematic because 1) there is no family of Poecilosclerida (or any other demosponge) with ectosomal acantho-tornotes, and 2) the combination of occurring spicules and their arrangement does not conform completely to any Poecilosclerid family. Thus family assignment is only possible by amending the concept of an existing poecilosclerid family and allow for spined as well as smooth tornotes and a confusedly plumose choanosomal arrangement of megascleres. We suggest assignment to Hymedesmiidae as this requires relatively slight changes compared to other Poecilosclerid families. We suggest the erection of Acantorna n. gen. to accommodate Acantorna tahoma n. sp. The new genus and species differ from all other Hymedesmiid genera in the possession of the characters necessary for the suggested amendment. Additional differences to each Hymedesmiid genus are added.

A small collection of five Sponges made by E/V Nautilus on Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, California, include the first report of the crinorhyzid Cladorhiza bathycrinoides Koltun off North America and a new species of Hexactinellida, Farrea. cordelli n. sp. The other three sponges in the collection are known to occur off the surrounding North-East Pacific coast, but new geographic or depth distributions are reported for these.

Antarctic sponges were mainly studied from trawling or dredging (shallow and deep water) during pioneering oceanographic expeditions carried out since the late 19th century. More recently, sponge collections by SCUBA diving have allowed the detection of species in more cryptic habitats such as rocky walls. In this study, we analyzed Antarctic sponges collected by SCUBA (in 2016 to 2018; shallower than 25 m) around Doumer Island (Palmer Archipelago, Western Antarctic Peninsula—WAP), where only five sponge species have been known. We gathered over 215 specimens, most part identified; 18 known species and one new species. Clathria (Axosuberites) retamalesi sp. nov., is set apart from its congeners on account of the combination of its habit, categories and dimensions of spicules. The East Antarctic material named as Hymeniacidon spec. (3397 m depth) from the Gauss scientific collection has been related to the shallow species H. torquata Topsent, 1916. We described H. torquata based in several specimens (n= 51) from Doumer Island (WAP), only ca. 41 km from Petermann Island (the type locality). Spicules of H. torquata are smaller than the ones present in the Hymeniacidon spec. material, which is here named Hymeniacidon hentscheli sp. nov., since it does not fit into any known cold water species of Hymeniacidon from Antarctica or the Southern Hemisphere, due to a combination of habit, oscula shape, and spicule dimensions. Only five sponge species were previously known from Doumer Island, also collected by SCUBA. Our findings suggest that the ongoing study of collections of sponges assembled at Doumer Island will still yield new taxonomic findings.

Collections of sponges by the late Dr. William C. Austin and the authors (N. McDaniel, R. Harbo and B. Ott) provided material for descriptions of new species from two genera of Poecilosclerida for shallow waters of Southern British Columbia, Canada and Northern Washington, USA: Lissodendoryx and Myxilla. There have been no new species of these two genera described for the Northeast Pacific since Laubenfels’ work in central California (Laubenfels 1930, 1932) and Lambe’s reports in 1893 to 1895 for Geological Survey of Canada sponge collections from British Columbia, Canada to the Bering Sea. We describe three new species of Lissodendoryx (Lissodendoryx) (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Coelosphaeridae) and one new species of Myxilla (Myxilla) (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Myxillidae): L. (L.) barkleyensis n. sp., L. (L.) littoralis n. sp., L. (L.) toxaraphida n. sp. and M. (M.) austini n. sp. Lissodendoryx (L.) barkleyensis n. sp. is cave-dwelling, has acanthostyles 112–260 µm, tornotes 107–177 µm, arcuate isochelas 8–28 µm and two sizes of sigmas 18–29, 26–55 µm. Lissodendoryx (L.) littoralis n. sp. fistulate habitus is adapted to muddy substrates similar to some Polymastia species also found commonly in the Northeast Pacific. It has subtylostyles 185–336 µm, tylotes 112–229 µm, arcuate isochelas 11–23 µm, and sigmas 30–75 µm. Lissodendoryx (L.) toxaraphida n. sp. is the only described Lissodendoryx species with raphides shaped like toxas. It has acanthostyles 140–286 µm, tornotes 143–195µm, arcuate isochelas 18–34 µm and toxiform raphides 65–156 µm. Myxilla (M.) austini n. sp. has a fistulate habitus and both tornote and tylote megascleres. It appears to be tolerant of low oxygen environments. Myxilla (M.) austini n. sp. has smooth to sparsely spined styles 193–353 µm, tylotes 153–221 µm, tornotes 174–260 µm, two sizes of anchorate isochelas 13–27, 42–81 µm, and two sizes of sigmas 13–47, 33–78 µm. All specimens were collected from shallow water (intertidal to 25 m).

