NO. 1 DICKINSON : SPONGES OF GULF OF CALIFORNIA 41 



cleres, bicurvate microstrongyles ; size 3 /a by 50 /x to 8 /x by 160 /a; a very 

 few of the smallest ones are faintly centrotylote. Second microscleres ; 

 oxyspherasters, total diameter 19 /a to 25 /x, the smallest ones having the 

 most numerous rays." (de Laubenfels 1932, p. 37.) 



Holotype.~\J. S.N. M. 



Type locality. — Pescadero Point, California. 



Distribution. — Central California to the Gulf of California. 



Alaterial examined. — 

 Sta. 496-36 Fraile Bay 2-18-36 160 m 



Remarks. — The bicurvates found in this sponge are relatively rare. 

 P. tyloaster Dendy has bicurvates, but they are oxeas instead of strongyles. 



Genus STELLETTA O. Schmidt 



Stelletta estrella de Laubenfels 

 Plate 77, Fig. 154; Plate 78, Figs, 155, 156 



Stelletta estrella de Laubenfels, 1930, p. 25. 



Diagnosis. — The sponge is typical of the family and subfamily. It is 

 massive, subspherical, cartilaginous, radial in plan, and has a tough cortex. 



Spicules are: oxeas, 50 /x by 2,500 /x and larger; diaenes and triaenes, 

 up to at least 75 fi by 4,000 jx; oxyspherasters, 8 /x to 10 /x in diameter 

 average; tylospherasters, 10 /x in diameter. 



Holotype.—U.S.N.M. 



Type locality. — Southern California. 



Distribution. — Southern California to the Gulf of California. 



Material examined. — 

 Sta. 707-37 Angel de la Guardia Island 3-20-37 Shore 



Remarks. — There is no significant difference between the specimens 

 of this sponge from the Gulf and those from the coast of southern Cali- 

 fornia. A closely related species, S. clarella de Laubenfels, is found in 

 central California. 



Family GeodiidaC Gray 



Genus ERYLUS Gray 



Erylus discastera, new species 



Plate 79, Figs. 157, 158 ; Plate 80, Fig. 159 



Diagnosis. — The size of this sponge is 4 cm by 4 cm by 7 cm, the con- 

 sistency cartilaginous, the color drab throughout. 



The surface is superficially smooth and has no special oxeas. No pores 

 or oscules are visible. 



There is a distinct surface layer 900 [i thick or less. This is semi- 

 detachable and apparently not over subdermal cavities. The endosome is 



