THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 81 



GENUS NEOPETROSIA de Laubenfels 

 Neopetrosia pandora, new 



Text Figure No. 49 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23046, My No. M. 425, here designated as type, collected 



August 1, 1949, by diver in East Ponape (Matalanim) from a reef near 



an entrance to the lagoon. The depth was 5 meters, and the substrate 



was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23072, My No. M. 452, collected August 10, 1949, by hand 



while wading at the west side of Moen Islet in Truk lagoon. The depth 



was less than 1 meter, and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22907, My No. M. 212, collected August 13, 1949, by diver 



in Lemotol Bay in the west part of Truk lagoon. The depth was 4 



meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22917, My No. M. 223, collected September 1, 1949, by divers 



in Iwayama Bay near Koror in the Palaus. The depth was 2 meters, 



and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23122, My No. M. 504, collected September 2, 1949, by 



divers, northwest of Koror, near Ngarebagal Isle in the Palaus. The 



depth was 3 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23031, My No. M. 410, collected July 30, 1949, by diver in 



the lagoon in northwest Ponape. The depth was 3 meters, and the sub- 

 strate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23024, My No. M. 403, collected July 30, 1949, by diver in 



northwest Ponape, in the lagoon very near the outer reef. The depth 



was 5 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22796, My No. N. 001, collected April 25, 1946 by J. P. E. 



Morrison at Bikini Atoll near the east end of the lagoon, 7 kilometers 



south of the west end of Bikini Islet. This was dredged from a depth 



of 50 meters ; the substrate was not given. 



This species, if indeed it be a single species, is extremely common in all 

 the shallow water about Ponape. It also is abundant in all the waters about 

 Truk and is abundant in the various shallow waters of the Palau Archipelago. 

 It is rare in the Marshalls. 



The type specimen may first be described, and the others (which may 

 possibly represent additional species) may then be compared. 



The shape is repent, or sprawling ramose, reaching a maximum length 

 of at least 13 cm. The diameter of the branches is often 9 mm. 



The color in life as to exterior was dull olive drab, but about 500 p. 

 below the surface there occurred a black subdermal layer 500 /x thick. Still 

 deeper the endosome was very pale drab. The consistency was slightly 

 spongy but also somewhat stiff, tearing very easily. 