Here we describe two new species of deep-sea sponges collected during the exploration of Cold-Water Coral (CWC) banks discovered in the Nora and Coda Cavallo canyons (north-eastern and south coast of Sardinia respectively). Poecillastra tavianii n. sp. differs from the other congeneric species mainly for the dicho- and mesodichotriaenes, never observed in the genus, and the abundance and variety of spirasters. Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) quadridentata n. sp. is characterized by the presence of two types of chelae. In particular, the unguiferate chelae (round shaft and four teeth at both extremities) represent a peculiar character of the species. Our contribution increases the number of sponge fauna associated to the best known Central Mediterranean CWC habitats to 98 improving the still scant knowledge on the biodiversity of the Mediterranean CWC habitats.

The genus Clathria Schmidt, 1862 is the richest genus of the family Microcionidae, but only 20 species have been recorded from Brazil until now. Clathria (Axosuberites) Topsent, 1893 is characterized by having digitate, whip-like, arborescent and flabellate growth forms, lacking echinating spicules, well differentiated axial and extra-axial skeleton, styles and/or subtylostyles as principal spicules, and microscleres palmate isochelae and toxas. The subgenus contains 19 valid species, with worldwide distribution predominantly in shallow waters. Six species occur in the Atlantic Ocean and two of them are recorded from the Western Atlantic in South America: Clathria (Axosuberites) riosae Van Soest, 2017, and Clathria (Axosuberites) marplatensis (Cuartas, 1992). Specimens analyzed in this study were collected in 2015 at Mamanguape estuary, Paraíba State, and in 2017 at Tutóia beach, Maranhão State. Here we described two new species of Clathria (Axosuberites) for the first time in Brazilian waters: Clathria (Axosuberites) aurantia n. sp. and Clathria (Axosuberites) hillenburgi n. sp.

The presence of fjords, islands and channels originating from glacial erosion and ice cap retreat, makes the Chilean benthic biodiversity difficult to explore and study. Our survey of this region allowed the identification of 29 Demospongiae species in total. Two of them are new to science and here described: Biemna lutea sp. nov., and Hamigera cleistochela sp. nov.. Two species (Clathria (Clathria) microxa and Lissodendoryx (Ectyodoryx) patagonica,) are new for the region and the Chilean fjords. Lissodendoryx (Ectyodoryx) patagonica was found for the second time after the original description by Ridley & Dendy, 132 years ago. These results – considering the small number of species identified on the whole – are promising and confirm that the marine biodiversity of Chilean fjords is remarkable but not well known yet.

33 species of shallow-water Demospongiae (Phylum Porifera) are described from Sodwana Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, on the east coast of South Africa. Of the 33 species collected, 18 are redescribed from fresh material and 15 are new to science. Orders Clionaida, Poecilosclerida, Axinellida, Haplosclerida and Dictyoceratida are well represented in the collection with 4 to 6 species each, with the first three groups appearing to have the greatest diversity on the east coast of South Africa. The east coast of South Africa appears to have a high abundance of poecilosclerid and dictyoceratid sponges. The results of this study underscore the importance of poecilosclerid and dictyoceratid sponge fauna of the east coast of South Africa, in terms of the potential for the continued discovery of new species.

The deep-water sponge fauna of the Canadian Arctic remains to be fully described, particularly in areas that are not sampled by fisheries stock-assessment trawl surveys such as the major bays and fjords of the northern Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay. Frobisher Bay is a large inlet located on the southeast of Baffin Island. We used a remotely operated vehicle, as well as box cores and Agassiz trawls to study the sponge fauna of this bay. Over three years, from 2015 to 2017, sponge specimens were collected representing 24 distinct sponge taxa. Dense gardens of Iophon koltuni Morozov, Sabirov, & Zimina, 2019 were discovered at a site near Hill Island in inner Frobisher Bay. The species has a unique finger-like growth form and provides complex habitat in the inner bay. Other sponge species are new to the Northern Labrador marine ecoregion. In particular, we report geographic range extensions of Tetilla sibirica (Fristedt, 1887) and Craniella polyura (Schmidt, 1870), and provide spicule measurements and descriptions of Iophon piceum (Vosmaer, 1882) and Mycale lingua (Bowerbank, 1866). These species identifications, geographic range extensions, and an expanded description of a species synonym represent the first inventory of the sponge fauna of Frobisher Bay.

A total of 493 sponges were collected with a bottom trawl during annual groundfish stock assessment surveys in the eastern Bering Sea in 2013, 2015, and 2016 to build an inventory of species in this largely unexplored region. We report here principally on the demosponge fauna collected during those surveys because identifications of hexactinellids are incomplete. We identified 42 unique demosponge taxa from the collection including geographical range extensions for 30 species; seven are new records for the Pacific Ocean. The collection also included three species new to science; two have been previously described (Plicatellopsis borealis Lehnert & Stone 2017, Spongosorites beringensis Lehnert & Stone 2017) and Antho ridgwayi sp. nov. described here. The new species differed from all northern hemisphere congeners in the complements and sizes of spicules. We document that the region is more species rich than previously suspected, particularly the continental slope where the majority of hexactinellid sponges are located.

