226 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



Text Figure No. 155. Spicules of Jaspis stellifera. A: Oxea, X 182. B: Several vari- 

 eties of euaster, X 782. 



neighborhood of 2 cm in diameter, and the walls 6 mm thick ; but lengths of 

 as little as 4 cm are the rule. No. M. 199 seems to have been a rather simple 

 tube, but No. M. 203 seems to have consisted originally of a number of tubes, 

 so crowded that they interfere with each other's symmetry. 



The color in life was pale gray, almost white, especially as to endosome. 

 The slightly darker ectosome may have been due to foreign material ac- 

 cumulated there. The consistency was cartilaginous and dense. 



The surface is smooth or microhispid, somewhat velvet-like. The pores 

 are not to be distinguished from the oscules, although the latter may be repre- 

 sented by the opening towards the interior, or cloaca. The openings on both 

 exterior and interior are about 70 p, to 90 p, in diameter and 100 /x to 200 p. 

 apart. 



The ectosome comprises a dense layer of spicules, arranged tangentally, 

 but otherwise in confusion. The endosome is microcavernous with numerous 

 spicules in confusion. Other than that, they tend to outline the spaces. 



The megascleres are oxeas, 15 p. by 600 p. to 25 /x by 800 p. in dimensions. 

 Some very much thinner ones, as little as 1 p. by 105 p., may be juvenile or 

 developmental forms. The Eniwetok specimen shows megascleres reaching a 

 maximum of 50 p, by 1650 p. The microscleres are euasters of the type known 

 as chiaster, because they have blunt terminations to the rays. Their total 

 diameters vary from 6 p. to 15 p., and the thickness of the rays also varies 

 greatly, from much less than 1 p, to at least as much as 2 p. These rays are in 

 turn microspined, although in many cases it requires oil immersion to make 

 out the spination. 



This species was first described as Amorphina stellifera by Carter, 1879, 

 page 344, from Australia. The history of its transfer to the genus Jaspis is 

 like that of the transfer of the preceding species, or tuberculata. 



GENUS DORYPLERES Sollas 

 Dorypleres splendens, new 



Text Figure No. 156 

 Plate X, Figure b 



This species is here represented by the following : 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23037, My No. M. 416, here designated as type, collected 

 July 30, 1949, by diver in the northwest portion of Ponape, from the 



