THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 219 



on it are relatively few in number and large in size, as compared to those on 

 the microscleres of other species of Cliona. 



This species was first described as Cliona euryphylle by Topsent, 1888, 

 page 82, from the eastern Pacific. Three other species of Cliona have been 

 described as having the short thick spirasters with relatively few and large 

 spines. It is here considered probable that they are all four conspecific, to be 

 known as euryphylla. These include Cliona chilensis Thiele, 1905, page 409, 

 from Chile, and recorded from the south Atlantic (Argentina) by Burton, 

 1940, page 118; Cliona bnrtoni Topsent, 1932, page 577, from the tropical 

 Atlantic; and Cliona aethiopicus Burton, 1932, page 340, also from the 

 tropical Atlantic. 



Cliona vastifica Hancock 



Text Figure No. ISO 



This species is here represented by the following: 

 U.S.N.M. No. 22963, My No. M. 337, collected June 29, 1949, by diver at 

 Majuro Atoll from the western portion of the lagoon near Laura Islet 

 (in the miniature lagoon which occurs there). The depth was 2 meters, 

 and the substrate was dead coral. This species was moderately abundant 

 in Majuro Atoll; a high percentage of all the dead coral was found to be 

 permeated with it. 



The burrows or galleries of this species are from 1 to 3 mm in diameter 

 and sometimes rather vague in outline. 



The color in life was brick red, and the consistency slimy colloidal. 



The skeleton consists first of long, straight tylostyles, 4 /a by 267 //,, and 

 further of oxeas, 1.5 /x by 75 jx to 4 p. by 84 /x. These are almost or quite 

 smooth, whereas in typical vastifica they are microspined. The microscleres 

 proper are small spirasters, 9- /x to 14 /x long, almost straight but in some cases 

 with three or four spiral bends. These smaller spicules are microspined quite 

 definitely. 



Cliona vastifica was first described by Hancock, 1849, page 342, from 

 European waters, but it has since been found in practically all of the oceanic 

 waters of the world. 



c 



^v- — , — _ 



**&&■ 



Text Figure No. 150. Spicules of Cliona vastifica, X 782. A: Tylostyle; the entire spicule 

 shows, but in two parts. B_: Two of the oxeas. C : Three of the spirasters. 