Two new species of sponge, Clathria (Clathria) ramus sp. nov. and Clathria (Clathria) ieoensis sp. nov. are described from Jeju Island of Korea. Clathria (Clathria) ramus sp. nov. is branching with a stalk, yellow in life, with small oscules. Clathria (C.) ieoensis sp. nov. is thickly encrusting, soft and compressible texture, and color is red and dark brown after fixation in ethanol. The new species are compared to other microcionids from the Korean region, and similar species from elsewhere.

Hamacantha occurs worldwide and frequently in deep-waters. It is easily distinguished from any other sponge by the possession of conspicuous diancistra microscleres. Here we describe two new species from the Rio Grande Rise. Hamacantha (Vomerula) jeanvaceleti sp. nov. is the sole Hamacantha with styles, diancistras in two categories with the smaller ones cyrtancistra-like; and H. (V.) klausruetzleri sp. nov., the sole with two types of megascleres (styles and strongyles), two categories of diancistras, and two categories of sigmas.

A new species of the large genus Mycale Gray, 1867 is described, dredged from approximately 300 m depth in the Flores Sea region between the islands of Salayar and Bahuluang, Central Indonesia, during cruises of the Indonesian-Dutch Snellius II Expedition in 1984. Because its megascleres include oxeas the new species is classified as a member of the subgenus Oxymycale Hentschel, 1929, proposed to be named M. (O.) klausjanusorum sp. nov. to honour renowned colleagues Klaus Rützler and Jean (‘Janus’) Vacelet. It is characterized by an ectosomal skeleton consisting of bouquets of subtylostyle megascleres protruding beyond an ectosomal tangential confused layer of oxeas, which in turn rests on robust choanosomal bundles of mixed oxea and subtylostyle megascleres. The combination of two categories of megascleres, differentiated not only in size but also in morphology, the larger one of which is arranged in ectosomal bouquets, is a unique feature in the genus Mycale. A high diversity of the microscleres and large upper size of the anisochelae (up to 189 µm) are additional features of the new species. The subgenus Oxymycale is reviewed and its status as a monophyletic group of Mycale is discussed.

Pulley Ridge, a limestone ridge that extends nearly 300 km along the southwestern Florida shelf in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, supports a mesophotic coral ecosystem (59 to 94 m deep), surrounded by deeper waters. An ongoing evaluation of Porifera biodiversity observed and collected during expeditions by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (2003–2015) have shown the existence of approximately 102 sponge species, with at least 20 species new to science. The present paper describes two novel Poecilosclerida from mesophotic reefs and deep escarpments in the Pulley Ridge Region, Eastern Gulf of Mexico, namely Discorhabdella ruetzleri n.sp. (Crambeidae, Poecilosclerida) and Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) vaceleti n. sp. (Hymedesmiidae, Poecilosclerida). This is the first record of Discorhabdella for the greater Caribbean and the Central West Atlantic. The skeleton of D. ruetzleri n.sp. includes the unique pseudoastrose acanthostyles of the genus, and it is distinct from congeners in the size ranges of the megascleres and in the occurrence of predominantly smooth instead of tuberose choanosomal and ectosomal subtylostyles. The intense blue color and the spicule combination of Hymesdesmia (H.) vaceleti n.sp. makes this species unique among other Hymedesmia spp. from the western Atlantic. The discovery represents a considerable expansion in the known biogeographical distribution of the genus Discorhabdella which is represented now by six species with a discrete geographic distribution (New Zealand, Azores, Western Mediterranean Sea, Eastern Pacific in Panama). This work is the first contribution to an ongoing effort to discover and document the importance of sponge biodiversity on mesophotic reefs and associated deep-water habitats in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

WOS:000430461000007; International audience; A new species of Raspailia (Raspaxilla) frondosa sp. nov. is described from the deep seamounts of the Norfolk and New Caledonia Ridges. The morphology of the species resembles that of a frond or a fern, and its unique highly compressed axial skeleton of interlaced spongin fibres without spicules in combination with a radial extra axial skeleton of a perpendicular palisade of spicules, differentiate it from all other species of the subgenus. This species is compared morphologically to all 18 other valid species described in Raspailia (Raspaxilla).

