Abyssocladia is a genus of the family Cladorhizidae, a family of carnivorous sponges. It is made up of at least 39 species found in oceans all over the world.
Description
This genus is characterized by its unique teeth-like structures called abyssochelae, although they are not present in every species. Types of microscleres could also include cleistochelae, arcute chelae, and/or sigmacistras. Their general morphology can be divided into two groups. The first group has a long peduncle and round top. The second group is feather-like with a shorter peduncle. Both groups have straight spicules and are covered in a layer of soft tissue with sticky microstrongyles protruding perpendicularly from the body, used to capture prey. Sizes of these organisms can vary from a few millimeters to several centimeters tall and just a few millimeters wide. Their thin skeleton and soft tissue can make these sponges very fragile.
Feeding Most carnivorous sponges lack an aquiferous system, meaning they cannot filter water to get their food. Instead, they have hook-like microscleres to capture prey, like small crustaceans. These structures entangle prey and amoebocytes in the sponge surround the prey, bringing it inside to be consumed. Digestion of its prey can take up to several days. This unusual process of feeding was likely adapted because it is easier for the organism to get more nutrients in one meal as compared to filter feeding in the deep sea.
Distribution In the deep sea, resources are sparse, so organisms tend to have clustered distribution. These carnivorous sponges are usually found around nutrient hot spots like seamounts, and oceanic ridges. While most species in Abyssocladia have been found at depths over , a few have been found in shallower waters around . One species, A. antarctica, was found at , in the Weddell Sea off the coast of Antarctica. In addition to the Weddell Sea, Abyssocladia have been found in many ocean basins all over the world, including the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans.
Species About 39 species are currently recognized:
Abyssocladia annae Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020 Abyssocladia antarctica Buskowiak & Janussen, 2021 Abyssocladia atlantica Lopes & Hajdu, 2014 Abyssocladia boletiphora Hestetun, Rapp & Xavier, 2017 Abyssocladia bruuni Lévi, 1964 Abyssocladia carcharias Kelly & Vacelet, 2011 Abyssocladia claviformis Koltun, 1970 Abyssocladia corniculiphora Hestetun, Rapp & Xavier, 2017 Abyssocladia desmophora Hooper & Lévi, 1989 Abyssocladia diegoramirezensis Lopes, Bravo & Hajdu, 2011 Abyssocladia dominalba Vacelet, 2006 Abyssocladia escheri Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020 Abyssocladia falkor Elkins & Hooper, 2023 Abyssocladia faranauti Hestetun, Fourt, Vacelet, Boury-Esnault & Rapp, 2015 Abyssocladia flagrum Lehnert, Stone & Heimler, 2006 Abyssocladia fryerae Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019 Abyssocladia gliscofila Ekins, Erpenbeck & Hooper, 2020 Abyssocladia hemiradiata Hestetun, Rapp & Xavier, 2017 Abyssocladia huitzilopochtli Vacelet, 2006 Abyssocladia inflata Vacelet, 2006 Abyssocladia kanaconi Vacelet, 2020 Abyssocladia kellyae Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019 Abyssocladia koltuni Ereskovsky & Willenz, 2007 Abyssocladia lakwollii Vacelet & Kelly, 2014 Abyssocladia leverhulmei Goodwin, Berman, Downey & Hendry, 2017 Abyssocladia marianensis Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019 Abyssocladia microstrongylata Vacelet, 2020 Abyssocladia mucronata Vacelet, 2020 Abyssocladia myojinensis Ise & Vacelet, 2010 Abyssocladia natsushimae Ise & Vacelet, 2010 Abyssocladia naudur Vacelet, 2006 Abyssocladia oxeata Koltun, 1970 Abyssocladia oxyasters Ekins, Erpenbeck, Goudie & Hooper, 2020 Abyssocladia polycephalus Hestetun, Pomponi & Rapp, 2016 Abyssocladia stegosaurensis Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019 Abyssocladia symmetrica Ridley & Dendy, 1886 Abyssocladia tecta Hestetun, Fourt, Vacelet, Boury-Esnault & Rapp, 2015 Abyssocladia umbellata Lopes, Bravo & Hajdu, 2011 Abyssocladia vaceleti Ríos & Cristobo, 2018 Abyssocladia villosa Hestetun, Rapp & Pomponi, 2019
References