18 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



Phyllospongia complex new 



Text Figure No. 8 

 Plate III, Figure a 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N. M. No. 23110, My No. M. 492, here designated as type, collected on 



September 1, 1949, by divers in Iwayama Bay, Koror, in the Palaus. 



The depth was 2 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23127, My No. M. 510, collected on September 6, 1949, by 



means of a fish spear in Iwayama Bay, Koror, in the Palaus. The 



depth was less than 2 meters, and the substrate was coral debris. 



This species also was studied by numerous specimens, some preserved 

 by drying and some not preserved. It was abundant in the shallow water of 

 lagoons in the Palau archipelago. In some places, it was nearly the only 

 sponge present. Almost every square meter had its specimen. 



This species consists of erect wall-like sheets or leaves, 1 to 2 mm thick. 

 The walls are 3 to 5 cm tall and arranged to form a labyrinthine pattern or 

 to outline many small roofless rooms. In the latter case, there are many 

 places where the walls join at angles approaching 90°. The whole structure 

 of scores of rooms and passages is frequently about the size of a dinner plate 

 — say 15 to 25 cm in diameter. The rooms or passages are often 2 to 3 cm 

 wide. 



The color in life was dull medium green, both on exterior and interior. 

 The consistency was very spongy. 



Text Figure No. 8. A section, perpendicular to the surface, of Phyllospongia complex, 



X 182. One of the surface conules shows at A, and a subdermal space at B. Part of the 



fibrous network is also illustrated. 