Few surveys on benthic fauna have been performed on the island of Madeira (Alves et al. 2003 and references therein), and the first sponge specimens were collected opportunistically (Johnson 1863, 1899; Topsent 1904, 1928). Porifera can be considered one of the least studied phyla in the Madeira archipelago, within the Lusitanian province. This is not the case for other regions as the Mediterranean (Boury-Esnault 1971 and references therein), Alboran Sea (Carballo 1994), Canary Islands (Cruz 2002), and the Azores (Topsent 1904; Boury-Esnault & Lopes 1985; Xavier 2009), where sponges have been more thoroughly studied.

This study describes a new species of carnivorous sponge (Family Cladorhizidae) collected in Patagonia, SW Atlantic, off Argentinean waters and the North of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). The species described here, belongs to the genus Abyssocladia and was collected by dredging and trawling during IEO (Spanish Institute of Oceanography) cruises in the South West Atlantic Ocean from 2007 to 2010 under the Atlantis Project. Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov. is characterised by the possession of a long peduncle and flat body with bilaterally symmetrical and apical filaments with a skeleton of tornotes (often polytylotes), styles, abyssochelae, arcuate chelae, sigmancistras and acanthotylostrongyles. This species lives at depths of 901–1547 m.

We report and describe material of Clathria (Clathria) (Poecilosclerida: Microcionina: Microcionidae) collected from the coast of Brazil: Clathria (C.) nicoleae sp. nov., Clathria (C.) calypso and Clathria (C.) prolifera. Clathria (C.) calypso is also redescribed. Specimens previously recorded from Brazil as Clathria (C.) prolifera were considered to fit better in the taxon Clathria (Wilsonella). The new species was compared with all other (twenty-five) Clathria (C.) species occurring in the Atlantic. The new species differs from the other species by overall morphology and presence of auxiliary tylo-strongyle megascleres.

Artemisina is a microcionid characterized by lacking a distinctive choanosomal skeleton or definite spongin fibres, lacking also echinating spicules, and with a nearly radial ectosomal skeleton (Hooper 2002). The genus currently has 19 valid species, six of which are recorded from the Atlantic Ocean (Van Soest et al . 2016): A . erecta Topsent, 1904, A . incrustans van Soest et al ., 2013, A . melana van Soest, 1984, A . melanoides van Soest et al ., 2013, A . transiens Topsent, 1890 and A . vulcani Levi, 1963. The present study describes a new species of Artemisina from Northeastern Brazil. Four specimens of Artemisina brasili sp. nov. were collected by snorkelling at Pernambuco State. All specimens were preserved in 80% ethanol and deposited in the Porifera Collections at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPEPOR) and Museu Nacional of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (MNRJ).

In this study, we describe a new species of cladorhizid sponge, which shows a very peculiar mode of life: It always occurs in association with the scleractinian cold-water corals Lophelia pertusa and Madrepora oculata. Although the sponge lives in nutrient-rich areas, we document its carnivorous feeding behavior. The identity of the new species was verified using molecular markers: the species is very closely related to the North-Atlantic Cladorhiza abyssicola, but it differs distinctly, and forms a monophyletic clade. The two species might be considered very close relatives, probably sister species deriving from a common ancestor.

4 Corresponding author Abstract Two new species of Chondrocladia are described from the deep Pacific, off New Zealand and South Australia. These presumably carnivorous sponges are characterized by the presence of a sheath of special spicules along the stalk, for which the new term 'trochirhabd' is coined. Similar spicules were known from fossil strata of the Early Jurassic, suggesting that Cladorhizidae were already present in the Mesozoic. The arrangement of the trochirhabds along the stalk is similar to that described in the genus Meliiderma, which has been synonymized with Chondrocladia. We propose here the revival of Meliiderma as a subgenus of Chondrocladia, for Chondrocladia stipitata Ridley & Dendy, 1887, from the subantarctic Indian Ocean, C. occulta (Lehnert et al., 2006), described from the North Pacific as a species of Latrunculia, and for C. turbiformis sp.nov. and C. tasmaniensis sp.nov. from New Zealand's Chatham Rise and several Tasmanian seamounts, respectively, described herein.

In this contribution, we describe a new Demospongiae species, Antho (Plocamia) bremecae sp. nov., from the west slope of Burdwood bank, a poorly studied region in the SW Atlantic Ocean. We also recorded for the first time in the region two other microcionid species, Clathria (Axosuberites) nidificata and Clathria (Microciona) antarctica. In addition, a regional checklist of Microcionidae from Burdwood Bank and neighboring areas, including Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, Tierra del Fuego Province and the North of the Scotia Arc (South Georgia and Shag Rocks) is provided. Fil: Schejter, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina Fil: Bertolino, Marco. Universitá di Genova; Italia Fil: Calcinai, Barbara. Universita Politecnica Delle Marche; Italia

