THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 47 



FAMILY APLYSILLIDAE Vosmaer 



GENUS APLYSILLA Schulze 



Aplysilla sulfurea Schulze 



Text Figure No. 26 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22837, My No. M. 121, collected June 28, 1949, by diver at 



Majuro Atoll, near the north side of the lagoon and Enemanok Islet. 



The depth was 2 meters, and the substrate was the under side of an 



upside-down discarded enamelled dinner plate. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22841, My No. M. 129, collected July 2, 1949, by diver at 



Majuro Atoll in the southeast corner of the lagoon near Te-elop Islet. 



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

 U.S.N.M. No. 22878, My No. M. 175, collected July 30, 1949, by diver in 



the lagoon of northwestern Ponape, near the shore or landward side. 



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



This species was rather common at Ponape and found only twice at 

 Majuro. It was not found elsewhere in 1949. 



This is an incrusting species, and the specimens here, discussed were all 

 less than 1 mm thick and about 4 or 5 cm in diameter. 



The exterior and interior color in life was lemon yellow and changed to 

 purple and dead black when dying in air or in alcohol. The consistency was 

 soft, slimy, and colloidal. 



The surface is conulose, the conules about 1 mm high but made to seem 

 higher because generally a fiber (or branching fiber) protrudes. These conules 

 are about 1.5 to 3 mm apart. The pores and oscules are microscopic and 

 readily closed. 



The ectosome is a thin dermis, and the endosome is fleshy, with sack- 

 shaped flagellate chambers. 



Text Figure No. 26. Bits of fiber from Aplysilla sulfurea, X 182. A: Base of a fiber. 

 B: Central portion of the same. C: Apical termination of the same. 



