''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 3000 meters, a few have been found in shallower waters around 1000m. One species, ''A. antarctica,'' was found at 220 m, in the

Weddell Sea The Weddell Sea is part of the Southern Ocean and contains the Weddell Gyre. Its land boundaries are defined by the bay formed from the coasts of Coats Land and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norvegia at Princess Martha C ...

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 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

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4117255 Cladorhizidae Sponge genera