252 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



This species acanthastra is peculiar for the spiny rayed asters. In fact, 

 the only other species having exclusively euasters is the following one from 

 the island of Yap. 



The species name selected comes from the Greek word for "spiny" and 

 "star," and is descriptive of the spicules. 



Chondrilla euastra de Laubenfels 



Text Figure No. 176 



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

 It was collected in July 1946, by R. W. Hiatt, from the Island of Yap, which 

 lies north of the Palaus. The type specimen is U.S.N.M. No. 22731. 



It is a smoothly rounded mass, 7 by 10 by 14 mm. 



Text Figure No. 176. Spicules (oxyeu- 

 asters) of Chondrilla euastra, X 782. 



In life the color was black on the exterior and dark gray in the interior, 

 and the consistency between that of a stiff jelly and cartilage. 



The surface was smooth. The pores cannot be made out, but oscules are 

 present, about 200 /i in diameter and 3 to 5 mm apart. 



The ectosome is a fleshy dermis, containing amoeboid cells, and is about 

 100 /a thick. The endosome is dense and jelly-like, with the usual structure of 

 canals and chambers. 



The skeleton comprises, in addition to the jelly, scattered euasters 18 /x 

 in diameter with smooth, sharp-pointed rays. 



The species was described by de Laubenfels, 1949, page 125. 



Chondrilla grandistellata Thiele 



Text Figure No. 177 



This species is here represented by the following: 

 U.S.N.M. No. 23002, My No. M. 381, collected July 11, 1949, by diver in the 

 southeast corner of the lagoon near the church at Likiep Atoll. The depth 

 was 3 meters, and the substrate was dead coral. 



This species was exceedingly abundant in Likiep Atoll; and, although 

 occurring in close juxtaposition to Chondrilla australicnsis (often specimens 

 on the same piece of coral), the two showed no intermediates and could be 

 discriminated in the field as well as under the microscope by the difference in 

 color. 



