Abyssocladia vaceleti

Derivatio nominis: To Jean Vacelet, eminent marine biologist of the Station Marine d'Endoume of Marseille, for a lifetime dedicated to the study of marine sponges, especially the carnivores with the description of new species and the study of the particular mechanisms of their feeding. The authors want to thank particularly with this new species, his kind treatment as a fantastic “ Maître ” at the beginning of their career in the study of sponges and as the good friend, he has proved to be in these 30 first years. Substrate, depth range, and habitat. Abyssocladia vaceleti sp. nov. found at depths between 901 and 1547 m in canyons and terraces of the middle slope of the Atlantic Patagonian margin. The middle slope comprises two terraces, named the Nágera and Perito Moreno terraces (Muñoz et al., 2013). The Nágera Terrace extends from the base of the upper slope to a depth of 930 to 1060 m and the Perito Moreno Terrace from a depth of about 1100 / 1200 to 1400 m. Canyons are oriented from west to east. The bottom in which this species appeared include pebbles, coral fragments of Bathelia candida and Flavellum sp. or primnoid octocorals. Fragments of shells and of coral, spicules that contain quartz and rock fragments darker but in smaller quantity were also found in bottoms of sandy mud composed mainly of bioclasts (globigerinas of small size and spiral foraminiferans).