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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.

Mycale (Mycale) lobos sp. nov. Figure 13. Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236659 / IZC00048460, Inner Carmel Pinnacle, (36.55852, -121.96820), 10– 24 m, 9/22/21; paratypes: SBMNH700909, Point Pinos, Pacific Grove, (36.64183, -121.93060), 9–18 m, 8/9/21; SBMNH700920, Whaler's Cove, Point Lobos, Carmel, (36.52172, -121.93894), 6–15 m, 11/23/19; IZC00048458, Dino Head, Point Loma, San Diego, (32.68808, -117.27080), 21–26 m, 9/19/20; IZC00048459, Nudi Wall, Point Loma, San Diego, (32.69872, -117.27580), 18–28 m, 5/16/21, SBMNH700923, Otter Cove, Pacific Grove (36.63110, -121.91840), 9–15 m, 8/9/21. Etymology. Name inspired by Point Lobos, where the first sample was found. Morphology. Thickly encrusting or massive; samples are 2–3 cm thick, but some sponges were up to at least 10 cm thick in life. Irregular in thickness, often appearing as an irregular, featureless blob without visible surface patterning or oscules. Oscules sparse in some samples but more common in others, approximately 2–4 mm in diameter, sometimes found in small clusters. Surface slightly hispid, often with ensnared silt and other debris; lacks surface furrows known to characterize M. lingua (Bowerbank, 1866) and M. toporoki Koltun, 1958. Ectosome usually pale yellow but sometimes white in life. Large subectosomal vacuoles; in several samples, this space was packed with yellow spheres that appeared to be developing larvae, up to 400 μm in diameter. All tissues white when preserved. Skeleton. Reticulate, anastomosing spongin fibers, cored with styles, rise to the surface of the sponge and support an unstructured mat of styles in the ectosomal skeleton. Large anisochelae occur in rosettes. Trichodragmas are extremely abundant. Spicules. Mycalostyles, anisochelae (2 sizes), sigmas (2 sizes), trichodragmas. Mycalostyles: Thickest in center of shaft, but usually subtylote due to constriction ("neck") below head. Heads generally oblong and sometimes absent; rarely transformed into oxeas. In one sample (IZC00048459) many are polytylote; this was seen rarely in other samples. Significantly shorter in ectosome than choanosome (Wilcoxon rank–sum test p=7.18e–10). Holotype ectosome: 381–471–671 x 7–14–20 μm (n=103). Holotype choanosome: 377–542–631 x 6–13–18 μm (n=76). If spicule preparations are done from combined ectosomal and choanosomal tissue, length distribution is bimodal, with peaks at ~450 and ~550 μm. All samples and tissues pooled: 342–496– 671 x 6–13–21 μm (n=401). Large anisochelae: shaft distinctly curved in profile. Holotype 44–54–63 μm (n=31). All samples pooled 31– 51–63 μm (n=158). Shaft length to alae length ratio averages 0.35. Small anisochelae: Holotype 13–17–24 μm (n=22), all samples pooled 9–17–24 μm (n=169). Small sigmas: uncommon. All samples pooled 15–18–23 μm (n=5). Large sigmas: Holotype 45–61–72 μm (n=15), all samples pooled 43–57–72 μm (n=38). Trichodragmas: abundant. Holotype 33–62–79 x 6–10–13 μm (n=19), all samples pooled 31–58–76 x 4–9–14 μm (n=28), individual raphides 1–2 μm in width. Distribution and habitat. This species is common but patchily–distributed on subtidal rocky reefs around the Monterey Peninsula (Central California), where it was seen at 5 of 13 reefs investigated. It was also abundant at two sites around the Point Loma kelp forests (San Diego, Southern California), but not seen at the other 6 reefs investigated in that area. Both Point Loma sites were among the deepest sites investigated, with maximum depths of 26– 28 m. We therefore hypothesize that it is common in Central California on shallow subtidal reefs, and also common in Southern California, but at slightly deeper reefs. Remarks. The ectosomal skeleton and the lack of modified chelae serve to place this species in the subgenus Mycale (Mycale). Though there are many species of Mycale known from the Eastern Pacific, the curved shaft of the large anisochelae differentiate this species from all but two (Carballo & Cruz-Barraza 2010). Mycale darwini Hajdu & Desqueyroux-Faúndez 1994, known from the Galapagos Islands, has curved anisochelae, but grows as a thin crust that is a poor match to the current species. Mycale toporoki Koltun, 1958 is more similar. This species was described from Northern Russia, and may also occur in the Aleutian Islands, Pacific Northwest, and possibly California (Lee et al. 2007; Lehnert et al. 2006). A similar sponge from the North Atlantic, M. lingua (Bowerbank, 1866), has also been reported in the North Pacific by some authors, though others have suspected these reports actually refer to M. toporoki (Bakus 1966; Lee et al. 2007; Lehnert et al. 2006). Both M. lingua and M. toporoki are characterized by surface grooves that are "obvious in living specimens" (van Soest & Hajdu 2002). All sponges of the new species were examined alive and nothing resembling these grooves were seen in any of the specimens. Moreover, the sizes of the styles and both classes of chelae of the new species are much smaller than M. toporoki and M. lingua. Reports for both of these named species have the smaller size class of chelae as 20–30 μm and the larger size class as 60–100 μm. Mycale lobos sp. nov., in contrast, has chelae 11–24 μm and 31–63 μm. Despite measuring 327 chelae, and extensively searching for larger spicules, no chelae longer than 63 μm could be found. No styles longer than 622 μm could be found in the new species either, while the two previously described species have styles up to 800 μm or over 1000 μm, respectively. This species is not shown in the phylogenies, as we failed to generate genetic data for this species or the congeneric M. psila below; this is perhaps due to primer mismatches. Many specimens of M. lobos sp. nov. can be tentatively identified in the field based on gross morphology, albeit mostly by the lack of features. Sponges growing as large, featureless blobs, pale yellow in color, with hispidity collecting debris have thus far proved to be this species upon examination. Tearing the sponge in the field, to look for large cavities filled with developing larvae, would increase confidence of field identification., Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on pages 172-173, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["Bowerbank, J. S. (1866) A Monograph of the British Spongiadae. Vol. 2. Ray Society, London, 388 pp. [https: // biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 1905089]","Koltun, V. M. (1958) Cornacuspongia of sea waters washing the South Sakhalin and the South Kurile Island region. Issledovaniya dal'nevostochnykh morei SSR, 5, 42 - 77.","Carballo, J. L. & Cruz-Barraza, J. A. (2010) A revision of the genus Mycale (Poecilosclerida: Mycalidae) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Contributions to Zoology, 79, 165 - 191. https: // doi. org / 10.1163 / 18759866 - 07904003","Hajdu, E. & Desqueyroux-Faundez, R. (1994) A synopsis of South American Mycale (Mycale) (Poecilosclerida, Demospongiae), with description of three new species and a cladistic analysis of Mycalidae. Revue Suisse de Zoologie, 101, 563 - 600. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 79918","Lee, W., Elvin, D. & Reiswig, H. (2007) The sponges of California: A guide and key to the marine sponges of California. Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey, California, 395 pp.","Lehnert, H., Stone, R. & Heimler, W. (2006) New species of Poecilosclerida (Demospongiae, Porifera) from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, USA. Zootaxa, 1155 (1), 1 - 23. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 1155.1.1","Bakus, G. J. (1966) Marine poeciloscleridan sponges of the San Juan Archipelago, Washington. Journal of Zoology, 149, 415 - 531. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1469 - 7998.1966. tb 02994. x","van Soest, R. W. M. & Hajdu, E. (2002) Family Mycalidae Lundbeck, 1905. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publ., New York, New York, pp. 669 - 690. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 73"]}

Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) promina sp. nov. Figures 2 & 6 Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236656 / IZC00048451, Inner Carmel Pinnacle (36.55910, -121.96630), 10– 18 m, 8/10/2021. Etymology. Named for both the pinnacle on which it was found and the raised, tower-like prominences decorating the surface. Morphology. Thinly encrusting, 1 mm thick, with numerous oscula atop prominences 1–2 mm in diameter; prominences occur singly, in pairs, or as ridges of several in a line. Yellowish–orange in life; turns distinctly blue in ethanol. Prominences retract when preserved but remain visible as blue mounds, with the ectosome between them appearing wrinkled and grayish. Firm and incompressible. Skeleton. Basal spongin plate; some acanthostyles singly erect on substrate, with heads embedded in spongin; other acanthostyles and some subtylotes laying horizontally along substrate. Tracts of subtylotes ascend from substrate and branch, but stop before reaching ectosome; numerous microscleres scattered throughout sponge. Ectosome contains abundant diatoms and scattered chelae, but no macroscleres. Spicules. Long acanthostyles, short acanthostyles, subtylotes, arcuate isochelae, sigmas. Long acanthostyles: Densely spined in head region, sparsely spined on shaft. 316–442–513 x 11–13–17 μm (n=17). Short acanthostyles: Densely spined throughout; large spines on head curve towards tip, large spines on shaft curve towards head. 104–123–140 x 5–9–13 μm (n=25). Subtylotes: Straight rods with slightly swollen, oblong tips. 244–282–404 x 3–6–12 μm (n=20). Arcuate isochelae: Of typical shape for genus; curved shaft, three well delineated teeth, central tooth longer than lateral teeth. 27–31–37 μm (n=20). Sigmas: C- or S-shaped, most rotated such that they are not in a single plane. 41–53–65 μm (n=23). Distribution and habitat. Known only from the Carmel Pinnacles. Numerous individuals seen on initial dive, but only one sample taken; no individuals seen on second dive. Remarks. Hymedesmia are thinly encrusting Hymedesmiidae with acanthostyles singly erect on the substrate and bundles of tornotes in the choamosome and/or ectosome (van Soest 2002). Genetic data indicate the genus is polyphyletic (Redmond et al. 2013); the 'hymedesmoid' skeletal morphology is known to have evolved multiple times outside the family, so it is not surprising that it has also evolved repeatedly within the family (van Soest 2002). No genetic data is yet available for the type species of Hymedesmia, and data from few species are available at 28S or cox1. Surprisingly, however, H. promina appears to be more closely related to species placed in the Coelosphaeridae and Myxillidae than to other Hymedesmiidae (figure 2). As this species is clearly in Hymedesmia based on the morphological taxonomy, reconciling the taxonomy with the evolutionary history of hymedesmoid sponges must await genetic data from more species and a systematic revision. Hymedesmia promina is easily differentiated from other described species known from the region. Hymedesmia (Stylopus) arndti (de Laubenfels, 1930) is the only Hymedesmia described from the northeast Pacific, though there are also unpublished reports of H. (Stylopus) primitiva Lundbeck, 1910 occurring in British Columbia; neither species has chelae. An additional 11 sponges have been referred to as " Hymedesmia sp. " in various California surveys and remain undescribed (Lee et al. 2007). Of these, an intertidal sample from the Farallon Islands in Northern California (Klontz 1989) is the only potential match to H. promina sp. nov.. These previous undescribed sponges are vouchered but were not examined as part of this work. Further work is required before this species can be confidently identified based on gross morphology in the field. Thinly encrusting orange sponges are numerous in California, but it is possible that the tower-shaped oscula of H. promina sp. nov. are diagnostic., Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on pages 160-162, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["Redmond, N. E., Morrow, C. C., Thacker, R. W., Diaz, M. C., Boury-Esnault, N., Cardenas, P., Hajdu, E., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Picton, B. E., Pomponi, S. A., Kayal, E. & Collins, A. G. (2013) Phylogeny and systematics of Demospongiae in light of new smallsubunit ribosomal DNA (18 S) sequences. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 53, 388 - 415. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / icb / ict 078","de Laubenfels, M. W. (1930) The Sponges of California. Stanford University Bulletin, 5, 24 - 29.","Lundbeck, W. (1910) Porifera. (Part III.) Desmacidonidae. Bianco Luno, Copenhagen.","Lee, W., Elvin, D. & Reiswig, H. (2007) The sponges of California: A guide and key to the marine sponges of California. Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey, California, 395 pp.","Klontz, S. W. (1989) Ecology and systematics of the intertidal sponges of Southeast Farallon Island. Masters, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California."]}

Clathria (Microciona) rumsena sp. nov. Figures 2, 8 Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236652, Inner Carmel Pinnacle, (36.55852, -121.96820), 10–24 m, 9/22/21; paratype: IZC00048437, Fire Rock, Pescadero Point, Carmel, (36.55898, -121.95110), 10–22 m, 8/10/22. Etymology. Named in honor of the Costanoan Rumsen Carmel Tribe, whose ancestral lands include those surrounding Monterey and Carmel bays. Morphology. Thinly encrusting, 1–2 mm thick; light orange to peach colored alive; fades to beige in ethanol. Surface of holotype bearing evenly-spaced round oscula surrounded by a network of transparent surface channels. Skeleton. Thick styles with heads embedded in basal spongin plate and nodes of spongin arising from it. Acanthostyles echinating spongin nodes. Thin styles present as dense, upright bouquets at sponge surface. Spicules. Thick styles, thin straight styles, acanthostyles, palmate isochelae. Thick styles: curved and tapering; some are weakly subtylote and have weakly spined heads. Holotype had a few capsule or strongyle-shaped spicules that appeared to be aberrant styles with two rounded ends. Holotype 384–744–1095 x 17–29–38 μm (n=35), both samples combined 384–729–1095 x 7–28–38 μm (n=40). Thin straight styles: straight; some have very weak tyles, but many unadorned. Holotype 158–292–637 x 3–5– 10 μm (n=138), both samples combined 158–287–637 x 3–5–10 μm (n=155). Acanthostyles: heads densely covered in round bump–like spines; spines on shaft more pointed, curving towards head, most dense near tips. Holotype 121–188–287 x 11–15–20 μm (n=30), both samples combined 112–188–381 x 8–15–27 μm (n=48). Palmate isochelae: holotype 12–15–17 μm (n=21), both samples combined 12–16–20 μm (n=52). Distribution and habitat. Known from two samples, both collected on natural rocky reefs offshore of Pescadero Point, Carmel Bay, California. Remarks. Clathria rumsena is differentiated from all other Clathria in the region by having longer styles of all types (thick styles, thin styles, and acanthostyles). The most similar species is Clathria asodes (de Laubenfels, 1930), a thinly encrusting yellow species. In addition to the color difference, the maximum lengths of all C. asodes spicule types —including chelae—are less than the average lengths for C. rumsena (de Laubenfels 1932; Lee et al. 2007). All other thinly encrusting Clathria in the region have qualitative as well as quantitative differences, such as lacking chelae (C. pseudonapya (de Laubenfels, 1930)) or having arcuate chelae (C. brepha (de Laubenfels, 1930), and C. spongigartina (de Laubenfels, 1930)). Thickly encrusting Clathria from the region differ in additional ways as well, such as lacking spines on large styles; these species are also genetically differentiated as shown in the phylogenies (figures 2 & 3). The encrusting morphology and skeletal structure of this species are consistent with assignment to the subgenus Microciona. The subgenus Thalysias was also considered: this subgenus is defined by having two size classes of thin styles, with larger forms subectosomal, supporting brushes of small styles in the ectosome (Hooper 2002b). The thin styles of C. rumsena are found in a large size range, but have a continuous distribution with a single mode, and no evidence of a multi-layered ectosomal skeleton could be found. Clathria rumsena sp. nov. cannot be identified in the field. In addition to the sympatric species of Clathria, several species of thinly encrusting Antho occur in the same habitats. Some average differences in color, patterning, and texture have been noted in specific locations, but overall, variability frustrates attempts to identify thinly encrusting red/orange sponges in the field in California.

