298 THE SPONGES OF THE WEST-CENTRAL PACIFIC 



In these same locations in the West Indies, one commonly finds a brown, 

 irregular, or ramose, sponge with small conules and finely wrinkled skin. 

 In the Western Tropical Pacific one finds a sponge that looks in life exactly 

 like the corresponding West Indies sponge. It has the same color, and the 

 same texture to the fingertips ; its consistency is indistinguishable, and its 

 flesh appears to be identical. Yet, under the microscope, the skeleton of the 

 West Indian one proves to be characterized by the fascicular main fibers, 

 supplemented by loose filaments, typical of Ircinia; while those of the Pacific 

 one are again the stratified, debris-filled fibers of Thorectopsamma. How 

 closely are Thorectopsamma and Ircinia related ? 



The outstanding matter pertaining to Porifera is the obviously immense 

 amount that mankind still does not know about these beautiful animals. 



