212 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



This is a thin incrusting sponge, 0.5 mm thick, covering 4 square cm. 



The color in life was dark blue, and it is very noteworthy that this color 

 has held in alcohol, bleaching only slightly. The consistency was mediocre. 



The surface is relatively smooth and lipostomous. 



No distinction of ectosome and endosome can be made because of the 

 extreme thinness of the species. 



The skeleton consists exclusively of styles, 3 /a by 285 [x to 8 yu. by 320 p. 

 in dimensions. 



The systematic allocation of this specimen is very difficult. But for its 

 small size and unique nature, it might be advisable to erect for it a new genus, 

 because no genus at present established quite suits it. The spiculation is that 

 of Quasillina and of a number of other genera, but Quasillina is a more 

 massive sponge, often sack-shaped. The color is suggestive of Terpios, but the 

 spiculation does not fit. A possibility exists that this is an abnormal specimen 

 of Aaptos, but the large swollen spicules are completely lacking. 



The species name selected reflects the perplexity engendered by this 

 dubious sponge. 



GENUS STY LOT ELL A Lendenfeld 

 Stylotella agminata (Ridley) Lendenfeld 



Text Figure No. 145 



This species is here represented by the following : 



U.S.N.M. No. 23030, My No. M. 409, collected July 30, 1949, by diver 

 in northwest Ponape in the lagoon between the reef and the shore. The 

 depth was 1 to 2 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. This species 

 is very common in this locality. 



U.S.N.M. No. 23047, My No. M. 426, collected August 1, 1949, by diver in 

 east Ponape (Matalanim) from a reef in the lagoon near an entrance. 

 The depth was 5 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 



U.S.N.M. No. 23067, My No. M. 447, collected August 9, 1949, by diver, in 

 Truk lagoon near Scheiben Islet, northwest of Moen Island. The depth 

 was 2 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. This species is exceed- 

 ingly abundant throughout all of the Truk region. 



U.S.N.M. No. 22912, My No. M. 217, collected August 17, 1949 by diver at 

 Kuop Atoll near the northeast corner of the lagoon in the lee of Givry 

 Islet. The depth was 1 meter, and the substrate was dead coral. Several 

 other specimens were observed in this little atoll. 



U.S.N.M. No. 22919, My No. M. 225, collected September 1, 1949, by 

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

 meters, and substrate was dead coral. This species is exceedingly abund- 

 ant throughout the Palau region. In fact, it is far and away the most 

 abundant of all sponges throughout the Caroline Islands. 



