14 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



digitate and its conules smaller. It is not described as possessing the peculiar 

 jelly which is regarded here as rather characteristic. Some possibility exists 

 that the specimen of eiibamma as collected was in somewhat unusual condi- 

 tion because of active reproduction at the time of collection. 



Row 1911, page 369, reviewed the genus. He and Keller comment on 

 the extent to which H eteroncma is very like the genus Spongia with the only 

 exception that the secondary fibers, as well as the primaries, are cored with 

 foreign material. It is noteworthy that eiibamma (as collected in Truk) in the 

 field was presumed to be a Spongia. It felt as well as looked like a Spongia. 

 In the above discussion of Spongia zimocca the statement is made that that 

 species probably was common in the western portion of Truk lagoon. A 

 principal reason for the lack of specimens of zimocca is that the specimen 

 thought to be zimocca proved to be eubamma. Further study in the field 

 would be necessary to make certain whether or not the other numerous 

 sponges in the vicinity were all Heteronemas or (probably) many of them 

 Spongia zimocca. 



The species name is derived from the Greek term meaning well-dyed or 

 colored. 



GENUS AULENA Lendenfeld 

 Aulena concertina new 



Text Figure No. 6 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22941, My No. M. 311, collected on June 20, 1949, by diver 

 at Ailing-lap-lap Atoll in the channel just east of Bikajela, Islet. The 

 depth was 10 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. Many conspecific 

 specimens were collected and more observed in this limited region. 



This species is ramose with very few branches and usually lies repent 

 rather than erect. The branches often extend to a total length of more than 

 10 cm and are about 7 mm in diameter. 



The color in life was dark purplish-gray on the exterior but pale drab, 

 almost white, on the interior. The consistency was spongy. 



The surface is finely conulose with conules only about 0.3 mm high. 

 There are about two such for each square mm of surface. The pores are 

 30 p. in diameter, abundant and scattered, say 150 n to 750 /x apart, center to 

 center. Oscules could not be located; perhaps some of the small openings 

 which were regarded as pores may really have been exhalant. 



The ectosome of this sponge is loaded with foreign spicules and sand 

 particles often 10 fi to 20 jx in diameter. The total thickness of the skin is 

 about 80 fi ; it is detached very easily. The endosome is characteristic of the 

 unique genus Aulena in that it consists of peculiarly fenestrated trabeculae or 

 sheets through which the flagellate chambers show as though they were holes 



