THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 179 



single macerated specimen from which so many things had been lost that 

 any comparison to it must be most uncertain. For example, there may have 

 been microscleres originally present. 



The species name here selected is derived from the Greek word meaning 

 "pine tree" and refers to the fact that the projections which cover the sur- 

 face of this sponge bear a great resemblance to the shape of miniature pine 

 trees. 



GENUS SPONGOSORITES Topsent 

 Spongosorites pontes de Laubenfels 



Text Figure No. 118 



This species is not represented by any specimen in the present collection 

 at all but by United States National Museum Specimen No. 22732. It was 

 collected in July, 1946, by R. W. Hiatt, in tidal flats, in the island of Yap, 

 growing on a crab found in holes in dead coral. 



This specimen is a rounded mass about 10 mm thick and IS mm in 

 diameter. 



The exterior and interior color in life was black, and the consistency 

 was weakly spongy. 



The surface is smooth to the naked eye but is microscopically felted. 

 Its pores are microscopic, chiefly closed, and its oscules barely visible but 

 about 300 ll in diameter when fully opened. About a dozen occur on the 

 specimen. 



The ectosome comprises a region about 100 ll thick and is a confusion 

 of many spicules with no flesh. The endosome is dense and only micro- 

 cavernous. 



The skeleton consists of abundant spicules, nearly all oxeas. These are 

 about 6 [x by 300 ll in dimensions. The microscleres probably are to be 

 classified as oxeote but have a bend in the middle so that they vaguely re- 

 semble toxas. They range from about 2 ll by 50 ll to 3 ll by 75 ll. 



This species was described by de Laubenfels, 1949, page 124. 



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Text Figure No. 118. Spicule (oxea) of Spongosorites pontes, X 782. 



FAMILY HALICHONDRIIDAE Gray 

 GENUS QUEPANETSAL, new 



This genus is here established to have as its type the species Quepanet- 

 sal madidus. It is sharply characterized by possession of two very distinct 

 types of spicules : one a shorter, thicker strongyle and the other a longer, 



