THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



93 



are dried or preserved specimens; the purple Iotrochota tends to become 

 black upon dying. 



The inclusion of Iotrochota in the Desmacidonidae follows a custom 

 that may need to be changed. Revision of the orders is not to be undertaken 

 in the present paper. It will be a monumental task, but it is here suggested 

 that when finished it may prove to be that Iotrochota will have been put 

 together with Hiattrochota in the Hymeniacidonidae. The same comment 

 will apply to the ensuing species, which is also left in the Desmacidonidae 

 only on sufferance, with the suspicion that it may later be transferred to 

 some other family, perhaps also the Hymeniacidonidae. 



The name is derived from the Greek word for "dark," referring to the 

 color of this sponge. 



GENUS OXYMYCALE Hentschel 

 Oxymycale stecarmia, new 



Text Figure No. 56 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22890, My No. M. 190, here designated as type, collected 

 August 3, 1949, by diver in southwest Ponape, that is to say in Kiti, 

 near Toletik Islet. This was from a reef in the lagoon near the shore. 

 The depth was 4 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 



The shape is semi-incrusting, the thickness about 1 cm, and the di- 

 ameters 2 by 4 cm. 



The color in life was gray-drab, both as to exterior and interior. The 

 consistency was soft, but sticky to the touch. 



The surface is microscopically velvet-like, rather smooth. The pores 

 were so completely closed that they cannot be made out, and their diameter 

 in life cannot be stated confidently, but there are about two of them for each 

 square mm. They were probably in the neighborhood of 100 \x in diameter. 

 The oscules are dubiously represented by a few holes, 2 mm in diameter, 

 which look as though they might be fortuitous. 



Text Figure No. 56. Spicules of Oxymycale stecarmia, X 781. A: Oxea. B: Palmate 

 anisochelas, front and (below) side view. C: Sigma. D: Toxa. E: Raphides. 



