NO. 1 



DICKINSON : SPONGES OF GULF OF CALIFORNIA 



43 



A variety of small asters is also found, which have well-developed 

 spines that may be either sharp or rounded on the points. The centrum of 

 these asters varies from conspicuous to absent. The size range is from 

 about 2 /i to 40 (x. 



Holotype.— U.S.N. M. 

 Type locality. — Off southern California. 

 Distribution. — Southern Alaska to the Gulf of California. 

 Material examined. — 

 Sta. 500-36 Espiritu Santo Island 

 Ballenas Bay 

 San Francisco Island 

 Agua Verde Bay 

 San Jaime Bank 

 Ensenada de los Muertos 

 Espiritu Santo Island 

 Escondido Bay 

 Isabel Island 



Angel de la Guardia Island 

 Remarks. — The spicules of Geodia ?nesotriaena are very large, and, 

 therefore, differences which would go unnoticed in smaller spicules are 

 magnified and seem more important than they are. It seems axiomatic that 

 distinctions made on the basis of spiculation should involve gross differ- 

 ences only in species with such large spicules. This rule has not always 

 been followed. 



Geodia japonica (Sollas) 

 Plate 83, Figs. 165, 166; Plate 84, Figs. 167, 168 



Cydonium japonica Sollas, 1888, p. 333. 

 Geodia japonica Lendenfeld, 1903, p. 52. 



Diagnosis. — This sponge is massive and knobby. The surface is hispid 

 and has special pore areas with pores about .5 mm in diameter. The entire 

 specimen is 8 cm by 6 cm by 5 cm. 



The ectosome is vary hard and about 1 mm thick. The endosome is 

 "bready." In addition to the usual oxeas, ana- and protriaenes, there are 

 sterrasters up to 130 /a in diameter, euasters 22 /i to 30 /*, and small 

 siliceous masses 5 /a in diameter which may be spherasters with almost no 

 spines. 



Holotype.— {J.S.N. M. 



Type locality. — Japan. 



Distribution. — Pacific Basin. 



Material examined. — 

 Sta. 562-36 San Esteban Island 3-10-36 90 m 