Clathria (Microciona) microjoanna (de Laubenfels, 1930) Figures 2, 3, 9, Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on page 166, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["de Laubenfels, M. W. (1930) The Sponges of California. Stanford University Bulletin, 5, 24 - 29."]}

Clathria (Microciona) unoriginalis sp. nov. Figures 2, 3, 7 Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236653 / IZC00048440, Inner Carmel Pinnacle, (36.55852, -121.96820), 10–24 m, 9/22/21; paratypes: SBMNH700906, Arroyo Quemado Reef, Santa Barbara, (34.46775, -120.11905), 7–11 m, 1/7/20; IZC00048439, Cannery Row, Monterey, (36.61798, -121.89780), 9–16 m, 9/21/21; IZC00048438, 1000 Steps Reef, Santa Barbara, (34.39472, -119.71347), 4–6 m, 7/12/19; SBMNH700912, Carmel Point, Carmel, (36.54488, -121.93300), intertidal, 2/7/21. Etymology. Named for its similarity to the sympatric congener, Clathria originalis (de Laubenfels, 1930). Morphology. Thinly encrusting, 1–2 mm thick; bright orange to orange-red in life, fades to beige in ethanol. Surface covered in minute pores; numerous, evenly-spaced round oscula, each 1–2 mm across, present in larger samples; oscula with slightly raised rims, usually surrounded by a vein-like network of subsurface channels. Skeleton. Columns of spongin cored with large styles; coring styles close to vertical, leading to fairly compact columns, but some styles with tips free and angled out, making columns slightly plumose. Coring spicules at the top of columns flare out into bouquets. Columns chaotically bridged by single, horizontal spicules in spongin, making skeleton ladder-like. Thin styles present as disorganized clumps within bouquets of large spicules at the top of columns. Few chelae seen in sections; all were near ectosome. No toxas seen in sections. Spicules. Thick styles, thin ectosomal subtylostyles, palmate isochelae, toxas. Thick styles: gently curved and gradually tapering. Thin (potentially immature) styles in this category are differentiated from thin subtylostyles by the absence of a tyle, more pronounced curvature, and more gradual taper. In one sample (IZC00048438), thick styles were mostly subtylote and some bore minute dimples on head; other samples had few or no styles that were subtylote and no dimpling on heads. Holotype 203–328–525 x 16–22–29 μm (n=53); all samples pooled 135–253–525 x 7–17–29 μm (n=197); lengths quite variable across samples, but variation not partitioned by geographic region; mean values per sponge from 207 to 328 μm. Thin ectosomal subtylostyles: many subtylote, usually with small spines on heads. Straight or slightly curved. In some samples the thin styles averaged shorter than thick styles, but in other samples this was reversed. Holotype 163–268–452 x 3–5–6 μm (n=21); all samples pooled 133–291–506 x 2–4–6 μm (n=82); mean lengths per sponge from 210 to 325 μm. Palmate isochelae: holotype 14–19–21 μm (n=15); all samples pooled 13–17–21 μm (n=44). Toxas: none seen in holotype; common in one sample (IZC00048438); rare in other samples. All samples pooled: 44–113–206 μm (n=26). Distribution and habitat. Of the five known samples, two were collected on the Santa Barbara coast (Southern California) and three are from around the Monterey Peninsula (Central California). Intertidal to at least 10 m depth on natural reefs where kelp forest is found. Remarks. The genus Clathria is well represented in the Northeast Pacific, with 11 previously described species in the region. Only two of these species lack acanthostyles: C. originalis (de Laubenfels, 1930) and C. pennata (Lambe, 1895); of these, only C. originalis has chelae. Clathria unoriginalis is very similar to C. originalis in terms of morphology, skeletal structure, and spiculation, but these species can be distinguished by the longer styles of C. unoriginalis. The styles of C. originalis were originally described as 150–155 μm in length; a more recent publication lists the thick styles as 130–165 μm and the thin styles as 90–200 μm (Lee et al. 2007). Preliminary analysis of 13 C. originalis samples collected by the authors finds that the mean values for each sponge vary from 102–155 μm for thick styles and 100–127 μm for thin styles. Though the values for C. unoriginalis are highly variable, all samples average longer than C. originalis: 207–328 μm for thick styles and 210–325 μm for thin styles. These long styles are more similar to C. pennata, which opens the possibility that the presence of chelae is variable in C. pennata. This is refuted by the DNA data, which support species status for all three species (figures 2 & 3). The encrusting morphology and skeletal structure of this species are consistent with assignment to the subgenus Microciona. The World Porifera Database currently lists an additional Clathria species for the region that lacks acanthostyles: C. hartmani (Simpson, 1966). This name is a junior synonym of C. originalis. When de Laubenfels first published descriptions of the encrusting orange sponges of the Monterey Peninsula, he mentioned that some C. pennata have chelae, and said these forms may be a different variety (de Laubenfels 1927). After additional study, de Laubenfels named the forms with chelae C. originalis (de Laubenfels 1930, 1932). Simpson (1966) later published the name C. hartmani for the type with chelae, citing the 1927 paper, and apparently not realizing that the name C. originalis had already been applied. As a result, all later authors working in the region correctly considered C. hartmani a junior synonym of C. originalis (Bakus & Green 1987; Hartman 1975; Lee et al. 2007). It was noted by de Laubenfels that C. pennata occurs closer to the high tide mark than any other California sponge, with C. originalis tending to occur lower in the intertidal and also present in the shallow subtidal (de Laubenfels 1932). Our recent collections have found all three species in both the subtidal and intertidal, but with different frequencies: 4 of 5 C. unoriginalis sp. nov. were found in the subtidal, but only 2 of 13 C. originalis and 1 of 8 C. pennata were found subtidally. Subtidal samples of the latter two species were found only on shore dives in very shallow water. The precise elevation/depth of each sample was not recorded, but we hypothesize that C. unoriginalis sp. nov. averages depths below the other two species—though they clearly overlap. Clathria unoriginalis sp. nov. cannot be identified in the field. In addition to the sympatric species of Clathria, several species of thinly encrusting Antho occur in the same habitats. Average differences in color and texture among species have been noted in specific locations, but overall, variability has thwarted all attempts to find useful field marks., Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on pages 162-164, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["de Laubenfels, M. W. (1930) The Sponges of California. Stanford University Bulletin, 5, 24 - 29.","Lambe, L. M. (1895) Sponges from the Western Coast of North America. Transactions of the Royal Society of Canada, 12, 113 - 138.","Lee, W., Elvin, D. & Reiswig, H. (2007) The sponges of California: A guide and key to the marine sponges of California. Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey, California, 395 pp.","Simpson, T. L. (1966) A new species of Clathriid sponge from the San Juan Archipelago. Postilla, 103, 1 - 7.","de Laubenfels, M. W. (1927) The red sponges of Monterey Peninsula, California. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9, 19 (110), 258 - 266. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222932708633594","de Laubenfels, M. W. (1932) The marine and fresh-water sponges of California. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 81, 1 - 140. https: // doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00963801.81 - 2927.1","Bakus, G. J. & Green, K. D. (1987) The distribution of marine sponges collected from the 1976 - 1978 Bureau of Land Management Southern California Bight program. Bulletin of the Southern California Academy of Sciences, 86, 57 - 88.","Hartman, W. D. (1975) Phylum Porifera. In: Smith, R. I. & Carlton, J. T. (Eds.), Light's Manual: Intertidal Invertebrates of the Central California Coast. 3 rd Edition. University of California Press, Berkeley, California, pp. 32 - 64."]}

Clathria (Microciona) parthena (de Laubenfels, 1930) Figures 2, 3, 10, Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on page 167, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["de Laubenfels, M. W. (1930) The Sponges of California. Stanford University Bulletin, 5, 24 - 29."]}

Phorbas nebulosus sp. nov. Figures 2–4. Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236661 / IZC00048467, Inner Carmel Pinnacle, (36.55910, -121.96630), 10–18 m, 8/10/21; Paratype: SBMNH700928, Wycoff Ledge, San Miguel Island, (34.02132, -120.38710), 9–19 m, 8/25/19. Etymology. Named for its resemblance to supernova remnants such as the crab nebula. Morphology. Thickly encrusting; holotype is 2 cm thick, paratype is 7 mm thick. Pale orange when alive, beige when preserved. Sponge surface is nearly covered in areolae, with scattered oscula also present. Areolae flush with surface, but oscula slightly raised. Skeleton. Choanosomal skeleton with plumose dendritic columns of acanthostyles rising towards the surface; tracts are loose and confused, with many individual spicules also in confusion. Ectosomal skeleton of upright and tangential tornote bouquets. Chelae present throughout, but most dense in ectosome. Spicules. Long acanthostyles, short acanthostyles, tornotes, arcuate isochelae. Measurements below are for both samples pooled. Long acanthostyles: moderately spined throughout, usually most densely spined at head. 224–283–317 x 7–11– 15 μm (n=11). Short acanthostyles: spines average larger and more dense than large acanthostyles, but with some overlap. 127–166–182 x 6–10–12 μm (n=17). Tornotes: straight rods with both ends tapering to points; points variable, but most smoothly tapering, resembling oxeas; many appear symmetrical, while others are slightly asymmetrical, with one point more abruptly tapering than the other. 205–245–284 x 5–6–9 μm (n=40). Arcuate isochelae: curved shaft, three alae; center ala slightly longer than side alae, and variably rounded or slightly pointed. 14–18–21 μm (n=32). Distribution and habitat. Known from two samples, one from the Carmel Pinnacles and one from San Miguel Island (Southern California); both locations were natural, rocky subtidal reefs. The species is likely to be rare in the investigated region, as it is visually distinctive and has not been seen at any other site. Remarks. The arcuate isochelae, areolated pore fields, plumose tracts of acanthostyles, and tangential ecotosomal brushes of tornotes lead to placement in Phorbas. The genetic data are unable to strongly support or refute this placement, as the genus appears highly polyphyletic (figures 2 & 3). Genetic data from the type species, P. amaranthus Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, are available at 18S, and place the type species in a poorly supported clade near Lissodendoryx fibrosa, Crella elegans, and Hemimycale columella (Redmond et al. 2013). Our phylogenies share some species in common with the published 18S phylogeny (but not P. amaranthus), and appear to place P. nebulosus sp. nov. in this same large clade, albeit closer to Crella elegans than to any other Phorbas. The genus Crella also has areolated pore fields, but is currently defined by having a tangential crust of spiny oxeas, anisoxeas, or styles (van Soest 2002). The genus Crella would therefore have to undergo substantial revision to house P. nebulosa sp. nov. Two other California species are currently placed in the genus Phorbas: P. californianus (de Laubenfels, 1932) and P. hoffmani (Bakus, 1966). Both are easily differentiated from the new species by multiple spicular characters including the absence of chelae. The only other Phorbas known from the Northeast Pacific is P. reginae Aguilar-Camacho & Carballo 2012, from the Gulf of California, Mexico. This last species is well differentiated from the new species by multiple spicular characters including possession of tylotornotes and differently shaped chelae. Phorbas reginae also has much smaller acanthostyles, with the larger class averaging less than half as long as P. nebulosus and the small acanthostyles only a third as long as P. nebulosus. Morphology also differs, with P. reginae being black in ethanol and lacking of visible ostia and oscules, but these differences could be due to the greater age of the P. reginae specimen (Aguilar-Camacho & Carballo 2012). Phorbas nebulosus sp. nov. can be tentatively identified in the field based on color and being completely covered in roughly circular pore fields. Hemimycale polyboletus comb. nov., nom. nov. (see below) is similar, but the pore fields of that species (and P. hoffmani) are usually elevated on papillae. Known samples of P. californianus are white or blue, not orange, and the pore fields are larger and amorphous. There are also one or more undescribed species covered in circular areolae in California, similar in color to P. nebulosus, but these species are thinly encrusting rather than thickly encrusting and globular., Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on pages 156-159, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["Duchassaing de Fonbressin, P. & Michelotti, G. (1864) Spongiaires de la mer Caraibe. Natuurkundige verhandelingen van de Hollandsche maatschappij der wetenschappen te Haarlem, 21, 1 - 124.","Redmond, N. E., Morrow, C. C., Thacker, R. W., Diaz, M. C., Boury-Esnault, N., Cardenas, P., Hajdu, E., Lobo-Hajdu, G., Picton, B. E., Pomponi, S. A., Kayal, E. & Collins, A. G. (2013) Phylogeny and systematics of Demospongiae in light of new smallsubunit ribosomal DNA (18 S) sequences. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 53, 388 - 415. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / icb / ict 078","de Laubenfels, M. W. (1932) The marine and fresh-water sponges of California. Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 81, 1 - 140. https: // doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00963801.81 - 2927.1","Bakus, G. J. (1966) Marine poeciloscleridan sponges of the San Juan Archipelago, Washington. Journal of Zoology, 149, 415 - 531. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1469 - 7998.1966. tb 02994. x","Aguilar-Camacho, J. M. & Carballo, J. L. (2012) New and little-known Poecilosclerid sponges from the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Zoological Studies, 51, 1139 - 1153."]}

Turner, Thomas L., Lonhart, Steve I. (2023): The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area. Zootaxa 5318 (2): 151-194, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1

Mycale (Paresperella) psila (de Laubenfels, 1930) Figure 14, Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on page 174, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["de Laubenfels, M. W. (1930) The Sponges of California. Stanford University Bulletin, 5, 24 - 29."]}

Megaciella sanctuarium sp. nov. Figures 2, 3, 12 Material examined. Holotype: CASIZ236658 / IZC00048457, Inner Carmel Pinnacle, (36.55852, -121.96820), 10–24 m, 9/22/21. Etymology. Named in honor of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Morphology. Thickly encrusting; sample is 3 cm thick, sponge was approximately 5–8 cm thick when entire. Vivid orange when alive, fades to beige in ethanol. Lumpy and irregular, with oscules occurring in approximate lines across the top of the sponge. Skeleton. Ascending paucispicular tracts of spongin cored with large styles, echinated by small acanthostyles, and accompanied by bundles of thin subtylotes. A chaotic paucispicular reticulation of large styles encased in spongin connects primary tracts. Ectosome a dense mass of thin strongyles/subtylotes, tangential and upright at all angles. Chelae present throughout but most dense at ectosome. Spicules. Large acanthostyles, acanthostrongyles, small acanthostyles, ectosomal strongyles/subtylotes, palmate isochelae, toxas. Large acanthostyles: small spines concentrated at head, with a few on shaft. 180–302–382 x 8–20–26 μm (n=25). Acanthostrongyles: small spines concentrated at each end, with a few on shaft. Some are symmetrical, while others taper slightly towards one end. Appear to be modified large acanthostyles, but slightly shorter. Less common than large acanthostyles. 181–230–289 x 20–25–31 μm (n=9). Small acanthostyles: large spines, most dense on head but also covering shaft, head spines curve towards shaft and shaft spines curve towards head. 87–101–116 x 7–9–11 μm (n=22). Ectosomal strongyles/subtylotes: thin, straight rods with microspined ends; ends variably non–swollen (strongyles) or slightly swollen (subtylotes). 113–204–252 x 3–6–8 μm (n=20). Palmate isochelae: 17–20–22 μm (n=31). Toxas: 35–105–168 μm (n=24). Distribution and habitat. Only sample found to date was from the Carmel Pinnacles. Remarks. This species is in the Acarnidae, rather than the Microcionidae, because it possesses ectosomal tylotes rather than styles (Hooper 2002a). The choanosomal skeleton of ascending paucispicular fibers connected by a chaotic unispicular reticulation is consistent with the genus Megaciella. Of the 17 named species of Megaciella, 10 occur in the Northeast Pacific: 2 in Mexican waters and 10 from the Aleutians and/or the Russian Pacific. Only one of these, M. microtoxa (Dickinson, 1945) has acanthostyles. This species, from the Gulf of California, is differentiated from the new species by having much larger coring styles and smaller chelae. There are also two undescribed species of Megaciella from California mentioned by Lee et al. (2007). Both species have acanthostyles, but the spicule dimensions reported for these undescribed samples make them unlikely to be additional samples of Megaciella sanctuarium. Genetic data are unable to support or refute the morphological placement of this species. Both loci support a close relationship to the Microcionidae, though with inconsistent placement between the two loci (figures 2 & 3). No other species of Megacialla have data available for comparison, and the few other Acarnidae in the phylogenies are inconsistently placed. This species cannot be identified in the field due to multiple species of sympatric, thickly encrusting orange sponges in the Microcionidae., Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on pages 170-172, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["Hooper, J. N. A. (2002 a) Family Acarnidae Dendy, 1922. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A Guide to the Classification of Sponges. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publ., New York, New York, pp. 412 - 431. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 51","Dickinson, M. G. (1945) Sponges of the Gulf of California. In: Reports on the collections obtained by Allan Hancock Pacific Expeditions of Velero III off the coast of Mexico, Central America, South America, and Galapagos Islands in 1932, in 1933, in 1934, in 1935, in 1936, in 1937, in 1939, and 1940. The University of Southern California Press, Los Angeles, California, pp. 1 - 55.","Lee, W., Elvin, D. & Reiswig, H. (2007) The sponges of California: A guide and key to the marine sponges of California. Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, Monterey, California, 395 pp."]}

Hemimycale polyboletus comb. nov. nom. nov. Figures 2, 3, 5, Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on page 159, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357

Antho (Jia) lithophoenix (de Laubenfels, 1927) Figures 2, 3, 11, Published as part of Turner, Thomas L. & Lonhart, Steve I., 2023, The Sponges of the Carmel Pinnacles Marine Protected Area, pp. 151-194 in Zootaxa 5318 (2) on page 168, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8162357, {"references":["de Laubenfels, M. W. (1927) The red sponges of Monterey Peninsula, California. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 9, 19 (110), 258 - 266. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222932708633594"]}

El-Arab, Mohammed Abdel Latif Ezz, Ekins, Merrick (2023): Redescription of Ophlitaspongia (?) arbuscula Row, 1911 and Ophlitaspongia (?) horrida Row, 1911 from the Red Sea, and their placement in Clathria (Clathria) Schmidt, 1862. Zootaxa 5297 (1): 48-60, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.1.2, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-22-0755-PDN