Sponges collected on the Guyana Shelf, predominantly in Suriname offshore waters, by Dutch HMS ‘Snellius’ O.C.P.S. 1966, HMS ’Luymes’ O.C.P.S. II 1969, and HMS ‘Luymes’ Guyana Shelf 1970 expeditions are described in this study. Sponges were obtained by trawling, dredging or grabbing on sandy, muddy, shelly, and fossil reef bottoms at 88 stations between 19 and 681 m depth. A total of 351 samples were identified to species level, each consisting of one or more specimens of a given species from each individual station (together comprising 547 individuals and fragments). The collection yielded 119 species together belonging to all sponge classes, but in large majority are Demospongiae. All species are identified to species level, occasionally tentatively, and all are described and illustrated. A new subgenus is proposed, Tedania (Stylotedania) subgen. nov. and a previously synonymized genus, Tylosigma Topsent, 1894 is revived. Thirtysix species were found to be new to science, excluding the first Central West Atlantic record of the genus Halicnemia , not named at the species level because of lack of sufficient material. The new species erected are, in alphabetical order: Amphoriscus ancora sp. nov., Biemna rhabdotylostylota sp. nov., Callyspongia (Callyspongia) scutica sp. nov., Chelonaplysilla americana sp. nov., Cladocroce guyanensis sp. nov., Clathria (Axosuberites) riosae sp. nov., Clathria (Clathria) gomezae sp. nov., Clathria (Microciona) snelliusae sp. nov., Clathria (Thalysias) complanata sp. nov., Clathria (Thalysias) zeai sp. nov., Coelosphaera (Coelosphaera) lissodendoryxoides sp. nov. , Craniella crustocorticata sp. nov., Diplastrella spirastrelloides sp. nov., Epipolasis tubulata sp. nov., Erylus rhabdocoronatus sp. nov., Erylus surinamensis sp. nov., Geodia pocillum sp. nov., Geodia sulcata sp. nov., Hemiasterella camelus sp. nov., Hymedesmia (Stylopus ) alcoladoi sp. nov., Hymenancora cristoboi sp. nov., Penares sineastra sp. nov., Hymerhabdia kobluki sp. nov., Leucosolenia salpinx sp. nov., Petrosia (Strongylophora) devoogdae sp. nov., Placospongia ruetzleri sp. nov., Pyloderma tropicale sp. nov., Raspailia (Parasyringella) thamnopilosa sp. nov., Raspailia (Raspailia) johnhooperi sp. nov., Sphaerotylus bouryesnaultae sp. nov., Spirastrella erylicola sp. nov., Stelletta vervoorti sp. nov., Suberites crispolobatus sp. nov., Tedania (Stylotedania) folium subgen. nov. sp. nov., Timea tylasterina sp. nov., and Tylosigma ostreicola sp. nov. Two new combinations are proposed: Amphimedon nanaspiculata (Hartman, 1955) comb. nov. and Oceanapia ascidia (Schmidt, 1870) comb. nov. In addition, for two preoccupied combinations, new names, Coelosphaera (Coelosphaera) barbadensis nom. nov. and Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) rowi nom. nov., are erected. The spatial distribution of the collected specimens over the Guyana Shelf was traced and the results were compared with existing information on bottom conditions. There was a convincing correlation between the location of fossil reefs and other hard substrates such as shell ridges with peaks in the occurrence of species diversity and specimen numbers. Stations made on sand and mud bottoms away from these zones of hard substrates were generally poor in species, but some were found to be rich in individuals of specialized soft bottom dwellers such as Tetilla pentatriaena , Tribrachium schmidtii , Fangophilina submersa , and Oceanapia species. The species composition of the Guyana Shelf was compared with that of neighbouring regions of the Caribbean and from North and East Brazil (Diaz in Miloslavich et al. 2010; Muricy et al. 2011). About 35% of the species encountered are widespread in the Central West Atlantic, occurring both to the north and to the south. Indications that the Guyana Shelf sponge fauna is clearly transitional are southernmost occurrences for Caribbean species (about 30%), and northernmost occurrences of Brazilian species (13%), with a high proportion (25%) of new species, which may be expected to have distributions extending to the Caribbean, to Brazil or both regions.

