36 ALLAN HANCOCK PACIFIC EXPEDITIONS VOL. 1 1 



Genus SPIRASTRELLA Schmidt 



Spirastrella coccinea (Duchassaing and Michelotti) 



Plate 64, Figs. 127, 128 ; Plate 65, Figs. 129, 130 



Thalysias coccinea Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864, p. 84. 

 Spirastrella coccinea de Laubenfels, 1936, p. 143. 



Diagnosis. — This specimen is very heavily loaded with minute lumps 

 of what appear to be coral fragments. These are incorporated into the 

 body of the sponge. The color in life is not recorded, but in alcohol it is 

 almost white. The surface is veiy irregular. There is a cortex which is not 

 easily detached. It is about 100 ^ thick. 



The megascleres are tylostyles 340 /a by 10 /x. They are frequently in 

 bundles or in tracts that cross and recross, giving, under favorable con- 

 ditions, a netlike appearance to the endosome. Microscleres are typical 

 spirasters 20 /a to 25 /* long. 



Holotype. — Museum of the University of Turin. 



Type locality. — West Indies. 



Distribution. — West Indies and the Gulf of California. 



Material examined. — 

 Sta. 1040-40 GuaymasBay 1-23-40 Shore 



Remarks. — This species is fairly common in the West Indies and has 

 been reported from the Mediterranean, although the Mediterranean form 

 is probably not conspecific, unless all members of this genus, which is 

 widely distributed, are considered so closely related as to be synonymous. 



Family Suberitldae Schmidt 



Genus ATERGIA Stephens 



Atergia corona, new species 



Plate 66, Figs. 131, 132; Plate 67, Fig. 133 



Diagnosis. — The specimens of this sponge collected range in size from 

 2 cm to 5 cm in diameter and are frequently roughly globular. They are 

 decidedly hispid up to 5 mm. Pores and oscules are not usually visible 

 through the spicule plush, but occasionally a conule surmounted by an 

 oscule occurs. The consistency is rather brittle. 



There is a distinct brittle surface layer over extensive cavities, while 

 the body of the sponge is coarse and "bready" to fibrous. The megascleres 

 consist of two size ranges of tylostyles. The dermal spicules are erect 

 tylostyles about 5 /;i by 160 ju. There are also interstitial tylostyles of the 

 same size range in radiating groups. The coring spicules are much larger 

 tylostyles 20 jx by 1,500 fi to 2,000 /x, in which the tylote modification is 

 not at the end of the spicule. Some small oxeas, which may be regarded 

 either as microscleres or as small megascleres, are also present. These are 

 2 /u, by 60 {X. They are frequently in fan-shaped masses or rafts. 