Parent Ophlitaspongia Bowerbank, 1866 Orig. name Ophlitaspongia (?) arbuscula Row, 1911:347-349, pl. 39, fig. 22, pl. 40, fig. 25, text fig. 22 Accepted name Clathria (Clathria) arbuscula (Row, 1911) Material examined: Holotype BMNH 1912.2.1.65, Red Sea, Coll. C. Crossland, 1904-1905. Slide of the holotype BMNH 1912.2.1.65, housed at the Queensland Museum. QM G339446, Hurghada, Egypt, Red Sea, 27 o 17.80’ N, 33 o 46.26’ E, 5-7 m. SCUBA Coll. M. A. L. H. Ezz El-Arab, October 2018, NIOF GRRF8000. QM G339445, same collection details as QM G339446. Distribution: Known only from the fringing reefs of the Red Sea. Description: Large tree-like sponge; long irregular branches, which themselves branch irregularly, arising from small base. The branches which form the sponge are irregular in shape, but usually more or less cylindrical (Fig. 1). Numerous prominences and swellings occur on the branches and short processes arise from these which are most likely new branches. The branches vary in their length, the longest is up to 100 cm, but are typically 50 cm. The frequent branching, the junctions which occasionally occur between contiguous branches, and the way the branches are tangled, tend to diminish the height of the actual individual. The branches vary in diameter from 5 to 10 mm. The actual surface of the sponge is quite smooth, being covered by very delicate dermal membrane, but it is covered with slight prominences and low ridges, owing to the pushing up of the dermal membrane by skeletal fibres laying just below. However, there are no actual projections of the fibres from the surface, but the spicules project very slightly and render it minutely hispid. The oscula are being distinguishable, the distance between the oscules vary from 2.5 to 3 cm, and the diameter of the oscula about 2 to 3 mm. The color is brick red during life, while color in alcohol is dark brown black. The alcohol in which the sponge has been preserved is colored bright orange red. The texture is compressible and resilient, whilst the sponge does not cut nor tear easily. Skeleton: The choanosomal skeleton consists of a dense reticulation of (subtylo)styles and styles-cored fibres, and spicules scattered irregularly about throughout the sponge. The choanosomal (subtylo)styles or styles are usually thicker and often curved; as the predominant spicule type. The fibres are strongly coated with spongin and the reticulation is very close. There cannot be made a distinction into primary or secondly fibres, no separation of the fibres into groups being possible either in direction or size, for the reticulation, although the fibres are not orientated, they are regular, and of equal size. The fibres average 0.08 mm in diameter, but at a junction of two or more fibres, there is a slight swelling into a knob, which usually measures 0.12 mm in diameter (Fig. 2A, B) (Fig. 3A, B). The fibres at the sub-ectosome are condensed and irregularly oriented. The ectosomal skeleton consists mainly of densely matted brushes of tangentially orientated auxiliary (subtylo)styles which are usually straight and thin. The ends of the (subtylo)styles project from the surface, resulting in the ectosomal skeleton forming a dense felting over the surface of the sponge (Fig. 2A, B). Spicules: Megascleres: The spicules consist predominately of (subtylo)styles, which are frequently curved, with slight necks (Fig. 2C) (Fig. 3C, D). They range in length from 79 to 439 µm in the fresh material and 85 to 300 µm in the holotype, while the original description (Row, 1911) ranged between 300–330 µm in the length (Table 1). They are slender in width between 1 and 8 µm in the fresh material and between 1 and 4 µm in the holotype, while the original description (Row, 1911) recorded 2 µm width (Table 1). The (subtylo)styles form a slender core in most of the fibres, where they are frequently arranged in a slightly plumose manner, but they never project outside the fibre. A few spicules occur with oxeote or stylote ends. (Acantho)styles are present in small numbers. They are weakly spined, with a length of 22 to 69 µm, and a width of between 2.4–6.5 µm (Table 1). These were also observed during examination of the holotype during this study with a range of length from 38 to 60 µm, and a range of width between 2 and 5 µm. The (acantho)styles were not recorded in the original description (Row 1911), (Table 1). In the sample examined in Egypt (NIOF GRRF8000) (acantho)styles were also observed, with a length of 70 µm, and a width of between 4–6 µm (Table 1) (Fig 3. D). Microscleres: The microscleres consist of toxas that are rare in most samples (Table 1). In the fresh material, toxas range in length from 15 to 300 um, (Table 1). Whilst in the holotype the toxas ranged in length from 25 to 160 µm which encompasses the 60 µm from the original description (Row, 1911). Very rare sigmas were observed twice in the holotype, with a length of 20 µm. also, very rare sigmas were observed in the sample examined in Egypt (NIOF GRRF8000), with a length of 15 to 30 µm. It is unclear if these are native as they were not observed in the original description and other fresh material. Palmate isochelas (from 20 to 30 µm in length), were observed in some of the material NIOF GRRF8000, but as they were not observed in the type material or any of the other material examined (Table 1), they are regarded as non-native. Remarks: A re-examination of the holotype and the fresh material revealed the presence of rare (acantho)styles, which were not mentioned in the original text by Row (1911). However, the measurements of the styles and toxas in this study match those of the original description. The styles, whilst predominantly (subtylo)styles, also include oxeote or stylote ends as mentioned by Row (1911). The styles on their length could potentially be split into two overlapping groups. However, due to the variable ends of the styles which extends over both potential groups indicate this is more likely to just be an example of variation. The styles are not specific for fibers of ectosomal regions, however the styles located in the fibers do tend to be the larger styles, and the small styles only seem to occur in the ectosome and the choanosome. Because of the variation in size and shape of the styles it is not specific for the tissue. There is some confusion with the labelling of the type specimens at the British Museum of Natural History, as specimen BMNH 1912.1.65 is clearly O. arbuscula, as the tree like specimen matches the description on p347 of Row (1911) and is clearly illustrated in the photograph on Plate 39, Figure 22, although the name on the jar incorrectly indicates it is the type of O. horrida. Similarly, the specimen BMNH 1912.2.1.63 is the specimen described as O. horrida on p349 of Row (1911), but labelled in the jar as O. arbuscula. As these specimens are of orders of magnitude of different sizes, it’s unlikely the specimens have been replaced in the wrong jars, and the labels were incorrectly swapped over. It must have occurred before or during the placement of the specimens in the ground glass jars from their previous housings. No doubt this mislabeling has added to the confusion about whether they are two different species or just one. It is even possible that this mistake was made by Row in 1911 as examination of the sections of the holotype of Ophlitaspongia arbuscula i.e. BMNH 1912.2.1.65, here in Figures 2A and 2B show the distinctive knobbly connections of the fibers mentioned from O. arbuscula on page 348 of Row (1911). Unfortunately, a fragment of holotype of Ophlitaspongia arbuscula i.e. BMNH 1912.2.1.65 was not available due to covid restrictions in order to do a SEM analysis of the spicules. This labelling mistake was already present when examined by John Hooper in 1996, but not noted. This mislabeling was also not noticed by de Laubenfels, (1954), Published as part of El-Arab, Mohammed Abdel Latif Ezz & Ekins, Merrick, 2023, Redescription of Ophlitaspongia (?) arbuscula Row, 1911 and Ophlitaspongia (?) horrida Row, 1911 from the Red Sea, and their placement in Clathria (Clathria) Schmidt, 1862, pp. 48-60 in Zootaxa 5297 (1) on pages 50-53, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5297.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7989297, {"references":["Bowerbank, J. S. (1866) A Monograph of the British Spongiadae. Vol. 2. Ray Society, London, xx + 388 pp.","Row, R. W. H. (1911) In: Report on the sponges, collected by Mr. Cyril Crossland in 1904 - 5. Part II. Non-Calcarea. Journal of the Linnean Society, Zoology, 31, 287 - 400. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1096 - 3642.1911. tb 00461. x"]}

Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov. (Figs 2–3, Tables 1–2) Type Material. Holotype. UFPEPOR 2986— Serrambi Beach (8°33’37.7”S 35°00’22.0”W, Ipojuca, Pernambuco State, Brazil), 12 august 2022, Col. Nascimento, E.F., Dias, A., Pinheiro, U., intertidal. Paratypes. UFPEPOR 2981— Serrambi Beach (8°33’37.7”S 35°00’22.0”W, Ipojuca, Pernambuco State, Brazil), 12 august 2022, Col. Nascimento, E.F., Dias, A., Pinheiro, U., intertidal. UFPEPOR 2987, 2988— Serrambi Beach (8°33’37.7”S 35°00’22.0”W, Ipojuca, Pernambuco State, Brazil), 12 august 2022, Col. Nascimento, E.F., Dias, A., Pinheiro, U., intertidal. UFPEPOR 4332— Ponta do Meirim (09º32’32.22”S 35º36’49.80”W) Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil), 30 january 2010, Col. Correia, M.D., depth 0.5 m. Diagnosis. Acarnus with two categories of cladotylotes, tylotes, styles, three categories of toxas, acanthoxeas and smooth microxeas. Description (Fig. 2A). Thickly encrusting sponge with dimensions (2.0 x 1.5 x 1.1 cm (length x width x thickness)). Compressible and easily friable consistency. Hispid surface, with subdermal gaps and rounded oscule (0.3 cm diameter). Color orange in life, but beige in alcohol. Skeleton (Fig. 2B). Choanosomal skeleton plumoreticulated forming main tracts ascending to surface interconnected by renieroid isotropic tracts, both cored by choanosomal styles and tylotes; renieroid component of skeleton dominates skeletal structure; choanosomal tracts echinated by cladotylotes, particularly at nodes, microxeas found tangentially arranged in the ectosome and, other microscleres scattered in the choanosome. Spicules (Fig. 3). Tylotes, terminally microspined, 190– 211 –249/2– 3.1 –5 μm. Styles, long, lightly curved, with smooth base, 374– 395.9 –424/12– 21.1 –30 μm. Cladotylotes I, larger, smooth and straight to lightly curved shaft, base with well-defined rounded tyle, cladome with long spines, length 141– 244 –293 μm, shaft width 5– 9.8 –12 μm, cladome width 17– 33.5 –44 μm. Cladotylotes II, smaller, heavily spined with recurved spines at the base and lightly curved shaft, base with depressed (flattened), lobed tyles, length 90– 96.1 –105 μm, shaft width 2– 3.1 –5 μm, cladome width 12– 12.6 –15 μm. Palmate isochelae, 10– 10.7– 12 μm. Toxas I, accolada, 222– 435.6 –656 μm. Toxas II, thin, deeply curved, 50– 128.9 –313 μm. Toxas III, oxhorn, thick deeply curved, 35– 55.2 –80 μm. Acanthoxeas, heavily spined shafts, 61– 77.7 –98/2– 3.4 –5 μm. Microxeas, smooth, lightly curved with hastate and acerate ends, 29– 52.4 –202/5– 7.8 –12 μm. Distribution. Alagoas and Pernambuco States, Northeast Brazil. Etymology. The species name refers to the presence of smooth microxeas, one of the characteristic microsclere categories of this species. Ecology. Ophiuroids were found on some specimens. Remarks. In Acarnidae, the presence of microxea microscleres in the spicule set is observed only in Acheliderma Topsent, 1892, where they are elongated and diamond-shaped. The presence of smooth microxea in Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov. is a new character for this genus. Both genera are similar and share tylotes, styles, acanthostyles and toxas in their spicule set. However, Acheliderma differs by the absence of cladotylotes. Additionally, Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov. presents fusiform microxea instead of the elongated diamond-shaped ones seen in Acheliderma. The presence of acanthose microscleres is observed in several genera of Acarnidae. Acheliderma, Dolichacantha Hentschel, 1914, Megaciella Hallmann, 1920 and Paracornulum Hallmann, 1920 all have acanthostyles. Wigginsia de Laubenfels, 1953 and Zyzzya Laubenfels, 1936 have acanthostrongyles, and Acanthorhabdus Burton, 1929 has acanthorhabds. Only Cornulella Dendy, 1922 shares acanthoxea with Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov., but differs from Acarnus by the absence of cladotylotes, and the fistular habit (Aguilar-Camacho et al. 2013, Van Soest et al. 1994, Hooper 2002). ...Continued on the next page References. (1) van Soest, Hooper & Hiemstra, 1991; (2) Aguilar-Camacho, Carballo & Cruz-Barraza, 2013; (3) Lévi, 1998; (4) Dendy, 1896. The new species fits best in the “souriei” group, due to the presence of acanthose spicules (here acanthoxeas) in its spicule set. We emphasize that Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov. differs from all congeners by having microxeas and acanthoxeas as microscleres (Figs 3I and 3G, respectively). Acarnus primigenius, A. radovani, A. souriei and A. tener present only one category of cladotylotes with spined shaft and base with recurved spines, differing from A. microxeatus sp. nov. which has two categories of cladotylotes, the largest one, with a smooth shaft and rounded lobed base (Fig. 3D). Additionally, all these species, mentioned above, have styles with a microspined and/or rough head, in contrast to the totally smooth head of styles in A. microxeatus sp. nov. (Table 2). The new species presents three categories of toxas, differing from A. caledoniensis, A. guentheri, A. levii, A. michoacanensis, A. peruanus and A. tener that have two categories, and A. primigenius, that has only one category. Furthermore, A. caledoniensis has two categories of acanthostyles and is spherical in shape, while Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov. has one category of acanthostyles and is thickly encrusting. Acarnus bicladotylotus and A. nicoleae differ from A. microxeatus sp. nov. by having larger tylotes (143–404 μm and 119–380 μm, respectively against 190– 211 –249 μm) and also for having smaller accolada toxas (150–250 μm and 140–330 μm, respectively against 222– 435.6 –656 μm) (Tables 1 and 2). Additionally, none of these species of Acarnus have acanthoxea and smooth microxea as the new species do (Table 1, 2, 3 and 4)., Published as part of Nascimento, Elielton & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2023, A new species of Acarnus Gray, 1867 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Acarnidae) from NE Brazil, pp. 521-540 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 523-529, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7961435, {"references":["Topsent, E. (1892) Diagnoses d'eponges nouvelles de la Mediterranee et plus particulierement de Banyuls. Archives de Zoologie experimentale et generale, Series 2, 10 (Notes et Revue 6), xvii - xxviii.","Hentschel, E. (1914) Monaxone Kieselschwamme und Hornschwamme der Deutschen S ¸ dpolar-Expedition 1901 - 1903. Deutsche Sdpolar-Expedition, 15 (1), 35 - 141, pls. IV - VIII.","Hallmann, E. F. (1920) New Genera of Monaxonid Sponges related to the Genus Clathria. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, 44 (4), 767 - 792, pls. XXXVI - XL. [https: // biostor. org / reference / 54514]","Laubenfels, M. W. de. (1953) Sponges of the Alaskan Arctic. Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collection, 121 (6), 1 - 22.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1936) A Discussion of the Sponge Fauna of the Dry Tortugas in Particular and the West Indies in General, with Material for a Revision of the Families and Orders of the Porifera. Carnegie Institute of Washington Publication, 467 (Tortugas Laboratory Paper 30), 1 - 225, pls. 1 - 22.","Burton, M. (1929) Porifera. Part II. Antarctic sponges. British Antarctic (' Terra Nova') Expedition, 1910. Natural History Report, London, Zoology, 6 (4), 393 - 458, pls. I - V. [https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / bibliography / 111654]","Dendy, A. (1922) Report on the Sigmatotetraxonida collected by H. M. S. ' Sealark' in the Indian Ocean. In: Reports of the Percy Sladen Trust Expedition to the Indian Ocean in 1905, Vol. 7. Transactions of the Linnean Society of London, 18 (1), 1 - 164, pls 1 - 18. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1096 - 3642.1922. tb 00547. x","Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., Carballo, J. L. & Cruz-Barraza, J. A. (2013) Acarnidae Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean with the description of six new species. Scientia Marina, 77 (4), 677 - 696. https: // doi. org / 10.3989 / scimar. 03800.06 a","Van Soest, R. W. M., Zea, S. & Kielman, M. (1994) New species of Zyzzya, Cornulella, Damiria, and Acheliderma (Porifera: Poecilosclerida), with a review of fistular genera of Iophonidae. Bijdragen tot de Dierkunde, 64 (3), 163 - 192. https: // doi. org / 10.1163 / 26660644 - 06403003","Hooper, J. N. A. (2002) Family Acarnidae Dendy, 1922. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. Guide to the classification of sponges. Vol. 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London and Moscow, pp. 412 - 431. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 51","Van Soest, R. W. M., Hooper, J. N. A. & Hiemstra, F. (1991) Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the marine sponge genus Acarnus (Porifera: Poecilosclerida). Beaufortia, 42 (3), 49 - 88.","Levi, C. (Ed.). (1998) Sponges of the New Caledonian Lagoon. ORSTOM, Collection Faune et Flore tropicales, Paris, 33, 1 - 214.","Dendy, A. (1896) Catalogue of Non-Calcareous Sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M. A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part II. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, New Series, 8, 14 - 51. [https: // biostor. org / reference / 70201]"]}

Genus Abyssocladia Lévi, 1964 Abyssocladia Lévi, 1964: 78 Diagnosis. Cladorhizidae most often pedunculate, carrying a disciform or flabelliform body with a radial architecture, in other cases pinnate or branching. Microscleres are a combination of abyssochelae, cleistochelae, arcuate chelae and/or sigmancistras, but not placochelae (from Hestetun et al. 2016a). Type species. Abyssocladia bruuni Lévi, 1964 (by monotypy). Remarks. Currently there are 38 accepted species assigned to Abyssocladia (de Voogd et al. 2022), with only five previously recorded from the Australian EEZ i.e. A. annae Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020a, A. desmophora (Hooper & Lévi, 1989), A. escheri Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020a, A. gliscofila Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020a and A. oxyasters Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020b. Three new species of Abyssocladia were also recently reported from New Caledonia (Vacelet 2020). They are A. kanaconi Vacelet, 2020, A. microstrongylata Vacelet, 2020 and A. mucronata Vacelet, 2020 (the latter now accepted as Echinostylinos gorgonopsis Lévi, 1993 (Vacelet & Kelly 2022)., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 440, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Levi, C. (1964) Spongiaires des zones bathyale, abyssale et hadale. Galathea Report. Scientific Results of The Danish Deep-Sea Expedition Round the World, 1950 - 52, 7, 63 - 112.","Hestetun, J. T., Vacelet, J., Boury-Esnault, N., Borchiellini, C., Kelly, M., Rios, P., Cristobo, F. J. & Rapp, H. T. (2016 a) The systematics of carnivorous sponges. Molecular Phylogenetics & Evolution, 94, 327 - 345. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2015.08.022","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 a) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Hooper, J. N. A. & Levi, C. (1989) Esperiopsis desmophora n. sp. (Porifera: Demospongiae): a desma-bearing Poecilosclerida. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 27 (2), 437 - 441.","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D., Goudie, L. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 b) New carnivorous sponges and allied species from the Great Australian Bight. Zootaxa, 4878 (2), 240 - 260. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4878.2.2","Vacelet, J. (2020) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from the deep South Pacific (New Caledonia) with the description of three new species of the genus Abyssocladia and remarks on genus Cercicladia. Zootaxa, 4767 (2), 257 - 276. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4767.2. 3","Levi, C. (1993) Porifera Demospongiae: Spongiaires bathyaux de Nouvelle-Caledonie, recoltes par le ' Jean Charcot' Campagne BIOCAL, 1985. In: Crosnier, A. (Ed.), Resultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM. Vol. 11. Memoires du Museum national de l'Histoire naturelle, Series A, 158, pp. 9 - 87","Vacelet, J. & Kelly, M. (2022) Synonymy of Abyssocladia mucronata Vacelet, 2020 with Echinostylinos gorgonopsis Levi, 1993. Zootaxa, 5128 (2), 298 - 300. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 5128.2.9"]}