Extensive new collections of latrunculid sponges from British Columbia, the Aleutian Islands, and the Gulf of Alaska, have extended the distributions of known species Latrunculia oparinae Samaai & Krasokhin, 2002, from the Russian Sea of Okhotsk, L. velera Lehnert et al., 2006, from the Aleutian Islands, and L. austini Samaai et al., 2006, from British Columbia. New material has facilitated detailed re-descriptions of these species and in situ images have improved our understanding of their living morphology and ecology. Several new species of Latrunculia were discovered within these collections: sympatric species Latrunculia hamanni sp. nov. and L. oparinae are described here and differentiated from each other by various field characteristics, and L. lincfreesei sp. nov. is described from the Gulf of Alaska. In terms of their higher systematics, L. austini and L. hamanni sp. nov. are recognisable within the subgenus Latrunculia du Bocage, 1869, and L. lincfreesei sp. nov. in subgenus Biannulata Samaai et al., 2006. A third subgenus, Uniannulata subgen. nov., is proposed for L. oparinae, L. velera and several fossil species in southern New Zealand and Western Australian Eocene fossiliferous sediments. In all of these species the subsidiary whorl, apical whorl, and apex of the anisodiscorhabd are fused. Living species of Uniannulata subgen. nov. are thus far restricted to the North Pacific Ocean. A new genus, Bomba gen. nov., is proposed for a rare latrunculid species, Bomba endeavourensis gen. et sp. nov., discovered in deep waters on British Columbia's Endeavour Ridge. Finally, Latrunclava gen. nov. is proposed for species with long, sceptre-like anisoconicorhabds in addition to the typical, smaller anisodiscorhabds; Latrunclava imago gen. et sp. nov. is described from the central Aleutian Islands.

Our ongoing studies of the Chilean sponge fauna revealed four new species of Lissodendoryx ( Ectyodoryx ) that are described here, including three from the fjord’s region (< 30 m depth, L. ( E. ) ballena sp. nov., L. ( E. ) corrugata sp. nov., L. ( E. ) coloanensis sp. nov.), and one from the deep waters off Diego Ramirez Archipelago (ca. 2000 m, L. ( E. ) diegoramirezensis sp. nov.). In addition, the type of L . ( E .) anacantha was revised and found to bear much larger acanthostyles than originally reported. Our results revealed skeletal architectures quite distinct from that reported from the type species of L. ( Ectyodoryx ), and not predicted in the current diagnosis of Lissodendoryx , requiring an amended diagnosis. Ectosomal megascleres also set the majority of the new species apart from the type species of L. ( Ectyodoryx ), which does not have terminally microspined (sub)tylotes. This character is widespread in Lissodendoryx and might be pointing to phylogenetic affinities across the current subgeneric arrangement. Further morphologic characters and alternative phylogenetic scenarios are discussed, including hymedesmiid and myxillid affinities of the species described here.

Ten new species of demosponges, assigned to the orders Poecilosclerida, Axinellida and Dictyoceratida, discovered in the Gulf of Alaska and along the Aleutian Island Archipelago are described and compared to relevant congeners. Poecilosclerida include Cornulum globosum n. sp., Megaciella lobata n. sp., M. triangulata n. sp., Artemisina clavata n. sp., A. flabellata n. sp., Coelosphaera (Histodermion) kigushimkada n. sp., Stelodoryx mucosa n. sp. and S. siphofuscus n. sp. Axinellida is represented by Raspailia (Hymeraphiopsis) fruticosa n. sp. and Dictyoceratida is represented by Dysidea kenkriegeri n. sp. The genus Cornulum is modified to allow for smooth tylotes. We report several noteworthy biogeographical observations. We describe only the third species within the subgenus Histodermion and the first from the Indo-Pacific Region. Additionally, the subgenus Hymerhaphiopsis was previously represented by only a single species from Antarctica. We also report the first record of a dictyoceratid species from Alaska. The new collections further highlight the richness of the sponge fauna from the region, particularly for the Poecilosclerida.

A new species of the enigmatic sponge genus Janulum de Laubenfels, 1936 was discovered recently on the Louisville Seamount Chain, in International Waters to the east of New Zealand; two small specimens were found encrusting the interstices of the stony coral Solenosmilia variabilis Duncan at a depth of 1200-1600 m. Janulum imago sp. nov., is described and compared with the genus type J. spinispiculum (Carter, 1876) from the North Atlantic. Janulum was also recorded from the Late Eocene Oamaru Diatomite of southern New Zealand in 1892, but was misidentified as genus Plocamia Schmidt (Order Poecilosclerida Topsent, Family Microcionidae Carter). Fossil species Janulum princeps sp. nov. is also described herein and represents the first record of this North Atlantic-Arctic Ocean genus in the Southern Hemisphere. The validity of J. filholi (Topsent, 1890), the second and only other North Atlantic species currently assigned to Janulum, is considered in the context of J. spinispiculum and the new species J. imago sp. nov.

The demosponge genus Crelloxea Hechtel, 1983 was created to allocate a single species, Crelloxea spinosa Hechtel, 1983, described based on specimens collected by Jacques Laborel in northeastern Brazil in 1964 and deposited at the Porifera Collection of the Yale Peabody Museum. The genus Crelloxea was originally defined as "Crellidae with dermal and interstitial acanthoxeas and acanthostrongyles, with skeletal oxea and without microscleres or echinators" (Hechtel, 1983). Crelloxea was allocated in the marine sponge family Crellidae (Order Poecilosclerida), which is characterized by a tangential crust of spined ectosomal spicules (oxeas, anisoxeas or styles), a choanosomal plumose skeleton of smooth tornotes, sometimes a basal skeleton of acanthostyles erect on the substrate, microscleres usually arcuate chelae or absent, and surface with areolated pore fields (van Soest, 2002). Nowadays, Crelloxea is considered a junior synonym of Crella (Grayella) Carter, 1869 (van Soest, 2002; van Soest et al., 2015).

