106 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



No. M. 334. There are about 4 pores per square mm. A dermal network, 

 quite characteristic of Adocia, covers the pores. The oscules are very con- 

 spicuous, 2 to often 6 mm in diameter and about 1 to 3 cm apart. They are 

 on the summits of conspicuous volcano-like elevations, which often rise 5 to 

 9 mm above the general surface of the sponge. 



The ectosome consists of an easily detachable, conspicuous dermis, which 

 is made of a tangental layer of spicules arranged in isodictyal reticulation. 

 The endosome is also emphatically isodictyal. 



The skeleton consists of strongyles, about 3.5 jx by 140 /x in dimensions. 

 In specimen No. M. 334 from Majuro, they were considerably smaller, only 

 2.5 ll by 80 ll. This specimen was abnormal, or unusual, in that it was rather 

 full of embryos 200 p. to 400 \x in diameter. Some slight possibility exists that 

 this was not really of the species neens but that the small size of its spicules 

 may be associated with the reproductive condition. 



This species was first described as Reniera neens, by Topsent, 1918, page 

 536, from the West Indies. It is common in that region. It may have been 

 collected previously in the Pacific but not correctly identified, as there appear 

 to be no records hitherto except from the western Atlantic. 



Adocia turquoisia, new 



Text Figure No. 67 



This species is here represented by the following: 



U.S.N.M. No. 23100, My No. M. 482, here designated as type, collected Sep- 

 tember 1, 1949, by diver in Iwayama Bay, Koror, in the Palaus. The 

 depth was less than 2 meters, in discolored, muddy water, near man- 

 groves. The substrate was coral fragments. 



U.S.N.M. No. 22902, My No. M. 206, collected August 13, 1949, by hand 

 while wading in the west portion of Truk lagoon just south of Polle Islet. 

 This was in discolored water near mangroves. The substrate was another 

 living sponge, No. M. 466, Biemma fortis. 



U.S.N.M. No. 22880, My No. M. 179, collected July 30, 1949, by diver in 

 northwestern Ponape in the lagoon close to the shore, near mangroves. 

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



U.S.N.M. No. 22834, My No. M. 114, collected June 28, 1949, by diver at 

 Majuro Atoll near the north side of the lagoon. The depth was 3 

 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 



U.S.N.M. No. 22800, My No. N. 005, collected April 25, 1946, by J. P. E. 

 Morrison at Bikini Atoll 7 kilometers south of the west end of Bikini 

 Islet. This was dredged from a depth of 50 meters. The identification 

 of this specimen is highly uncertain. 



This species was fairly common in portions of the Truk region and 

 locally abundant in the Palaus. 