Abyssocladia falkor sp. nov. Figures 4–5. Tables 1, 3 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: B58AB630-A45C-4DCB-AE83-8BB776394CAF Material Examined: Holotype: QM G339306, Ribbon Reef 5, Canyon 8, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, -15.35981103, 145.862097, 1822.14 m, Site: S0378, Sample: 54, ROV SuBastian, Coll. Merrick Ekins remotely in Brisbane via live satellite feed directing the ROV pilots onboard the RV FALKOR on the Great Barrier Reef and Jeremy Horowitz on RV FALKOR, cruise FK200802. Paratype: QM G339307, same collection details as QM G339306. Etymology: falkor, a noun in apposition, named in honour of the Schmidt Ocean Institutes research vessel the RV Falkor. Distribution: This species is currently known from the Coral Sea in Queensland, Australia, bathyal depth. Description: Growth form: The holotype consists of a pedunculated sponge, with a short stem and a disc shaped body with filaments radiating out in a single plane from the disc margin. (Figs. 4 A–C). The paratype has the entire stem and roots as well, which were lost from the holotype during collection. The holotype has a body diameter of 7.8 mm, and 1.3 mm thick. The filaments are 2.3 mm long and 0.1 mm in width. The paratype has a body with a 6.7 mm diameter and 1.6 mm width, the stem and root are 40 mm in length, the filaments are up to 4.0 mm in length. Colour: Cream in situ, on deck and in ethanol. Ectosomal skeleton: Thin membranous layer of the filaments is encrusted with small sigmancistras and abyssochelae. The sponge body and stem are encrusted with the predominately spherical microstrongyles, but also include the abyssochelae. Immediately under the encrusting layer are the sinuous styles. The ectosomal skeleton of the roots is a thin membranous layer with occasional abyssochelae, sigmas and sigmancistras. Endosomal skeleton: The axis of the stem consists of longitudinally arranged mycalostyles, styles and sinuous styles (Figs. 5 D, F, J). The main body consists of the radiating bundles of subtylostyles that form the filaments (Figs. 5 H, I). Within the body between the bundles, the styles form a disorganised almost cross hatching skeleton. The roots are composed of the large mycalostyles, styles, sinuous styles, occasional subtylostyles and rarely strongyles (Fig. 4 G). The filaments axis is composed of subtylostyles only (Fig. 4 D). Megascleres: Mycalostyles are long and generally straight, sometimes with a slight curve, and have a rounded point (Figs. 5 D, E). Styles usually straight, sometimes with a slight curve, thickest in the centre also with a blunt point, sometimes with a very faint tyle swelling (Figs. 5 F, G). They are separated from the mycalostyles often by their location in the body but could well be a continuum of a single category of megasclere. The sinuous styles occur around the mycalostyles that make up the stem, under the dermal microstrongyles (Figs. 5 J, K). Subtylostyles are long and straight, with a sharp tip and compose the filaments (Figs. 5 H, I). There are also very rare strongyles present from the roots (Figs. 5 L, M). Microscleres: Abyssochelae isochelae with curved shaft, and opposing alae touching (Fig. 5 A). There are small sigmas and small sigmancistras that usually occur on the exterior surfaces (Figs. 5 C, N, respectively). There are also long thin sigmas that only occur on the sponge body, these were rare and only occurred on the paratype and so may not be native (Fig. 5 B). The predominately spherical to subspherical shaped microstrongyles are microspined (Figs. 4 E, F; 5 O). However, they are also dumbbell-shaped and rarely dildo—shaped (Fig. 5 P). The microstrongyles have either a rounded end (tylomicrostrongyle) or a sharp point (tylomicrostyles). Remarks: This species is most closely related to the Japanese species A. natsushimae Ise & Vacelet, 2010. However, this new species has a much smaller and circular body size. The new species also lacks the two size classes of abyssochelae, has subtylostyles, and has only one category of sigmancistras and two categories of sigmas. The microstrongyles of this new species are predominately spherical and lacks the long microstrongyles of A. natsushimae. This species is different from the diminutive species A. bruuni Lévi, 1964, which has the very large abyssochelae. Abyssocladia bruuni was also recorded by Koltun (1970), but with two size classes of abyssochelae. Abyssocladia bruuni also lack microstrongyles. This new species also has similar abyssochelae and a rough morphological similarity to A. annae Ekins et al., 2020a and another closely related species A. fryerae Hestetun et al., 2019, both of which have this ridged abyssochelae as well as subtylostyles and sigmancistras., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 440-443, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Ise, Y. & Vacelet, J. (2010) New carnivorous sponges of the genus Abyssocladia (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Cladorhizidae) from Myojin Knoll, Izu-Ogasawara Arc, southern Japan. Zoological Science, 27 (11), 888 - 894. https: // doi. org / 10.2108 / zsj. 27.888","Levi, C. (1964) Spongiaires des zones bathyale, abyssale et hadale. Galathea Report. Scientific Results of The Danish Deep-Sea Expedition Round the World, 1950 - 52, 7, 63 - 112.","Koltun, V. M. (1970) Sponge fauna of the northwestern Pacific from the shallows to the hadal depths. In: Bogorov, V. G. (Ed.), Fauna of the Kurile-Kamchatka Trench and its environment. Institute of Oceanology of the Academy of Sciences of the U. S. S. R. 86. Akademiya Nauk SSSR. Trudy Instituta Okeanologii in P. P. Shishov and Izdatelstvo Nauka, Moskwa, pp. 165 - 221.","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 a) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Hestetun, J. T., Rapp, H. T. & Pomponi, S. (2019) Deep-Sea Carnivorous Sponges From the Mariana Islands. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 371. https: // doi. org / 10.3389 / fmars. 2019.00371"]}

Subgenus Asbestopluma Topsent, 1901b Diagnosis. Asbestopluma without spear-shaped microtylostyles (from Lopes et al. 2011). Type species: Cladorhiza pennatula (Schmidt, 1875) (by subsequent designation, Topsent 1901b). Remarks. The genus Asbestopluma has been recently summarised, including remeasuring the spicule dimensions of some old types, by Lopez et al. (2011) and Goodwin et al. (2017), with these data updated to include additional information, and more recently described species, in Table 4 of Ekins et al. (2020a). There have been three species recorded from the Australian EEZ, viz. Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) desmophora Kelly & Vacelet, 2011 from Seamounts on the Macquarie Ridge, SE Pacific, As. (As.) obae Koltun, 1964 from Wilkes Land, Antarctica and As. (As.) maxisigma Ekins et al., 2020a previously known from off Jervis Bay, New South Wales, and redescribed here from new material off the Great Barrier Reef., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 453, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Topsent, E. (1901 b) Spongiaires. Resultats du voyage du S. Y. ' Belgica' en 1897 - 99 sous le commandement de A. de Gerlache de Gomery. Expedition antarctique belge, Zoologie, 4, 1 - 54, pls. I - VI. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 18721","Lopes, D. A., Bravo, A. & Hajdu, E. (2011) New carnivorous sponges (Cladorhizidae: Poecilosclerida: Demospongiae) from off Diego Ramirez Archipelago (south Chile), with comments on taxonomy and biogeography of the family. Invertebrate Systematics, 25, 407 - 443. https: // doi. org / 10.1071 / IS 11015","Schmidt, O. (1875) Spongien. Die Expedition zur physikalisch-chemischen und biologischen Untersuchung der Nordsee im Sommer 1872. Jahresbericht der Commission zur Wissenschaftlichen Untersuchung der Deutschen Meere in Kiel, 2 - 3, 115 - 120, pl. I.","Goodwin, C. E., Berman, J., Downey, R. V. & Hendry, K. R. (2017) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida: Cladorhizidae) from the Drake Passage (Southern Ocean) with a description of eight new species and a review of the family Cladorhizidae in the Southern Ocean. Invertebrate Systematics, 31 (1), 37 - 64. https: // doi. org / 10.1071 / IS 16020","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 a) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Kelly, M. & Vacelet, J. (2011) Three new remarkable carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from deep New Zealand and Australian (Macquarie Island) waters. Zootaxa, 2976 (1), 55 - 68. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 2976.1. 4","Koltun, V. M. (1964) Sponges of the Antarctic. 1 Tetraxonida and Cornacuspongida. In: Pavlovskii, E. P., Andriyashev, A. P. & Ushakov, P. V. (Eds.), Biological Reports of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1955 - 1958), 1964, pp. 6 - 133 + 443 - 448."]}

Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) maxisigma Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020 Figures 8–9, Table 4 Material Examined: Holotype of Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) maxisigma: QM G 337488 off Jervis Bay, Station 56, New South Wales, Australia, -35.333003, -35.332000, 151.258000 – 151.214000, 2636- 2342 m, Beam Trawl, Coll. Merrick Ekins on RV Investigator, Cruise IN2017 _ V 03, Sample 56-236, 29/v/2017. QM G339376, Noddy Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, -13.51773023, 144.1015761, 815.495 m, Site: SO398, Sample: 130, ROV SuBastian, Coll. Martie McNeil on RV FALKOR, cruise FK200930, 15/X/2020. Comparative Material: Asbestopluma(Abestopluma)biserialis (Ridley&Dendy,1886): NHMUK1887.5.2.187, South Pacific -22.35, -150.283, 4361 m, Challenger St. 281, 6/X/1875 Lectotype; NHMUK 1887.5.2.190, South Pacific -39.2167, -118.81.67, 4115 m, Challenger St. 291, Paralectotype. Distribution: This species is known from continental slope Queensland and New South Wales, Australia, at bathyal depth. Description: Growth form: The new specimen (QM G339376) consists of an erect columnar pedunculate sponge with pinnate filaments projecting at right angles to the stem (Figs. 8 E, F). This specimen is 135 mm long, up to 2 mm wide. Ninety mm of this length comprises the below ground stem and basal root, whilst only 45 mm projects above the substrate, the top part of the specimen was lost during processing. The filaments of the preserved specimen are up to 7 mm in length, but possibly longer in vivo (Figs. 8 A–D). They are 0.5 mm in width and project into four columns, with a right angle between them. Colour: The above ground parts are white in situ and on the deck, whilst the below ground components are tan coloured. Ectosomal skeleton: The ectosome of both the stem and the filaments consist of soft tissue encrusted with anisochelae and sigmas. The ectosome of the lower stem and roots is encrusted with the acanthostyles. Endosomal skeleton: The axis of the stem and the filaments consists of tightly bound longitudinal tracts of mycalostyles. The mycalostyles are also arranged as buttresses providing support for the filaments that are also composed of the same styles and arise tangential to the stem, so that at their ends the mycalostyles converge onto the filament mycalostyles. In addition, there are supplementary smaller very fine and short filament columns composed of the subtylostyles projecting at right angles to the stem and similarly converging with buttressing mycalostyles. The subtylostyles are not present in the stem nor the roots, which is composed of the mycalostyles only. Megascleres: Styles of three types exist in different parts of the sponge. Large mycalostyles, thickest at the middle of the spicule and tapering at both ends (531–(730)–897 µm x 12.5–(20.3)–29.9 µm, n=59) occur in the filaments, the stem and the basal root like appendage (Figs. 9 C, D). Smaller subtylostyles with slightly swollen bases and tapering to fine points (393–(509)–604 x 4.2–(9.8)–12.6 µm, n=22) occur in the filaments (Figs. 9 E, F). Very thin long, often subtly bent fragile acanthostyles occur in the lower stem and root like appendage (66.8– (119.1)–246.0) x 0.8–(2.8)–6.6 µm, n=44) (Figs. 9 G, H). Microscleres: Palmate anisochelae (Fig. 9 A)., head with the lateral alae fully fused to the shaft and a large frontal alae significantly detached from lateral alae, foot with two fully fused nearly atrophied lateral alae and a single larger frontal ala with a tooth-like termination (Length 10.3–(12.8)–14.1 µm, large frontal alae width 3.2–(4.4)–6.5 µm, small lateral alae width 1.8–(2.2)–2.7 µm, n=24) Small sigmancistras (Fig. 9 B), with an almost 90 o twist (28.2–(32.3)–36.0 µm, n=20) were found. The larger sigmas recorded in the holotype by Ekins et al. (2020), were not found in this specimen. It is possible these may have been contaminants from Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) clavata Ridley & Dendy, 1886, multiple samples that were collected from the same beam trawl station. ......continued on the next page Remarks: As previously noted in Ekins et al. (2020a), As. (As.) maxisigma is most closely related to As. (As.) biserialis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886), known from the South Pacific (Ridley & Dendy 1886), Kermadec Trench, (Lévi 1964), Coral Sea off New Caledonia (Lévi 1993), and the North Pacific, south of the Aleutian Islands (Koltun 1970), from bathyal and abyssal depths (qv. Lopez et al. 2011; Ekins et al. 2020a). Both species have vaguely similar pinnate pedunculate morphologies but As. (As.) maxisigma has twice as many columns of filaments (i.e., four as opposed to two) and is round in cross-section rather than flattened (Fig. 10). This re-description of As. (As.) maxisigma with new material collected by ROV, clearly shows that only about one third of the sponge is above the ground i.e., the ‘snow’ layer (Figs. 8A, E, F). The inclusion of the below-ground stem and the root like structures of QM G339376 from the Great Barrier Reef shows the presence of acanthostyles, which were not found on the holotype of As. (As.) maxisigma. Since this species is only known to live in soft sediment, it is likely the spined surface of the acanthostyles serve as anchors securing the sponge in the soft sediment. Another example of exaptation of spicules in carnivorous sponges. These acanthostyles are similar to those found in As. (As.) biserialis but were only reported in Lévi (1964) and Koltun (1970), not in the original description by Ridley & Dendy (1886) nor Lévi (1993). With the inclusion of new acanthostyles this species is even more closely aligned with As. (As.) biserialis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886). However, the species are kept separate as this distinction between the clearly biserial species As. (As.) biserialis, is also this distinction between it and another closely related species As. (As.) belgicae (Topsent, 1901a), which has 6–8 rows of filaments. Asbestopluma (As.) biserialis var. californiana de Laubenfels, 1935 is currently only distinguished by having slightly smaller chelae from a described single value of 6 µm, as opposed to the current species which begin at 10 µm. Re-examination of the type material of As. (As.) biserialis var. californiana , may reveal a greater size range of these microscleres. In its gross morphology this species also resembles As. (As.) belgicae, (qv. Lopez et al. 2011, Hestetun et al. 2015; Goodwin et al. 2017). Although, As. (As.) maxisigma has acanthostyles, it has the following differences: fewer radial filaments, the absence of grooves, smaller mycalostyles, an absence of the strongyles. Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) quadriserialis Tendal, 1973, from the North Atlantic also has four rows of filaments, however, it can be clearly distinguished by the presence of two sizes of anisochelae. These closely related species are compared in Table 4. Asbestopluma (As.) sarsensis Goodwin et al., 2017 is similar in spiculation to As. (As.) belgicae, and also differs from the present species for the same reasons given above, in addition to also having a very different growth form. Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) obae Koltun, 1964 from Wilkes Land, Antarctica differs from the present species in lacking horizontal filaments. As shown in Fig. 3 of Ekins et al. (2020a), As. (As.) maxisigma does not have the same molecular sequence as any other Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) spp. Unfortunately, none of the closely related species listed above have any molecular sequence data either. The only one of the closest morphologically is As. (As.) cf. belgicae, which has a different molecular profile.As new collections of species of this genus and their corresponding sequences become available, will result in better resolution within the genus.