Two species of Hamacantha with tylostyles are reported here for the Peruvian coast, namely H. desmacelloides sp.nov. and H. hyaloderma. The former is the first species in the genus with apically microspined sigmas, similar to those known to occur in Neofibularia, and recently reported from genera Biemna, Desmacella, Rhabderemia and Sigmaxinella. Hamacantha hyaloderma was previously known from Mexico to Canada, and is here reported for the first time from the south east Pacific. The finding of a second species with tylostyles led us to reinstate subgenus Hamacantha (Zygherpe). The possible phylogenetic significance of apically microspined sigmas is discussed in view of recent findings on the basis of molecular data.

An abundant and diversified assemblage of siliceous loose sponge spicules has been identified in the Late Eocene deposits cropping out along the southern coasts of Australia. Based on the comparison of the obtained spicules with those of living sponges, representatives of at least 43 species within 33 genera, 26 families, and 9 orders of “soft” Demospongiae and Homoscleromorpha have been identified in the assemblage. Within the studied sediments, the spicules representing demosponge orders Poecilosclerida, Hadromerida, and Astrophorida were the most diverse. The rest of the five demosponge orders (Halichondrida, Agelasida, Haplosclerida, Spirophorida, and Chondrosida) are represented by single families. Also, a single family Plakinidae within the class Homoscleromorpha that includes two genera was present. The diversity of spicules is similar in all studied samples and areas, even distant geographically, and there are only minor differences between the sections. That indicates a homogenous character of this rich siliceous sponge assemblage. Most of the studied sponge spicules have Recent equivalents among present-day siliceous spicules. However, the fossil ones are bigger which is most likely due to different environmental conditions. Among the recognized sponge species, at least eleven ( Agelas cf. axifera, Agelas cf. wiedenmayeri , Penares sclerobesa , Histodermella australis , Trikentrion flabelliforme , Cliona cf. mucronata , Tethya cf. omanensis , Terpios sp . , Placinolopha cf. sarai , Dotona pulchella , and Sigmosceptrella quadrilobata ) are noted for the first time in the fossil record.

We describe two new species of Clathria (Microciona) Bowerbank, 1862: C. (M.) crassitoxa sp. nov. and C. (M.) trairae sp. nov. from Paraiba State (Northeastern Brazil). All are sciophilous species and are represented by small fragments removed from the substrate. Both new species have cleistochelae, and are compared with their cleistocheliferous congeners, differing from all of them by the possession of different combinations of other megascleres and microscleres.

Three new species of Eurypon from Northeastern Brazil are described: Eurypon clavilectuarium sp. nov.; Eurypon suassunai sp. nov. and Eurypon distyli sp. nov. Samples were collected from the continental shelf of Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia and Paraiba States. While the majority of Atlantic Eurypon species have been described from deep water, two of three new species described in this study were collected from shallow depths. The three new species from Brazil were compared with all other eighteen Eurypon species described from the Atlantic.

The members of Lissodendoryx Topsent, 1892a are recognized by a spicule combination of ectosomal tylotes or strongyles, isodictyal reticulate architecture, arcuate isochelae and sigmas (Hofman & Van Soest 1995; Van Soest 2002). Five subgenera of Lissodendoryx , are recognized (Van Soest 2002): Lissodendoryx ( Acanthodoryx ) Levi, 1961, L . ( Anomodoryx ) Burton, 1934, L . ( Ectyodoryx ) Lundbeck, 1909, L . ( Lissodendoryx ) Topsent, 1892a, and L . ( Waldoschmittia ) de Laubenfels, 1936. Lissodendoryx ( Anomodoryx ) is defined by the presence of a single megasclere type (Van Soest 2002). Currently has six recognized species (Van Soest et al . 2014) including two from Brazil (Muricy et al . 2011): L. ( A. ) recife (Boury-Esnault, 1973) and L. ( A. ) tylota (Boury-Esnault, 1973). In this paper, a new species of L. ( Anomodoryx ) is described from the mesophotic zone off Bacia Potiguar (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). The specimen was preserved in ethanol 80% and deposited in the Porifera Collection of the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPEPOR).

