THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



167 



U.S.N.M. No. 23081, My No. M. 463, collected August 13, 1949, by hand 

 while wading in the west part of Truk lagoon south of Polle Islet. The 

 depth was about 50 cm, and the substrate presumably was from coral sand 

 but apparently was out of mud. 



U.S.N.M. No. 23084, My No. M. 466, collected August 13, 1949, by hand 

 while wading in the west part of Truk lagoon near Polle Islet in the 

 vicinity of mangroves. The water was very shallow and much dis- 

 colored with vegetable material in solution or suspension. The depth was 

 only 30 cm, and the substrate was muddy sand. 



U.S.N.M. No. 23101, My No. M. 483, collected September 1, 1949, by diver 

 in Iwayama Bay near Koror in the Palaus. This was also from muddy 

 water near mangroves ; but the depth was 2 meters, and the substrate 

 was dead coral. 



This species is very abundant throughout the vicinity of the Palau Archi- 

 pelago and in the vicinity of Truk. It is present, but somewhat less abundant, 

 in Ponape. It is noteworthy that in the latter location one specimen was 

 found in clean water. All the others were found in the vicinity of vegeta- 

 tion, in shallow, dirty, discolored water. Most of the specimens are partially 

 buried while still living. 



This sponge appears as a mass or cake from which numerous chimneys 

 arise. No. M. 466 was an exception in this regard in that the whole top of 

 the sponge protruded above the dirty sand, but all the other specimens noted 

 had the basic mass completely under the mud, and only the chimneys pro- 

 truding. The vertical measurements reached 30 cm, and the lateral dimen- 

 sions 40 cm. 



Text Figure No. 109. Spicules of Biemna jortis. A: Style, X 182. The entire spicule is 



shown, but in two parts. B: Raphides, X 182. C: Sigmas, X 182. D: Raphides, X 782. 



E: Larger sigma, X 782. F: Smaller sigma, X 782. 