Genus Chondrocladia Thomson, 1873 Chondrocladia Thomson, 1873: 188 Crinorhiza Schmidt, 1880: 83 Meliiderma Ridley & Dendy, 1887: 102 not Neocladia Koltun, 1970: 193; Vacelet et al. 2009: 59. Diagnosis. Cladorhizidae with anchorate isochelae (from Lee et al. 2012). Type species: Chondrocladia virgata Thomson, 1873 (by monotypy)., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 437, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Thomson, C. W. (1873) The Depths of the Sea. Macmillan and Co., London, 527 pp. [https: // www. biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 1633031]","Schmidt, O. (1880) Die Spongien des Meerbusen von Mexico (Und des caraibischen Meeres). Abtheilung II. Hexactinelliden. Heft II. In: Reports on the dredging under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, in the Gulf of Mexico, by the USCSS ' Blake'. Gustav Fischer, Jena, pp. 33 - 90, pls. V - X.","Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1887) Report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. Challenger during the years 1873 - 1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H. M. S. ' Challenger', 1873 - 1876, Zoology, 20 (59), i - lxviii, 1 - 275, pls. I - LI, 1 map.","Koltun, V. M. (1970) Sponge fauna of the northwestern Pacific from the shallows to the hadal depths. In: Bogorov, V. G. (Ed.), Fauna of the Kurile-Kamchatka Trench and its environment. Institute of Oceanology of the Academy of Sciences of the U. S. S. R. 86. Akademiya Nauk SSSR. Trudy Instituta Okeanologii in P. P. Shishov and Izdatelstvo Nauka, Moskwa, pp. 165 - 221.","Vacelet, J., Kelly, M. & Schlacher-Hoenlinger, M. (2009) Two new species of Chondrocladia (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) with a new spicule type from the deep south Pacific, and a discussion of the genus Meliiderma. Zootaxa, 2073 (1), 57 - 68. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 2073.1.5","Lee, W. L., Reiswig, H. M., Austin, W. C. & Lundsten, L. (2012) An extraordinary new carnivorous sponge, Chondrocladia lyra, in the new subgenus Symmetrocladia (Demospongiae, Cladorhizidae), from off of northern California, USA. Invertebrate Biology, 131 (4), 259 - 284. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / ivb. 12001"]}

Acarnus innominatus Gray, 1867 (Figures 6–7, Table 4) Acarnus innominatus Moraes, 2011: 121. Ugalde et al. 2021: 52. Fig. 46 Examined Material. UFPEPOR 4329— Recife da Sereia (09°33’56”S 035º38’42”W, Alagoas State, Brazil), 2 February 2010, Col. Correia, M. D. UFPEPOR 4330— Recife da Sereia (09°33’56’’S 035º38’42’’W, Alagoas State, Brazil), 2 February 2011, Col. Correia, M. D. UFPEPOR 4331— Recife de Guaxuma (09º35’26”S 035º39’55”W, Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil) 27 March 2009; Col. Correia, M. D. UFPEPOR 4335— Recife de Jatiúca (9°39’16.8”S 35°41’51.6”W, Maceió, Alagoas State, Brazil), 18 January 2011. Col. Correia, M. D. Description (Fig. 6A). Thickly encrusting sponge, largest specimen (UFPEPOR 4335) with dimensions 6 x 4.5 x 1 cm (length x width x thickness). The surface is microhispid with spicules protruding externally and with subdermal gaps. Fragile and easy to break consistency. Color is beige in alcohol. Skeleton (Fig. 6B). Ectosome is formed by paratangential tylotes arranged tangentially to the surface, with cladotylotes in tufts. The choanosomal skeleton consists of a reticulation of multispicular tracts of styles, echinated by cladotylotes particularly at nodes, and, microscleres scattered in the choanosome. Spicules (Fig. 7). (UFPEPOR 4335) Tylotes, terminally microspined (225– 252.9 –275/ 3– 3.5 –6 μm). Style (387– 422.5 –475/ 6– 18.2 –26 μm). Cladotylotes I, larger, smooth and straight to lightly curved shaft, well-defined rounded tyle base and cladome with long spines, length (237– 275.4 –300 μm), shaft width (6– 10.7 –13 μm), cladome width (22– 41.6 –32 μm). Cladotylotes II, smaller, shaft with recurved spines, rounded basal tyle (flattened), length (112– 125.5 –145 μm), shaft width (3– 3.8 –6 μm), cladome width (10– 13.5 –20 μm). Palmate isochelae, 13– 15.1 –20 μm. Toxas I, accolada (225– 358.3 –575 μm); Toxas II, thin, deeply curved, (112– 148.5 –212 μm); Toxas III, oxhorn (26– 45.7 –68 μm). Distribution. Brazil: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Island (MORAES et al, 2003; MORAES, 2011); Alagoas State (present study). Floridan (LAUBENFELS, 1936). Floridian; Greater Antilles (PULITZER-FINALI, 1986). Southern Caribbean (VAN SOEST, 1984). Southern Gulf of Mexico (UGALDE et al, 2021). Southwestern Caribbean (ZEA, 1987). References: (1) van Soest, Hooper & Hiemstra, 1991; (2) Aguilar-Camacho, Carballo & Cruz-Barraza, 2013; (3) Zea, 1987 Ecology. Specimen UFPEPOR 4279 was growing on Ircinia felix (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864). Ophiuroids found on specimens UFPEPOR 4275 and 4276. Remarks. The dimensions of the styles are very similar to those reported by Zea (1987) and Ugalde (2021). However, the specimens studied here are more robust when compared to the micrometries reported in Moraes (2011), 6– 18.2 –26 vs 2– 10 –12 μm (respectively). The color in vivo usually varies between orange and reddishorange (Zea 1987; Ugalde 2021), but Moraes (2011) also recorded yellow. Acarnus innominatus can be confused in the environment with A. microxeatus sp. nov. due to the similarity in their external morphology. However, they differ by the presence of acanthoxeas and smooth microxeas in A. microxeatus sp. nov. This is the first record of the species on the Brazilian continental shelf (Alagoas State). The species distribution in the South West Atlantic was previously limited to the oceanic islands off Brazil., Published as part of Nascimento, Elielton & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2023, A new species of Acarnus Gray, 1867 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Acarnidae) from NE Brazil, pp. 521-540 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 534-538, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7961435, {"references":["Gray, J. E. (1867) Notes on the Arrangement of Sponges, with the Descriptions of some New Genera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1867 (2), 492 - 558, pls. XXVII - XXVIII, 54.","Moraes, F. C. (2011) Esponjas das Ilhas Oceanicas Brasileiras. Serie Livros 44. Museu Nacional / UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, 252 pp.","Ugalde, D., Fernandez, J. C. C., Gomez, P., Lobo-Hajdu, G. & Simies, N. (2021) An update on the diversity of marine sponges in the southern gulf of Mexico coral reefs. Zootaxa, 5031 (1), 1 - 112. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 5031.1.1","Moraes, F. C., Vilanova, E. P. & Muricy, G. (2003) Distribuicao das esponjas (Porifera) na Reserva Biologica do Atol das Rocas, Nordeste do Brasil. Arquivos do Museu Nacional, Serie Zoologia, 61 (1), 13 - 22.","Laubenfels, M. W. de (1936) A Discussion of the Sponge Fauna of the Dry Tortugas in Particular and the West Indies in General, with Material for a Revision of the Families and Orders of the Porifera. Carnegie Institute of Washington Publication, 467 (Tortugas Laboratory Paper 30), 1 - 225, pls. 1 - 22.","Pulitzer-Finali, G. (1986) A collection of West Indian Demospongiae (Porifera). In appendix, a list of the Demospongiae hitherto recorded from the West Indies. Annali del Museo civico di storia naturale Giacomo Doria, 86, 65 - 216.","Van Soest, R. W. M. (1984) Marine sponges from Curacao and other Caribbean localities. Part III. Poecilosclerida. In: Hummelinck, P. W. & Van der Steen, L. J. (Eds.), Uitgaven van de Natuurwetenschappelijke Studiekring voor Suriname en de Nederlandse Antillen. No. 112. Studies on the Fauna of Curacao and other Caribbean Islands, 66 (199), pp. 1 - 167.","Zea, S. (1987) Esponjas del Caribe Colombiano. Catalogo Cientifico, Bogota, Colombia, 286 pp.","Van Soest, R. W. M., Hooper, J. N. A. & Hiemstra, F. (1991) Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the marine sponge genus Acarnus (Porifera: Poecilosclerida). Beaufortia, 42 (3), 49 - 88.","Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., Carballo, J. L. & Cruz-Barraza, J. A. (2013) Acarnidae Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean with the description of six new species. Scientia Marina, 77 (4), 677 - 696. https: // doi. org / 10.3989 / scimar. 03800.06 a","Duchassaing, P., Michelotti, J. (1864) Supplement au memoire sur les coralliaires des Antilles. Memorie della Reale Accademia della Scienze di Torino, Serie 2, 23, 97 - 206, pls. 1 - 11."]}

Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) zygainadentonis Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020 Figures 2–3 Material examined: Holotype QM G337557, off Gladstone, Coral Sea, Queensland, Australia, Station 12, - 23.6311944 – -23.65900, 154.659694 – 154.643806, 1770– 1761 m, Beam Trawl, Coll. Merrick Ekins on RV Investigator, Cruise IN2017 _ V03, Sample 128-111, 13/vi/2017. Other Material: QM G339304, Ribbon Reef 5, Canyon 8, Great Barrier Reef Queensland, Australia, - 15.36606511, 145.8662834, 1526.89 m, Site: S0378, Sample: 55, ROV SuBastian, Coll. Jeremy Horowitz on RV FALKOR, cruise FK200802, 14/8/2020 Distribution: This species is presently known only from the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, off the Northeast coast of Queensland, bathyal depth. Description: Growth form: An erect delicate single-axis arborescent sponge resembling a tree consisting of a cylindrical stem with five columns of branches (Figs. 2 A, B). The sponge including the roots is 12 cm in height, the branches are up to 4 cm in length and the roots are also up to 4 cm in length. The stem base is short, only 12 mm in length and 2 mm in width. Each branch contains four alternate filaments (Fig. 2 C). The branches are between 0.5 and 1 mm in thickness. The filaments are up to 2.5 mm long and between 80 and 270 µm wide. Colour: White in situ, on deck and preserved in ethanol. Ectosomal skeleton: The ectosomal skeleton consists of a thin membrane containing chelae (Fig. 2 E). Choanosomal skeleton: The choanosomal skeleton consists of bundles of mycalostyles longitudinally arranged in the axis of the stem. The stem also contains the subtylostyles and rare thin subtylostyles. The filaments consist of longitudinally arranged subtylostyles, with radial arrangement for support against the stem. The roots consist of the same combination of styles bundled together as in the stem, but also include a smaller blunt style (Fig. 2 F). Megascleres: Larger mycalostyles with tapering ends and a blunt point (872-(1109)- 1280 x 14.9–(23.9)–36.0 µm, n=46) (Fig. 3 C, D). Subtylostyles with slightly swollen bases and tapering points (459–(558)–669 x 8.4– (12.2)–7.51 µm, n=34) (Figs. 3 E, F). Rare thin subtylostyles (479–(763)– 1060 x 3.0–(4.4)–6.3 µm, n=5) (Figs. 3 I, J). In the roots are blunt styles (149–(256)–371 x 1.0–(3.8)–7.1 µm, n=8) (Figs. 3 G, H). Microscleres: Abundant small tridentate unguiferate isochelae with equal sized alae (25.5– (33.9)–42.9 x 2.1– (3.2)–4.5 µm, n=41) (Fig. 3 A). Uncommon large unguiferate isochelae, with variable dentation (often 3), 44.1– (53.9)–67.9 x 3.3–(5.7)–7.1 µm, n=16 (Fig. 3 B). Rare thin sigmas 23.1–(27.1)–31.1 x 0.9–(1.0)–1.2 µm, n=2 (Fig. 3 K). Rare sigmancistras 24.7–(26.5)–27.7 x 1.9–(2.5)–3.3 µm, n=4 (Fig. 3 L). Remarks: Despite the appearance of the holotype resembling the gross morphology of Cladorhiza abyssicola Sars, 1872, C. (C.). zygainadentonis has isochelae, and it also lacks sigmas and sigmancistras. The presence of isochelae indicates it clearly belongs in Chondrocladia, as illustrated in the figures and the diagnosis of Hestetun et al. (2016a) and Ekins et al. (2020b). This species is Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) zygainadentonis Ekins et al., 2020a, with the unique unguiferate anchorate isochelae. The only other Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) with some sort of arborescent morphology is Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) dichotoma Lévi, 1964; but that species has quadridentate unguiferate isochelae. The redescription of C. (C.). zygainadentonis includes the addition of the styles in the root like appendages.

Genus Axoniderma Ridley & Dendy, 1886 Type species: Axoniderma mirabilis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) (type by monotypy) Definition: Cladorhizidae with anchorate anisochelae and a ‘crinorhizoid’ parasol morphology. Species also included: Axoniderma mirabilis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886), A. australis (Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020), A. corona (Lehnert, Watling & Stone, 2005), A. hubbsi (Lundsten, Reiswig & Austin, 2017), A. kensmithi (Lundsten, Reiswig & Austin, 2017), A. longipinna (Ridley & Dendy, 1886), A. mexicana (Lundsten, Reiswig & Austin, 2017), A. poritea (Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020) and A. similis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886). Remarks. The type species Axoniderma mirabilis was originally described as Trochoderma mirabile Ridley & Dendy, 1886, type species by monotypy of Trochoderma Ridley & Dendy, 1886 (Ridley & Dendy, 1886: 344). However, the genus was already occupied and another genus Axoniderma Ridley & Dendy, 1886 was created later, in the same publication (Ridley & Dendy, 1886: 493) to accommodate the one species. The full description of Axoniderma mirabile was completed later (Ridley & Dendy 1887: 96–98). The genus was later synonymized with Cladorhiza (Hajdu & Vacelet, 2002). All of the species previously encompassed within the genus Cladorhiza were compared (Ekins et al. 2020a), and then subsequently split (Ekins et al. 2020b) into five genera: Cladorhiza Sars, 1872 (with arbuscular morphology), Axoniderma Ridley & Dendy, 1886 (with classic parasol/umbrella morphology), Abyssosdiskos Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020 (with an upwards facing disc), Bathytentacular Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020 (with teardrop with tentacular processes) and Nullarbora Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020 (with pinnate morphology)., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 459, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1886) Preliminary report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. Challenger. Part I. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 18, 325 - 351, 470 - 493. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222938609459998","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 a) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Lehnert, H., Watling, L. & Stone, R. (2005) Cladorhiza corona sp. nov. (Porifera: Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Aleutian Islands (Alaska). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 85, 1359 - 1366. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / S 0025315405012531","Lundsten, L., Reiswig, H. M. & Austin, W. C. (2017) Three new species of Cladorhiza (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Cladorhizidae) from the Northeast Pacific Ocean. Zootaxa, 4317 (2), 247 - 260. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4317.2.3","Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1887) Report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. Challenger during the years 1873 - 1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H. M. S. ' Challenger', 1873 - 1876, Zoology, 20 (59), i - lxviii, 1 - 275, pls. I - LI, 1 map.","Hajdu, E. & Vacelet, J. (2002) Family Cladorhizidae Dendy, 1922. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.) (2002) Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. 2 Vols. Kluwer Academic / Plenum, New York, New York, pp. 636 - 641. [ISBN 0 - 306 - 47260 - 0] https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 68","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D., Goudie, L. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 b) New carnivorous sponges and allied species from the Great Australian Bight. Zootaxa, 4878 (2), 240 - 260. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4878.2.2","Sars, G. O. (1872) On some remarkable forms of animal life from the great deeps off the Norwegian coast. Part 1, partly from posthumous manuscripts of the late prof. Mich. Sars. University Program for the 1 rs half-year 1869. Brogger & Christie, Christiania, viii + 82 pp., pls. 1 - 6. [http: // biodiversitylibrary. org / page / 11677777] https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 8861"]}

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. 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). ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page 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)., Published as part of Ekins, Merrick & Hooper, John N. A., 2023, New carnivorous sponges from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia collected by ROV from the RV FALKOR, pp. 435-471 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 443-452, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/7961272, {"references":["Kelly, M. & Vacelet, J. (2011) Three new remarkable carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from deep New Zealand and Australian (Macquarie Island) waters. Zootaxa, 2976 (1), 55 - 68. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 2976.1. 4","Vacelet, J. (2006) New carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) collected from manned submersibles in the deep Pacific. Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 148, 553 - 584. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1096 - 3642.2006.00234. x","Vacelet, J. & Kelly, M. (2014) A new species of Abyssocladia (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Cladorhizidae) and other carnivorous sponges from the far eastern Solomon Islands. Zootaxa, 3815 (3), 386 - 396. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3815.3.4","Ise, Y. & Vacelet, J. (2010) New carnivorous sponges of the genus Abyssocladia (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Cladorhizidae) from Myojin Knoll, Izu-Ogasawara Arc, southern Japan. Zoological Science, 27 (11), 888 - 894. https: // doi. org / 10.2108 / zsj. 27.888","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 a) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D., Goudie, L. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020 b) New carnivorous sponges and allied species from the Great Australian Bight. Zootaxa, 4878 (2), 240 - 260. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4878.2.2","Hestetun, J. T., Rapp, H. T. & Pomponi, S. (2019) Deep-Sea Carnivorous Sponges From the Mariana Islands. Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 371. https: // doi. org / 10.3389 / fmars. 2019.00371","Levi, C. (1964) Spongiaires des zones bathyale, abyssale et hadale. Galathea Report. Scientific Results of The Danish Deep-Sea Expedition Round the World, 1950 - 52, 7, 63 - 112.","Koltun, V. M. (1970) Sponge fauna of the northwestern Pacific from the shallows to the hadal depths. In: Bogorov, V. G. (Ed.), Fauna of the Kurile-Kamchatka Trench and its environment. Institute of Oceanology of the Academy of Sciences of the U. S. S. R. 86. Akademiya Nauk SSSR. Trudy Instituta Okeanologii in P. P. Shishov and Izdatelstvo Nauka, Moskwa, pp. 165 - 221.","Vacelet, J. (2020) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from the deep South Pacific (New Caledonia) with the description of three new species of the genus Abyssocladia and remarks on genus Cercicladia. Zootaxa, 4767 (2), 257 - 276. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4767.2. 3","Ereskovsky, A. V. & Willenz, P. (2007) Esperiopsis koltuni sp. nov. (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida: Esperiopsidae), a carnivorous sponge from deep water of the Sea of Okhotsk (North Pacific). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 87 (6), 1379 - 1386. https: // doi. org / 10.1017 / s 0025315407058109"]}

Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. Figures 11–12, Tables 5–6 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 819293E6-E6BB-4032-B672-493676A91040 Material examined: Holotype: QM G339384, Wreck Plunge Pool, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia, -12.131851, 143.979498, 1980.05 m, hanging upside down in a small cave, Site: SO402, Sample: 178, ROV SuBastian, Coll. Merrick Ekins remotely in Brisbane via video live satellite feed directing the ROV pilots onboard the RV FALKOR on the Great Barrier Reef and Martie McNeil onboard the RV FALKOR, cruise FK200930, 27/10/2020. Paratypes: QM G339392, QM G339746, QM G339747, QM G339748, QM G339749 —all paratypes have the same collection details as the holotype QM G339384. Etymology. This species is named for its resemblance to the alien wanderer/wanda that parasitizes the host Melanie Stryder, played by actress Saoirse Ronan from the movie and novel by the same name i.e. “the Host”, authored by Stephenie Meyer. Distribution. This species is presently known only from the bathyal zone of the Great Barrier Reef, East Coast of Australia. Description: Growth form: The holotype consists of a pedunculated sponge, with a long thin stem that radiates at attachment in the centre of the posterior face of the sponge body. The body is an almost vertically orientated disc, concave on the anterior face, with up to 42 long thin filaments radiating out in a single plane from the disc margin in a complete circle (Figs. 11 A–G). From the top of the disc arises a thin stalk, longer and slightly thicker than all other filaments, terminating in a ‘lure’ in the shape of a minute circular fan (Fig. 11 J). The sponge body diameter is 8 mm, and 0.4 mm thick. The filaments are 23 mm long and 0.1 mm in width. The lure filament is 24 mm in length and 0.3 mm in diameter, whilst the circular lure is 1 mm in diameter. Interestingly, several specimens such as paratype G339747 has a raised bump on the stem which is most likely an oocyte-embryo swelling. Colour: The sponge body, filaments and stem are all off white, with a tan coloured lure. Ectosomal skeleton: The ectosomal skeleton, on the body, the stem and basal attachment and the filaments are covered on the external surface with tridentate ‘unguiferate’ anisochelae (Figs. 11 H–L). The lure and the filament supporting the lure are, however, covered with tridentate ‘unguiferate’ anisochelae as well as sigmancistras (Fig. 11 J). Endosomal skeleton: The endosomal skeleton of the body, the filaments, the stem and the basal attachment consist mainly of the larger mycalostyles in concentrated longitudinal bundles (Figs. 11 G–J, L), but also include the less common medium sized mycalostyles. The large mycalostyles originate in the centre of the body and radiate out to become the horizontal filaments. The stem and basal attachment and rarely the filaments also contain strongyles. The lure is composed of the medium sized mycalostyles as well as the thin ‘Lure Styles’ (Fig. 11 K). The filament for the lure is composed of the large and medium sized mycalostyles. Megascleres: The megascleres mainly consist of two different sized but overlapping mycalostyles with blunt terminations, with the largest diameter off-centre of the spicule (Figs. 12 C–F). The lure styles are long very thin and sinuous with no central thickening (Figs. 12 G, H). The strongyles are tapering with an offset thickening and blunt tips (Figs. 12 I, J). Dimensions are given in Table 5. Microscleres: The microscleres consist of abundant small anchorate ‘unguiferate’anisochelae with three large alae and five smaller alae on each end. The two outer small lower alae are paired, whilst the central lower small alae is solitary (Figs. 12 A, B). Sigmancistras are slightly contort, consist of a single size class and are restricted to the lure (Fig. 12 C, Table 5). Remarks. This species has the ‘unguiferate’ anchorate anisochelae and sigmancistras common to many other species of Cladorhiza, Axoniderma, Bathytentacular and Nullarbora. Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. is unique amongst the known species of these genera in having an external lure originating from the convex face of the body. This species is compared to other described species with any form of structure emerging from the body disk in Table 6. All species previously and currently belonging to Cladorhiza were also compared in Table 6 of Ekins et al. (2020a), and grouped morphologically by a visual icon in (Table 6, Ekins et al. 2020b). The new species Axoniderma wanda sp. nov., has a similar sclerite composition and basic morphological shape to Axoniderma corona (Lehnert, Watling & Stone, 2005), Axoniderma kensmithi (Lundsten, Reiswig & Austin, 2017) and Axoniderma mexicana (Lundsten, Reiswig & Austin, 2017). It differs from all three by orders of magnitude of size, and also has a very different lure shape and size from those three species. Axoniderma longipinna (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) is the only other sponge with a disc and some disc-like structures, but it displays the classic ‘crinorhizoid’ parasol morphology and is not related to the new species. Axoniderma corona, from the Northern Pacific Ocean is the closest related species with the presence of anisooxeas similar to the strongyles in Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. and the sub(tylostyles) from the crown similar to the styles in the lure of Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. and the mycalostyles are of an overlapping size range. However, the much larger (by orders of magnitude) in size, the very short stem of the crown, the difference in crown versus lure shape, and the different shape of the lower alae in the larger anisochelae preclude A. corona from being the same as the new species. Axoniderma kensmithi differs from Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. by the much larger (by orders of magnitude) size, the convex downward facing filaments, the appearance of four lures on the shorter stems, the larger anisochelae and sigmancistras, the shape of the styles, and the shape of the lower alae of the anisochelae. Axoniderma mexicana differs from Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. by the much larger (by orders of magnitude) size, convex body shape, the double layer of filaments, the lack of strongyles and small styles, the presence of pseudoamphiasters and the larger sigmancistras, and the different lower alae of the anisochelae. ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page ......continued on the next page All of the specimens of Axoniderma wanda sp. nov. were collected from the underside of an overhang (Fig. 11 A), and so live in an inverted position (i.e. hanging upside down), such that the concave body disc actually faces downwards, ensuring the disc does not capture the falling debris ‘snow’, as does the habitat of taking shelter under overhangs. Not all spicules on each paratype were measured, as it was considered that enough of these fragile tiny specimens were already destroyed in order to observe part of the structure under an SEM, and so ‘NM’ (i.e. Not Measured) in Table 5 is a reflection of this, rather than an indication that the spicule type was absent from the specimen.

Genus Acarnus Gray, 1867 Type species: Acarnus innominatus Gray, 1867 Definition: Non-fistular Acarnidae with cladotylote echinating spicules (Hooper 2002). Diagnosis: Non-fistulose, encrusting to massive growth forms; ectosomal tylotes with microspined ends, forming tangential or paratangential tracts (not brushes); choanosomal skeleton isodictyal, isotropic or anisotropic reticulate, occasionally plumo-reticulate or plumose or hymedesmioid in encrusting species; skeletal tracts cored by smooth styles, echinated by 1 or 2 (exceptionally 3) categories of cladotylotes, echinating acanthostyles present or absent; microscleres are palmate isochelae, toxas of several morphologies, smooth microxeas and acanthoxeas (emended from Hooper 2002, changes are in bold). Remarks: Hooper (2002) indicates the presence of cladotylote, styles, tylotes, acanthostyles, palmate isochelae and toxas of several morphologies as the spicule complement. However, acanthoxa and smooth microxea have been recorded for the genus in the present study (found so far only in Acarnus microxeatus sp. nov.)., Published as part of Nascimento, Elielton & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2023, A new species of Acarnus Gray, 1867 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Acarnidae) from NE Brazil, pp. 521-540 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 522-523, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7961435, {"references":["Gray, J. E. (1867) Notes on the Arrangement of Sponges, with the Descriptions of some New Genera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1867 (2), 492 - 558, pls. XXVII - XXVIII, 54.","Hooper, J. N. A. (2002) Family Acarnidae Dendy, 1922. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. Guide to the classification of sponges. Vol. 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London and Moscow, pp. 412 - 431. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 51"]}

Acarnus toxeata Boury-Esnault, 1973 (Figs 4–5, Table 3) Acarnus toxeata Boury-Esnault, 1973: 285, fig. 44. Van Soest et al. 1991: 62. Material examined. UFBA 2454 —Ilha Grande de Camamu (13°55’08S 38°59’59W, Camamu, Bahia State, Brazil), August 2004, Col. Andrade, W., 16m depth. UFBA 2456 —(13°56’00.4”S 38°59’29.6”W, off Marau, Bahia State, Brazil), August 2004, Col. Andrade, W., intertidal. UFBA 2700 —(13°32’31.56”S 38°35’27.96”W, off Cairu, Bahia State, Brazil), 28 August 2004, Col. Lopes, U. UFBA 2703 —Baía de Camumu (13°54’33.4”S 38°59’40.4”W, off Maraú, Bahia State, Brazil), 06 August 2005, Col. Guerrazzi, M. C. UFBA 2704 — Rio Maraú /Baía de Camamu (13°53’42.6”S 39°00’28.1”W, off Maraú, Bahia State, Brazil), 13 September 2003, Col. Guerrazzi, M. C. UFBA 2705 — Rio Maraú /Baía de Camamu (13°53’42.6”S 39°00’28.1”W, off Maraú, Bahia State, Brazil), 30 October 2004, Col. Guerrazzi, M. C. UFBA 3170 —(13°32’29.5”S 38°59’29.7”W, Cairu, Bahia State, Brazil), 25 April 2004, Col. Guerrazzi, M. C., 7,6 m depth. Description (Fig. 4A). Thinly to thickly encrusting sponge. Surface hispid with spicules protruding externally. Fragile consistency, easy to break. No color recorded from the living materials, but pale to ochre when stored in ethanol. Skeleton (Fig. 4B). Reticulate anisotropic choanosomal skeleton formed by ascending multispicular tracts of styles, interconnected by secondary multispicular tracts of styles. Choanosome with echinating cladotylotes I and II, and scattered microscleres. Spicules (Fig. 5). Terminally microspined tylotes with barely swollen heads, 212– 250.4 –313/ 2– 3.4 –5 μm. Styles long, lightly curved, with microspined, but also occasionally smooth heads, 364– 467 –555/ 5– 9.7 –15 μm. Cladotylotes I, larger, with few, if any, spines on the shaft (maximum 4 spikes), cladomes with 4–6 clads, length 162– 220.1 –252 μm, shaft width 2– 5.5 –7 μm, cladome width 15– 21.7 –27 μm. Cladotylote II, smaller, heavily spined (8–13 spikes), with 4–6 clads, length 83– 96.8 –141 μm, shaft width 1– 2 –4 μm, cladome width 5– 7.6 –12 μm. Isochelae, 10– 10.7– 12 μm. Toxas I, accolada (222– 435.6 –656 μm); Toxas II, thin deeply curved (50– 128.9 –313 μm); Toxa III, oxhorn (35– 55.2 –81 μm). Distribution. Bahia State, Brazil. Ecology. The specimens occur encrusting bivalve shells and rhodolites. Remarks. This species was described by Boury-Esnault (1973) based on a unique specimen (holotype: MNHN DNBe. 1037) from Bahia State (off Abrolhos). This author described the external morphology, provided drawings of the spicule set, but did not describe the skeletal architecture. Boury-Esnault (1973) distinguished this species from the other congeners by having larger styles, two categories of spined cladotylotes and three categories of toxas. Later, Van Soest et al. (1991) reexamined microscopic slides of the holotype and characterized in more detail the spicules, but did not provide information on the choanosomal structure, and also stated that A. toxeata is characterized by presenting choanosomal styles, the larger cladotylotes, and the accolada toxa greatly exceeded ...Continued on the next page References: (1) van Soest, Hooper & Hiemstra, 1991; (2) Aguilar-Camacho, Carballo & Cruz-Barraza, 2013 the size when comparing the dimensions of these spicules among the other species of the “tortilis” group. So, here we provide, for the first time, SEMs of the spicule set and a characterization of the skeletal arrangement of other specimens of A. toxeata. Acarnus toxeata has cladotylotes with base curved spines, which are similar to A. deweerdtae, A. topsenti, A. oaxaquensis, A. sabulum. However, these species differ from A. toxeata by having one category of cladotylotes of A. topsenti (two in A. toxeata), two categories of toxas in Acarnus oaxaquensis (three categories in A. toxeata), smaller sized cladotylotes and toxas (at least 50% smaller) in Acarnus sabulum when compared to A. toxeata spicules. Acarnus deweerdtae is the most similar species to A. toxeata in having lightly spined larger cladotylotes and the retention of normal accolada toxa. However, it presents three categories of cladotylote (versus two of A. toxeata), in addition to the absence of oxhorn toxa (present in A. toxeata). The very evident difference between A. toxeata and A. claudei is the base of the cladotylote, while the former possesses rounded spines, the second has tyles flattened and is provided with lobes and blunt protrusions (Van Soest et al. 1991). Acarnus bergquist is similar to A. toxeata by the presence of two categories of cladotylotes, but differs in lacking accolada toxa (present in A. toxeata) and having only two categories of toxas (three categories in A. toxeata). Acarnus tortilis has larger cladotylotes heavily spined along the shaft, but A. toxeata has larger cladotylote with few spines or a smooth shaft. The specimens analyzed in this study present dimensions of cladotylotes II, isochelae, thin deeply-curved toxas and accolada toxas similar to the original description. However, cladotylotes I, tylotes, oxhorn toxas are slightly smaller, but considered within the size range for the species (Table 3). After micrometric analysis of the spicules, we observed that the size range of styles among the specimens of A. toxeata is very similar to other species from the “tortilis” group (Table 3). In this sense, it is not reliable to consider the size of the styles as a diagnostic character. Therefore, we suggest that the diagnosis of the species is the presence of three distinct categories of toxas, where the maximum size of the accolada toxas exceeds 500 micrometers. From the study of these specimens, we expanded the bathymetric range of occurrence of the species, previous originally known to 50 m depth and here was found at 7 m and 16 m depth., Published as part of Nascimento, Elielton & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2023, A new species of Acarnus Gray, 1867 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Acarnidae) from NE Brazil, pp. 521-540 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on pages 529-534, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7961435, {"references":["Boury-Esnault, N. (1973) Resultats Scientifiques des Campagnes de la ' Calypso'. Campagne de la ' Calypso' au large des cotes atlantiques de l'Amerique du Sud (1961 - 1962). I. 29. Spongiaires. Annales de l'Institut oceanographique, 49 (Supplement 10), 263 - 295.","Van Soest, R. W. M., Hooper, J. N. A. & Hiemstra, F. (1991) Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the marine sponge genus Acarnus (Porifera: Poecilosclerida). Beaufortia, 42 (3), 49 - 88.","Aguilar-Camacho, J. M., Carballo, J. L. & Cruz-Barraza, J. A. (2013) Acarnidae Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean with the description of six new species. Scientia Marina, 77 (4), 677 - 696. https: // doi. org / 10.3989 / scimar. 03800.06 a"]}

Identification key for Atlantic Acarnus spp 1- Acanthostyles present.................................................................................. 2 - Acanthostyles absent.................................................................................. 6 2- Acanthoxeas present................................................................. A. microxeatus sp. nov. - Acanthoxeas absent................................................................................... 3 3- Only a single category of cladotylotes present............................................................... 4 - Two categories of cladotylotes present..................................................................... 5 4- Only a single category of acanthostyles present...................................................... A. radovani - Two categories of acanthostyles present............................................................ A. souriei 5- Two categories of toxas........................................................................... A. levii - Three categories of toxas....................................................................... A. nicoleae 6- Styles with a smooth base; larger cladotylotes with a smooth shaft................................... A. innominatus - Styles with microspined or rugose base; two categories of microspined cladotylotes................................. 7 7- Two categories of cladotylotes........................................................................... 8 - Three categories of cladotylotes............................................................... A. deweerdtae 8- Three categories of toxas............................................................................... 9 - Two categories of toxas......................................................................... A. tortillis 9- Cladotylotes I with basal tyle flattened and provided with lobes and blunt protrusions........................ A. claudei - Cladotylotes I with basal tyle bearing curved spines................................................... A. toxeata, Published as part of Nascimento, Elielton & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2023, A new species of Acarnus Gray, 1867 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Acarnidae) from NE Brazil, pp. 521-540 in Zootaxa 5293 (3) on page 538, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5293.3.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7961435

Two new species of Discorhabdella are described from Sagami Bay, Japan. Discorhabdella has been suggested to have an ancient Tethyan origin according to discovery of their unique pseudoastrose acanthostyles from late Eocene to Oligocene deposits. This is the first record of the genus from the northwest Pacific and first record of the family Crambeidae from Japan. Discorhabdella hispidasp. nov. is distinctive within the genus by possession of special sigmoid microscleres and C-shaped isochelae with short alae. Discorhabdella misakiensissp. nov. is characterized by short choanosomal subtylostyles, and their length overlapped with that of the ectosomal subtylostyles. Only one other species, Discorhabdella tuberosocapitata (Topsent, 1890), has the same spicule composition. However, all spicule types are larger in D. tuberosocapitata than those of D. misakiensissp. nov., and the shape of the isochelae is different: the alae are more widely opened in D. tuberosocapitata. An identification key to species of the genus Discorhabdella is also provided. The discovery of two new species from warm temperate northwest Pacific extends the geographical distribution of the genus Discorhabdella.

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.

Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) peruana sp. nov. (Figures 3–4; Table 1) Material examined. Holotype ― MNRJ 13694 (Vouchers: RBINS – IG 32841 – POR 13694, MHNG 85931), Isla Foca, Piura Region (5.19529S, 81.2160W), depth 26 m, coll. Y. Hooker & M. Rios (13/XII/2009). Diagnosis. Hymedesmia (H.) orange in situ. Acanthostyles I echinating and acanthostyles II forming microconules at surface. Three categories of acanthostyles, bigger and intermediate ones partially spined, and smaller entirely spined (I. 262–360 × 7–10 µm; II. 118–231 × 3.5–10 µm; III. 65–106 x 2.6–6.1), tornotes (117–146 ×1.6–3µm), arcuate chelae (14.7–21.3 µm). Description (Fig. 3A). Thinly encrusting sponge (8.8 cm 2), less than 1 mm thick (0.16 to 0.6 mm). Consistency very soft and fragile. Surface smooth. Color in life orange (Fig. 3A), turning to beige when preserved in ethanol. Skeleton (Figs 3B–C). Ectosomal skeleton with ectosomal strongyles forming bundles (4 to 7 spicules) extending up from the substrate. Choanosomal acanthostyles I may pierce the surface occasionally (Fig. 3B). Subectosomal and choanosomal skeletons overlapping, with subectosomal canals (45–265 µm diameter). Choanosomal skeleton composed of typical hymedesmioid structure, consisting of a basal layer of spongin with acanthostyles I and II erect on the substrate (Fig. 3B–C). Acanthostyles I pierce the ectosome and the acanthostyles II support the surface, forming microconules. Isochelae appear scattered in the ectosome, and some tylostyles lay parallel to, or flat on the substratum. Spicules (Figs 3D–K, 4; Table 1). Ectosomal diactines: tornotes, straight, isodiametric (Fig. 3G), with conical extremities, 117– 132.3 –146 (± 11.8) × 1.6– 2.2 –2.9 (± 0.4) µm (Figs 3H–I). Choanosomal acanthostyles I (Figs 3D, 4): hastate to acerate tip tapering gradually, rounded base; shaft straight, with spines occupying the basal two thirds of its length; spines mostly slightly curved, those of the base larger than those of the shaft, 262– 300.7 –360 (± 34.3) × 7.7– 8.3 –9.8 (± 0.8) µm. Choanosomal acanthostyles II (Figs 3E, 4): similar to acanthostyles I, but slightly smaller, 118– 182.7 –231 (± 40.3) × 3.5– 6.5 –9.6 (± 2.0). Choanosomal acanthostyles III ( Figs 3F, 4): straight, tapering gradually, acerate tip and rounded base, spined all over, 65.7– 78.2 –106 (± 11.1) × 2.6– 4.1 –6.1 (± 0.8) µm. Arcuate isochelae (Figs 3J–K): one free spatulate ala and two lateral alae semi-fused with the shaft (Fig. 3K), shaft characteristically curved, bow shaped, 14.7– 16.4 –21.3 (± 1.4) µm. Ecology. This single specimen was epibiontic on a bivalve shell at 26 m depth. Distribution. Known only from its type locality, Isla Foca. Etymology. The species name “ peruana ” is used as a noun in apposition that refers to Peru. Remarks. Hymedesmia (H.) peruana sp. nov. differs from H. (H.) santarositae sp. nov., by the combined absence of sigmas and microstrongyles (Table 1). Hymedesmia (H.) croftsae Goodwin et al., 2012 has similarly small ectosomal tornotes, but these are strongylote, and acanthostyles, albeit exhibiting similar overall dimensions, seemingly cannot be separated in three categories. Hymedesmia (H.) humboldti sp. nov. also bears some similarities, which are further elaborated in its remarks (see below). Other species of Hymedesmia (H.) considered here (reported from the Antarctic, Sub-antarctic, SW Atlantic and SE Pacific) possess considerably larger spicules, none has three categories of acanthostyles, and many are only known from the deep sea., Published as part of Salani, Sula, Willenz, Philippe, Fernandez, Julio C. C. & Hajdu, Eduardo, 2022, Three new Hymedesmia Bowerbank, 1864 (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida Hymedesmiidae) from the Southeast Pacific (Peru and Chile), pp. 217-240 in Zootaxa 5165 (2) on pages 221-223, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/6831761, {"references":["Goodwin, C., Brewin, P. E. & Brickle, P. (2012) Sponge biodiversity of South Georgia Island with descriptions of fifteen new species. Zootaxa, 3542 (1), 1 - 48. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3542.1.1"]}

Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) santarositae sp. nov. (Figure 2; Table 1) Material examined. Holotype ― MNRJ 12843 (Vouchers: RBINS-IG 32240 - POR12843, MHNG 85676), Isla Santa Rosa 2, Reserva Nacional de Paracas, Ica Region (14.31950S, 76.16456W), depth 8 m, coll. F. Azevedo, Y. Hooker & Ph. Willenz (10/XII/2008). Diagnosis. Hymedesmia (H.) with arcuate chelae, microstrongyles and sigmas. Description (Figs 2A–B). Thinly encrusting sponge (≈ 15.2 cm 2), less than 1 mm thick (0.2 to 0.8 mm, Fig. 2A). Consistency very soft and fragile. Surface smooth, with visible oval to circular areolated porefields (3.4 x 1.3 cm largest and smallest diameters) and subectosomal canals, oscula visible in situ (≈ 0.2–0.4 cm). (Fig. 2B). Color brownish beige in life (in situ) and beige transparent when preserved in ethanol. Skeleton (Figs 2C–D). Ectosomal skeleton with ectosomal strongyles to subtylotes forming longitudinal bundles from surface to substrate (Fig. 2C). Subectosomal and choanosomal skeletons overlapping, composed of typical hymedesmioid structure, consisting of a basal layer of spongin, with acanthostyles I and II erect on the substrate (Fig. 2C). Isochelae, sigmas and microstrongyles (Fig. 2D) appear scattered in the sponge, and some acanthostyles I lay parallel to, or flat on the substrate. Spicules (Figs 2E–N; Table 1). Ectosomal diactines: strongyles to subtylotes, smooth, straight (Fig. 2G) with rounded ends (Fig. 2 H –I), 129– 153.1 –187 (± 16.3) × 3.6– 4.5 –5.2 (± 0.4) × 3.8–5.0 µm (tyle, N = 3) (Figs 2G–I). Choanosomal acanthostyles I (Fig. 2E): larger, apex tapering gradually, acerate tip, base occasionally with a more or less distinct swelling; shaft straight to slightly curved, spines slightly curved or conical and spread from base to mid shaft, 158– 206.2 –270 (± 31.9) × 5.4– 8.3 –11.1 (± 1.9) µm. Choanosomal acanthostyles II (Fig. 2F).: straight, tapering gradually, acerate tip and round base, spines spread all along the spicule, curved, those at the base bent as hooks, 76– 83.8 –96 (± 5.0) × 4.9– 6.1 –7.9 (± 0.7) µm. Arcuate isochelae (Figs 2M–N): one free spatulate ala and two lateral alae semi-fused with the shaft; shaft characteristically curved, bow-shaped, 17– 19.1 –21 (± 1.1) × 2.4– 3.7 –4.8 µm. Sigmas (Fig. 2J): C shape, tips straight and acerate, 27– 29.4 –33 (± 2.2) × 2.9– 3.2 –3.9 (± 0.3) µm. Microstrongyles (Figs 2K–L): smooth, curved and robust, rounded ends, 24– 28.6 –34 (± 2.7) × 2.3– 3.4 –4.6 (± 0.5) µm. Ecology. Specimen collected from a nearly vertical rocky substratum, at 8m depth. Growing over tubes of polychaetes. Distribution. Known only from its type locality, Isla Santa Rosa. Etymology. The species name, “ santarositae ” refers to its type locality also called Isla Santa Rosa. Remarks. Hymedesmia (H.) santarositae sp. nov. differs from all other Hymedesmia species (table 2) by the presence of microstrongyles as microscleres, in addition to arcuate chelae and sigmas.

Despite its 2000 km long shoreline, to date less than 50 sponge species have been reported from the entire Peruvian coast. A large collecting effort targeting marine sponges was undertaken between 2007 and 2009, yielding a comprehensive collection of nearly 900 samples, whose taxonomic study is underway. Three new species of Hymedesmiidae are presently described from the Peruvian coast, all belonging in Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia), one of which also found in Chile. Hymedesmia (H.) santarositae sp. nov., from Isla Santa Rosa (Paracas), is characterized by the presence of microstrongyles next to sigmas. Hymedesmia (H.) peruana sp. nov., from Isla Foca (Piura), is diagnosed by its three categories of acanthostyles, and single categories of tornotes and arcuate isochelae. Hymedesmia (H.) humboldti sp. nov., from Moquega and Arequipa regions in Peru, and Antofagasta and Atacama regions in Chile, is diagnosed by its two categories of acanthostyles, and single categories of (aniso)strongyles and arcuate isochelae, the latter abundant at the surface. An identification key for Hymedesmia spp. from the South-eastern Pacific, South-western Atlantic, the Sub-Antarctic and the Antarctic is provided.

Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) humboldti sp. nov. (Figure 5; Table 1) Material examined. Holotype ― MNRJ 12078 (Vouchers: RBINS – IG 32240 – POR 12078, MHNG 85520), Punta Coles, Ilo, Moquega Region, Peru (17.7S, 71.3808W), depth 13 m, coll. Y. Hooker, Ph. Willenz & M. Rios (06/ XI/2008). Paratype ― MNRJ 12144 (Vouchers: RBINS – IG 32240 – POR 12144, MHNG 85587), Matarani, Bahia Uncupita, Arequipa Region, Peru (16.8370 S, 72.291W), depth 9 m, coll. Y. Hooker & U. Zanabria (27/ XI /2008). Additional material. IZUA – POR 175 (voucher and slides deposited as MNRJ 9254), Punta Choros, La Serena, Chile (29.8166S, 71.28333 W), depth 13 m, coll. E. Hajdu & G. Lobo-Hajdu (21/V/2005). MNRJ 9283, Mejillones Peninsula, Antofagasta, Chile (23.083 S, 70.433 W), depth 13 m, coll. E. Hajdu & G. Lobo-Hajdu (24/V/2005); MNRJ 14875, 14879, Isla Damas, Punta Choros, Chile (29.2377S, 71.5197W), depth 10 m, coll. D. Schories (21/ XI/2009). Type locality. Punta Coles, Ilo, Moquega Region, Peru (17.7 S, 71.3808 W). Diagnosis. Hymedesmia (H.) reddish orange in situ, with visible circular porefields and oscules. Acanthostyles I partially spined (153–320 × 6–17 µm), acanthostyles II entirely spined (55–150 × 5–15 µm), (aniso)strongyles (128–275 × 2–8 µm), and arcuate chelae (16–25 µm), abundant at the surface. Description (Fig. 5A–B). Thinly encrusting sponge (0.7–1.5 mm thick) (Fig. 5A). The largest individual (IZUA–POR 175) covered an area of 640 cm 2. Surface smooth, completely covered by small, circular porefields (≈ 2 mm in diameter). Some oscules scattered on the surface (0.7–3.0 mm diameter, Fig. 5B). Consistency very soft and fragile. Color in life is reddish orange (Fig. 5A–B), turning to beige when preserved in ethanol. Skeleton (Fig. 5C). Ectosomal skeleton with anisostrongyles forming bundles extending from surface to substrate. Porefield skeleton formed by many unitary strongyles in a mesh, organized as a conical structure. Subectosomal canals less than 0.8 mm in diameter. Subectosomal and choanosomal skeletons overlapping, composed of typical hymedesmioid structure, consisting of a basal layer of spongin with acanthostyles I and II erect on the substratum.Acanthostyles I support the ectosome without piercing it. Isochelae form a scattered layer at the surface, with some found in the choanosome. Incubated larvae present in MNRJ 9524 (≈ 300 µm diameter). Spicules (Figs 5D–J; Table 1). [Only holotype measurements presented here; for additional data see Table 1]. Ectosomal anisostrongyles (Figs 5F–H), smooth and straight (Fig. 5F), with rounded and mucronate ends (Fig. 5G–H), 128– 167.9 –186 (± 13.4) × 2.7– 3.8 –5.4 (± 0.6) × 2.7– 3.7 –4.7µm (tyle). Choanosomal acanthostyles I (Fig. 5D), acerate tips tapering gradually, rounded base, shaft slightly curved, with spines occupying the basal two thirds of its length, spines mostly slightly curved, those of the base larger than those of the shaft, 153– 215.6 –283 (± 37.2) × 5– 11.3 –13 (± 1.4) µm. Choanosomal acanthostyles II (Fig. 5E), straight, tapering gradually, mucronate tip and rounded base, spines spread all over, 88– 107.1 –128 (± 8.7) × 5– 8.3 –10 (± 0.9) µm. Arcuate chelae (Fig. 5I–J), one free spatulate ala and two lateral alae semi-fused with the shaft, which is characteristically curved, bow shaped, 19– 21.8 –24 (± 1.3) × 2.8– 2.9 –3.1 (± 0.1) µm. Ecology. The sponge was epibiont on dead cirripeds, bryozoans, and serpulid polychaetes at 9–13 m depth. Distribution. Known from Arequipa and Moquega regions in Peru, and from central-northern Chile (Antofagasta and Punta Choros), spanning the latitudes 16.84º to 29.24º S. Etymology. The specific epithet “ humboldti ”, used as a noun in apposition, refers to the Humboldt current flowing north along most of the Chilean and Peruvian coasts, including all the localities the species was recorded from. Remarks. This species is quite similar to H. (H.) peruana sp. nov., but has somewhat larger ectosomal tornotes, only two categories of acanthostyles, and more pronouncedly curved chelae concentrated in the ectosome., Published as part of Salani, Sula, Willenz, Philippe, Fernandez, Julio C. C. & Hajdu, Eduardo, 2022, Three new Hymedesmia Bowerbank, 1864 (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida Hymedesmiidae) from the Southeast Pacific (Peru and Chile), pp. 217-240 in Zootaxa 5165 (2) on page 224, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/6831761

Subgenus Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) Bowerbank, 1864 Type species. H. (H.) zetlandica Bowerbank, 1864. Diagnosis. Hymedesmia with arcuate isochelae, to which sigmas and/or microstrongyles may be added. Remarks. Van Soest’s (2002) definition is adapted here, accounting for the possible occurrence of microstrongyles too., Published as part of Salani, Sula, Willenz, Philippe, Fernandez, Julio C. C. & Hajdu, Eduardo, 2022, Three new Hymedesmia Bowerbank, 1864 (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida Hymedesmiidae) from the Southeast Pacific (Peru and Chile), pp. 217-240 in Zootaxa 5165 (2) on page 219, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5165.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/6831761, {"references":["Bowerbank, J. S. (1864) A monograph of the British Spongiadae. Volume 1. Ray Society, London, 290 pp., XXXVII pls. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 2038","van Soest, R. W. M. (2002) Family Hymedesmiidae Topsent, 1928. In: Hooper, J. N. A., van Soest, R. W. M. & Willenz, Ph. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. 1. Kluwer Academic / Plenum Publishers, New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow, pp. 575 - 593. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 62"]}

Subgenus Asbestopluma Topsent, 1901 Diagnosis: Asbestopluma without spear-shaped microtylostyles (from Lopes et al. 2011)., Published as part of Rengaiyan, Periasamy & Ingole, Baban, 2022, Three New Carnivorous sponge species (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge, pp. 451-486 in Zootaxa 5162 (5) on page 454, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5162.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6816801, {"references":["Topsent, E. (1901) Notice preliminaire sur les eponges recueillies par l'Expedition Antarctique Belge. Archives de Zoologie Experimentaleet Generale, Series 3, 9 (Notes et Revue), V - XVI"]}

Asbestopluma (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. Figures 4–5, Table 2 Material examined. Holotype. NCPOR /HYD-IOCIR/0034, seamount of the Central Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, 23° 9’ 47.88’’ S, 69° 31’ 51.96’’ E, 1917 m, MGS Sagar, cruise no: MGS 35A, MGS-35A, 05 April 2020, Benthic Sledge, Coll. Periasamy R, samples in 70% ethanol, sample MGS_35A_BD21(D). Paratype. NCPOR /HYD-IOCIR/0035 same collection details as for holotype. Etymology. The species name “ bharatiyae ” refers to the Bharat Dynasty. In the ancient era, Emperor Bharat (India) gave his name to the dynasty, referred to as Mahabharat or Akhand Bharat. Gender is feminine. Distribution. Asbestopluma (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. is known only from its type locality in the seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge system. Diagnosis: The holotype is a live sponge attached to dead coral, having a dichotomously branched main stem 0.4–0.8 mm wide. The holotype is 60.5 mm long, and the axis is 0.6 mm wide. The main axis surface tissue is somewhat uneven and covered with a mass of short fine fibers (Figure 4A). Description. Shape and size: The holotype has a dichotomously branching stem of 14 mm in length and 0.8 mm in width at the base area and 0.4 mm wide in the upper area. Tightly set filaments on both sides of its bifurcating habit. The paratype consists of three smaller fragments 5–8 mm in length with similar morphology to the holotype. White colour when preserved (Figure 4A). Skeleton: The axis of the main stem is composed of longitudinally tightly bound arranged mycalostyles (Figure 4B). A layer of confusedly aligned axes of subtylostyles forms the outer cortex with an uneven surface of the main stem and contains abundant large anisochelae and sigmas. The numerous filaments, composed of subtylostyles, are placed at right angles pointing somewhat apically that are shorter than those mycalostyles (Figure 4C). Foraminifera a prey, entangled in the filament is seen in Figure 4D. The smaller anisochelae are rare in the main stem; abundant large anisochelae cover both the stem and the filament-bearing upper stem (Figure 4E). The small anisochelae are very abundant and are found covering the filaments (Figure 4F–G). Mycalostyles: Slightly curved, fusiform, size range: 574.4–(724.2)–851.9 µm long, 16.4–(20.4)–29.78 µm wide (Figure 5A, Table 2). Subtylostyles: straight, size range: 297.8–(362.6)–553.1 µm long, 8.7–(11.6)–14.4 µm wide (Figure 5B). Anisochelae I: Head of anisochelae with large lateral alae attached to the shaft along about two-thirds of their length, with a sizeable frontal ala, ovoid. The shaft is weakly curved in the first part and has two small fimbriae close to the foot. Size range: 24.5–(32.7)–36.65 µm, shaft diameter 4.3–5.4 µm (Figure 5C–F). ......continued on the next page TABLE 2. (Continued) ......continued on the next page TABLE 2. (Continued) ......continued on the next page TABLE 2. (Continued) ......continued on the next page TABLE 2. (Continued) Anisochelae II: Numerous, covering rare in the main stem and very abundant in the filaments, curved shaft, and upper tooth in the central part about half the total length of the anisochelae, and lateral upper alae covering about 80% of the shaft. The lower end of the anisochelae is in the form of two small plates with a central part of the anisochelae, size range: 4.5–(5.1)–6.4 µm (Figure 5G–H). Sigmancistras: Contorted, concave side flattened, size range: 19.84–(22.9)–27.7 µm (Figure 5I–J). Molecular data. GenBank accession number, 28S: MW810078, mtCOI: MW868386. Remarks. In terms of spicule measurements of A. (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. is closely related to A. (A.) jamescooki Hestetun, Rapp & Xavier, 2017, described earlier from seamounts in the Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge (Hestetun et al. 2017a), and A. (A.) desmophora Kelly & Vacelet, 2011 which was initially described from seamounts along the Macquarie Ridge in the vicinity of New Zealand, and subsequently recorded from seamounts in the eastern Solomon Islands (Vacelet & Kelly 2014). Asbestopluma (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. differs from A. (A.) desmophora in lacking desmas, and acanthosubtylostrongyles (which appear to be unique in the latter species compared to other members of the genus), and in the shape of the two types of anisochelae. The larger anisochelae in A. (A.) desmophora and A. (A.) jamescooki are triangular and their upper ends are palmate, while in A. (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. upper end of the anisochelae is more rounded, with major notches between alae and the shaft of the anisochelae (Figure 5G–H). The smaller palmate anisochelae are more rounded and with the alae covering the shaft in A. (A.) jamescooki than in A. (A.) desmophora. The same general spicule morphology in A. (A.) jamescooki from the SWIOR, from which A. (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. species from the CIR can be distinguished by geographical distance, general habitus, and other spicule measurements (Table 2). A. (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. species has bifurcating habit similar to A. (A.) furcata Lundbeck, 1905, A. (A.) jamescooki, and A. (A.) ruetzleri Hestetun, Tompkins-Macdonald & Rapp, 2017 species, but these species differ from the others by the different shapes of anisochelae. Molecular data based on mtCOI and 28S genes from this species has been included in a phylogenetic tree which shows a separate branch of A. (A.) bharatiyae sp. nov. and sister group to A. (A.) jamescooki with high bootstrap support (87) than in A. (A.) desmophora., Published as part of Rengaiyan, Periasamy & Ingole, Baban, 2022, Three New Carnivorous sponge species (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge, pp. 451-486 in Zootaxa 5162 (5) on pages 457-464, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5162.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6816801, {"references":["Topsent, E. (1901) Notice preliminaire sur les eponges recueillies par l'Expedition Antarctique Belge. Archives de Zoologie Experimentaleet Generale, Series 3, 9 (Notes et Revue), V - XVI","Koltun, V. M. (1964) Sponges of the Antarctic. 1 Tetraxonida and Cornacuspongida. In: Pavlovskii, E., Andriyashev, A. & Ushakov, P. (Eds.), Biological Reports of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1955 - 1958). Academy of Sciences of the U. S. S. R., Israel Program for Scientific Translations Ltd., Jerusalem, pp. 1 - 372, pls. I - VIII. [English translation]","Hestetun, J. T., Rapp, H. T. & Xavier, J. (2017 a) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from the Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge seamounts. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 137, 166 - 189. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. dsr 2.2016.03.004","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1","Vacelet, J. & Kelly, M. (2014) A new species of Abyssocladia (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Cladorhizidae) and other carnivorous sponges from the far eastern Solomon Islands. Zootaxa, 3815 (3), 386. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3815.3.4","Hestetun, J. T., Tompkins-Macdonald, G. & Rapp, H. T. (2017 b) A review of carnivorous sponges (Porifera: Cladorhizidae) from the boreal north Atlantic and Arctic. Zoological Journal of the Linnaean Society, 181, 1 - 69. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / zoolinnean / zlw 022"]}

Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) indiyansis sp. nov. Figures 2–3, Table 2 Material examined. Holotype. NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0031, seamount of the Central Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, 23° 09’ 47.88’’S, 69° 31’ 51.96’’E, 1917 m, 05 April 2020, Benthic Sledge, Coll. Periasamy R, samples in 70% ethanol, MGS Sagar, cruise MGS-35, Sample MGS_35A_BD21(A). Paratype. NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0032 collection details same as holotype, NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0033 collection details same as holotype. Etymology. This species name “ indiyansis ” refers to the country (India). Gender is feminine. Distribution. Species A. (A.) indiyansis sp. nov. is presently known only from the type locality (seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge). Description. Shape and size. The elongated holotype (NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0031) is attached to the dead coral. Holotype forms an unbranched, slender spicular axis arranged at right angles around the main stem. It consists of several bundles of longitudinal mycalostyles forming the main axis among rows of finner filaments tightly placed in all directions with a disc-shaped basal attachment (Figure 2A). The main stem of the sponge is protected by subtylostyle projecting at right angles. It measures 10.2–11.4 cm in total length, with the sponge body 2.8–3.1 mm in diameter. Colour in life is beige, whitish beige when preserved in ethanol. Paratype NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0032 has an unbranched, slender spicular axis and it has a total length of 54.3 mm, a diameter of 3.1 mm. The colour in life is beige. Paratype NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0033 is very similar to the holotype, 62.6 mm in length, with a diameter of 2.3 mm. The colour is life beige scuro when preserved (Figure 2A–B). Skeleton. The main axis of the stem consists of tight bundles of mycalostyles arranged longitudinally with more tissue densely packed in the center. The axis of the filaments (Figure 2C) is supported by rays of mycalostyles placed in a radial pattern and anchored in the main stem. In cross-section, the stem consists of widely spaced bundles of mycalostyles, with a tiny core (Figure 2B–F). Mycalostyle. Spicules of the main axis at the core of the stem, abruptly pointed, size 1089–(1240)–1389 µm long and 32.6–(36.5)–40.4 µm wide (Figure 3A, Table 2). Subtylostyles. Spicules of lateral filaments or body, straight, fusiform, size 258.8–(288.8)–315.4 µm long and 7.7–(9)–10.1 µm wide (Figure 3B). Desmas. Monocrepid, 551–(588)–808 × 25–(47.1)–75 (Figure 3C). Anisochelae I. Numerous, somewhat curved shaft, 70% of the total length covering the primary tooth, alae, three dorsal processes of anisochelae within the lower end, and 30% of the full size covering two well-developed frontal teeth. The upper tooth in the central part of the spicule and lateral alae reach down almost touching the lower end. The foot of the anisochelae is developed into two diverging alae, while the central part has three teeth. The size is 42.9–47.1–51.1 µm long (Figure 3D–E). Anisochelae II. Nearly spherical, the head consisting large lateral alae close to the shaft down their whole length, with a shaft strongly curved bearing two large triangular lateral fimbriae, and smaller third fimbriae in the middle. 90% of the total length is covered with a central tooth and the lower end of the anisochelae has three dorsal processes, with 10% of the full size covered by two well-developed frontal teeth. Further, the main part’s upper tooth and lateral alae reach down to touch and fit between the lower alae. The foot of the anisochelae is developed into two small diverging alae. The size ranges 29.5–40.6 µm long (Figure 3F–H). Anisochelae III. Curved shaft, with 70% of its total length covered by a central tooth, lateral alae, pointed bottom teeth, and claw-like alae at the lower end of anisochelae, with two rudimentary dorsal alae. The leaf-shaped plate of the central part has upwardly-pointed central alae about 1/6th of its total length, size 13.55–(18.34)–23.12 µm long (Figure 3H–J). Sigmancistras. 90° contorted, internal margin compacted, size 20.2–(22.6)–25.1 µm long (Figure 3I–K). Molecular data. GenBank accession number, 28S: MW810077, mtCOI: MW868385. Remarks. This species has a single stem with filaments in rows which is common in the genus and the two types of anisochela and sigmancistras of microsclere spicules are also typical for Asbestopluma. The A. (A.) indiyansis sp. nov. species that most closely matches the habit and spicule complement and spicule morphology of A. (A.) pseudoisochela Hestetun, Rapp & Xavier, 2017, A. (A.) pennatula (Schmidt, 1875) and A. (A.) cf. belgicae (Topsent, 1901). A. (A.) indiyansis sp. nov. differs from other known species by having two types of anisochelae (Figure 3C–E). The new species appears similar morphology to that of the distal parts of A. (A.) pseudoisochela from the SWIOR but differs in having the desmas branching forms. The new species is also similar to A. (A.) cf. belgicae from the Southern Ocean and Southeastern Atlantic (Koltun 1964, Topsent 1901). This new species is unique among the known Asbestopluma species by a combination of its morphology and the unique shape of its anisochelae, and they are roughly spherical. Asbestopluma (A.) bitrichela Bravo & Hajdu, 2011, A. (A.) desmophora Kelly & Vacelet, 2011, A. (A.) inexpectata Lopes & Hajdu, 2014, A. (A.) indiyansis sp. nov. and A. (Helophloeina) stylivarians (Topsent, 1929) have an unusual desmas and all branching forms. This new species can be distinguished from these species most easily by different spicule morphology and sizes for the smaller megascleres and microsclere. Molecular data from A. (A.) indiyansis sp. nov. species was included in a phylogeny of closely related Asbestopluma species. The phylogeny of new species is closely related to A. (A.) pseudoisochela with high bootstrap support (100%), A. (A.) pennatula, and A. (A.) cf. belgicae based on mtCOI and 28S genes., Published as part of Rengaiyan, Periasamy & Ingole, Baban, 2022, Three New Carnivorous sponge species (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge, pp. 451-486 in Zootaxa 5162 (5) on pages 454-457, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5162.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6816801, {"references":["Hestetun, J. T., Rapp, H. T. & Xavier, J. (2017 a) Carnivorous sponges (Porifera, Cladorhizidae) from the Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge seamounts. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 137, 166 - 189. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. dsr 2.2016.03.004","Topsent, E. (1901) Notice preliminaire sur les eponges recueillies par l'Expedition Antarctique Belge. Archives de Zoologie Experimentaleet Generale, Series 3, 9 (Notes et Revue), V - XVI","Koltun, V. M. (1964) Sponges of the Antarctic. 1 Tetraxonida and Cornacuspongida. In: Pavlovskii, E., Andriyashev, A. & Ushakov, P. (Eds.), Biological Reports of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (1955 - 1958). Academy of Sciences of the U. S. S. R., Israel Program for Scientific Translations Ltd., Jerusalem, pp. 1 - 372, pls. I - VIII. [English translation]"]}

Chondrocladia sagari sp. nov. Figure 6–7, Table 3 Material examined. Holotype. NCPOR /HYD-CIR/0035, seamount of the Central Indian Ridge, Indian Ocean, 23° 9’ 12.96’’ S, 69° 31’ 13.8’’ E, 2103 m, 20 April 2020, Benthic Sledge, Coll. Periasamy R, samples in 70% ethanol, MGS Sagar, cruise no: MGS-35, Sample MGS 35A-D11. Etymology. Species name “sagari” refers to the Ocean. Sagar means ‘Ocean’ in Hindi. Gender is feminine. Diagnosis: Holotype (Figure 6A) an erect columnar pedunculate sponge with a slender body bearing small filaments processes. The specimen is 3.1 cm in length a 0.5 cm wide. The sponge surface is rough and rigid, and roots are missing. The colour of the sponge is white, cream to clear brown in alcohol. Skeleton: The Axis of peduncle consisting of tightly packed longitudinally large mycalostyles, and elongating to the center of the body (Figure 6C). The enlarged part of the peduncle is composed of mycalostyles and subtylostyles. The body filaments consist of bundles of subtylostyles, covered by soft tissue tightly packed with unguiferate isochelae, and sigmancistras (Figure 6B–F). Megascleres: Styles in two categories (Figure 6A–B), the mycalostyles occur in the main stem with an abrupt shrinking near the head and a short acerate tip. The diameter was maximum in the middle of the shaft, slightly reducing towards both the ends. Size is 1975–(2440)–2659/15–(21)–36 µm (Figure 7A). Subtylostyles of lateral filaments or body consists of a marked oval head. The subtylostyles occur mainly in the body radially orientated and penetrating the ectosome producing make the hispid surface, but also occur in the small tentacular processes. Size is 438–(974)–1988/16–(23)–28 µm (Figure 7B). Microscleres: Multidentate unguiferate isochelae is common in the body and very abundant in the swellings, with four alae at each end. Alae are relatively short, sharp, with a well-marked hull on the underside. Shaft curved, with narrow fimbriae. Size: 37–(44)–53 µm in length with a diameter of 3–(4)–5 µm (Figure 7C). Sigmas (“C”&“S” shapes) are slim and curved differently (Figure 7D). Size: 97–(120)–132 µm in length, 3–(4)–4 µm in diameter (Table 3). Remarks. Our specimen sampled from the Central Indian Ocean, from the lower bathyal at 2103 m depth, is more similar to Chondrocladia clavata Ridley & Dendy (1887) species which is commonly recorded from the Southern Hemisphere (Dressler-Allame et al. 2017, Ekins et al. 2020). C. clavata and C. gracilis Lévi, 1964 have similar mycalostyles in the stem as C. sagari sp. nov., but also have a tridentate unguiferate isochelae in the filaments and body, whereas C. sagari sp.nov. has two categories of styles and a unique multidentate (4 alae) unguiferate isochelae and “C”&“S” shapes sigmas. C. gracilis Lévi, 1964 has a similar spicule type (mycalostyles and subtylostyles) in the stem, body, and filaments, but these are generally smaller than those of the C. sagari sp. nov. The new species is similar to previous descriptions of C. clavata Ridley & Dendy (1887), and more recently Dressler-Allame et al. (2017) who described from the Southern Ocean, and also described at bathyal and abyssal depths off the east coast of Australia during the RV Investigator 2017 Abyss Expedition (Ekins et al. 2020). Both species also resemble C. crinita in external morphology but have much smaller isochelae. The other species of Chondrocladia originally described from the Indian Ocean, namely C. clavata Ridley & Dendy, 1886, C. gracilis Lévi, 1964, C. multichela Lévi, 1964, and C. dichotoma Lévi, 1964, having differed in spicule characters. The morphological descriptions of the new species have been compared with all other species of Chondrocladia in Table 4. The Chondrocladia sagari sp. nov. is recovered as a sister species to C. vaceleti Cristobo, Urgorri & Rios, 2005 with high bootstrap support (48%) and shows a separate branch in the phylogenetic tree based on the mtCOI gene (Figure 8). Molecular data. GenBank accession number mtCOI: MW868387. Distribution. Chondrocladia sagari sp. nov. is known for its type locality in the seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge system., Published as part of Rengaiyan, Periasamy & Ingole, Baban, 2022, Three New Carnivorous sponge species (Demospongiae: Cladorhizidae) from the Seamounts of the Central Indian Ridge, pp. 451-486 in Zootaxa 5162 (5) on pages 464-467, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5162.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6816801, {"references":["Ridley S. O. & Dendy, A. (1886) XXXIV. - Preliminary Report on the Monaxonida collected by H. M. S. Challenger. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 18, 325 - 351. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222938609459982","Levi, C. (1964) Spongiaires des zones bathyale, abyssale et hadale, Galathea Report. Scientific Results of the Danish Deep-Sea Expedition Round the World, 1950 - 1952, 7, 63 - 112, pls. II - XI","Cristobo, F. J., Urgorri, V. & Rios, P. (2005) Three new species of carnivorous deep-sea sponges from the DIVA- 1 expedition in the Angola Basin (South Atlantic). Organisms Diversity & Evolution, 5, 203 - 213. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ode. 2004.11.004","Tendal, O. S. (1973) Sponges collected by the Swedish Deep Sea Expedition. Zoologica Scripta, 2, 33 - 38. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1463 - 6409.1973. tb 00795. x","Ridley, S. O. & Dendy, A. (1887) Report on the Monaxonida collected by HMS. ' Challenger' during the years 1873 - 1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of HMS Challenger during the Years 1873 - 1876. Zoology. W. C. Thomson, Neill and Company, Edinburgh, pp. 1 - 275, pls. I - LI.","Dressler-Allame, M., Gocke, C., Kersken, D., Plotkin, A. & Janussen, D. (2017) Carnivorous sponges (Cladorhizidae) of the deep Weddell Sea, with descriptions of two new species. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 137, 190 - 206. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. dsr 2.2016.08.006","Ekins, M., Erpenbeck, D. & Hooper, J. N. A. (2020) Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition. Zootaxa, 4774 (1), 1 - 159. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 4774.1.1"]}

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.

We describe a new deep-sea sponge species, Fibulia occiensis sp. nov., from the Central Indian Ocean Ridge (CIOR) at Rodrigues Triple Junction (RTJ), of the family Dendoricellidae Hentschel, 1923. Two sponge specimens were collected between 1982–2079 m depth using a benthic sledge in the 25° South Oceanic Core Complex (OCC) region. The megabenthic fauna was collected to establish a baseline of environmental and benthic ecological data. This data will be handy in assessing the impact of sulfide mining in the near future. Fibulia occiensis sp. nov. is fragile and stalked, has a single type of oxea, and no sigma. The new species is different from the congeneric Fibulia species by its larger oxeas and the strongly curved isochelae.

Genus Fibulia Carter, 1886 “ Fibulia is defined by having a plumose or confused choanosomal skeleton of multispicular tracts; microscleres arcuate or reduced isochelae and the presence of only a single size category of oxeas” (taken from Van Soest 2002)., Published as part of Rengaiyan, Periasamy, Palayil, John Kurian & Ingole, Baban, 2022, A new deep-sea sponge Fibulia occiensis sp. nov. (Poecilosclerida: Dendoricellidae) from the 25 ° South Oceanic Core Complex in the Central Indian Ocean Ridge, pp. 87-96 in Zootaxa 5162 (1) on page 89, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5162.1.6, http://zenodo.org/record/6796860, {"references":["Carter, H. J. (1886) Descriptions of Sponges from the Neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia, continued. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 5, 18, 34 - 55 + 126 - 149. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222938609460122","Van Soest, R. W. (2002) Family Dendoricellidae Hentschel, 1923. In: Hooper, J. N. A. & Van Soest, R. W. M. (Eds.), Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. Kluwer Academic / Plenum, Publishers, New York, New York, pp. 567 - 571. https: // doi. org / 10.1007 / 978 - 1 - 4615 - 0747 - 5 _ 60"]}