The subgenus Clathria (Thalysias) Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 has 97 valid species, of which 27 are recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. However, only three species are known from Brazil so far. Here we provide the redescription of Clathria (Thalysias) basiarenacea (Boury- Esnault, 1973), based on the discovery of new characters (additional category of auxiliary styles, and details of spicules), and describe a new species of Clathria (Thalysias) repens sp. nov., that differs from sister species in having a live orange color, a massively encrusting repent growth form with lamellate folds and anastomosed projections, and three categories of structural styles, of which the two auxiliary styles have microspined heads. We also invalidate the record of Clathria (Thalysias) procera (Ridley, 1884) for Brazil.

Thinly encrusting sponges are diverse and ecologically important, but their taxonomy is challenging. In the Greater Caribbean, the recognition of species of Clathria (Thalysias), most of which are encrusting, is still problematic. Here we describe and clarify the taxonomy of eight species, three new to science, from material collected mostly in Colombia. These are C. (T.) virgultosa, C. (T.) curacaoensis, C. (T.) venosa, C. (T.) minuta, C. (T.) oxeota, C. (T.) sulfocleistochela n. sp., C. (T.) chelosigmoidea n. sp., and C. (T.) opalina n. sp. Underwater color photographs are provided, together with drawings of spicules and skeleton, and SEM images of spicules. Two other well-established Caribbean species of the subgenus, vis. C. (T.) isodictyoides and C. (T.) collosclera (both from Curacao) were not found in the studied material. A key for their identification is provided. Three more records, C. (T.) fascicularis Topsent, 1889, C. (T.) procera (Ridley, 1884) and C. (T.) basiarenacea (Boury-Esnault, 1973) are outlined for further study.

We describe two new species: Aulospongus trirhabdostylus sp. nov. and Aulospongus mandela sp. nov. from Potiguar Basin (Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil). Both species were compared with their congeners and an identification key for the Atlantic species of Aulospongus is provided. The genus Aulospongus now contains 16 species.

Two species, one each of Abyssocladia Levi, 1964, and Asbestopluma Topsent, 1901, are recorded from the far eastern Solomon Islands for the first time. Abyssocladia lakwollii sp. nov. is characterized by the pedunculate disc-shape of the body, the unusually large size of the isochelae I microscleres, and by the shape of the cleistochelae with crossed central teeth. Asbestopluma (A.) desmophora Kelly & Vacelet, 2011, first described from a seamount on Macquarie Ridge (Australia EEZ) and eastern waters to the north and south of New Zealand, is also recorded from the far eastern Solomon Islands. The specimens differ only slightly from their southern counterparts in dimensions of some spicules, and in the ornamentation detail of the basal teeth of the large and small anisochelae.

The present study deals with the morphologic variability of eight Clathria species from the southern Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Caribbean. Clathria (Clathria) foliacea, C. (C.) carteri, C. (Microciona) calla, C. (M.) echinata, C. (M.) spinosa, C. (Thalysias.) venosa, and C. (T.) virgultosa were collected by scuba diving and dredging from the southern Gulf of Mexico (Veracruz, Campeche Bank, Yucatan) to the Caribbean coast (Quintana Roo) from shoreline to 120 m depth. The population of Clathria seems to be neither abundant nor diverse in the studied area. However, the seven species considered here are presumed to have a slight morphologic variability, and the interspecific relationships had not been fully resolved. The present study focuses on their differentiation through comparison of external morphology, skeletal architecture, spiculation and measurements of characters as well as scanning electronic microscopy. Comparisons were made among intra- and interspecific material and with the available type material. In particular, C. carteri Topsent (1889), previously synonymized with C. foliacea, is resurrected by establishing a neotype from material from the type locality, Campeche Bank; this has not been studied since its original description and is here redescribed for the first time. Another neotype is assigned for C. foliacea from Campeche also, since the original material is no longer available, and this species is redescribed also. Significant differences in spiculation between C. foliacea and C. carteri were found by one-way ANOVA. Although C. (T.) venosa resembles C. (T.) raraechelae in spiculation, these two species differ in measurements and skeletal organization. C. (T.) virgultosa is typified by a peculiar acanthostyle that is markedly spined on distal parts of the shaft, and by two types of tiny microscleres. This study has extended the known geographic distribution of each of these Clathria spp. within the lower Gulf of Mexico.

Interest in cladorhizid sponges has grown rapidly in the past 19 years since a unique feeding strategy, carnivory, was described by Vacelet and Boury-Esnault in 1995. Since that time, 31% of the 133 extant cladorhizids have been described. Previously, seven species of cladorhizid sponges were known from the Northeast Pacific. Here we describe four additional species, including two species of Asbestopluma and two species of Cladorhiza. We report on species ranges, habitat, and ecology, including one from a chemosynthetic environment that appears to be using methane-oxidizing bacteria as a nutrient source. In fact, three of the four species described here were found in chemosynthetic habitats. The presence of small crustacean prey was also documented for three of these species.