74 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 81 



raicrosigmas only SO/x; its chelas are much larger (38/a to 50ju.) and 

 more nearly arcuate than those of hymerm; its forceps are larger 

 (lY/i) and much more clearly spined. 



Some authors (see Topsent, 1928) would regard the presence of 

 forceps as of little taxonomic value. Such conclusions as this are 

 probably correct, but until an extensive revision of the phylum is 

 carried out, consistently eliminating the very numerous genera 

 founded on such bases, it is only consistent to continue using such 

 criteria. Topsent himself continues to found many new genera 

 based upon peculiarities of microscleres. I think he is quite justified 

 in this on the grounds of expediency, and I follow this action of his 

 rather than his suggestion that would lead to making Esperiopsis 

 a genus of a size so large as to be unwield3^ 



Family COELOSPHAERIDAE Hentschel 

 Genus ASTYLINIFER Topsent 



ASTYLINIFER ARNDTI ^ de Laubenfels 



Astylinifer ( f ) arndtl de Laubenfels, 1930, p. 27. 



HoIoti/pe.—U.S.'NM. No. 21435; B.M. No. 29.8.22.4. 

 Type locality. — Point Pinos, near Pacific Grove, Calif., inter- 

 tidal, July 8, 1929. Several other specimens were secured the same 

 day in the same general locality, where the species seemed definitely 

 to be a new arrival, frequent earlier searches over a period of some 

 five years having failed to yield this sort of sponge. 



DescHption. — Shape, encrusting. 

 Size, 0.4 to 1.3 mm thick; several 

 centimeters in diameter. Consist- 

 ency, mediocre. Color in life, some 

 specimens ocher-yellow, others with 

 purple areas, and some halfway 

 between the two colors present and 

 appearing brown. Preserved speci- 

 mens are drab. Oscules and p res, 

 not evident. Surface, superii-ially 

 smooth. 

 Ectosomal specialization not discernible. Endosomal structure, 

 predominantly protoplasmic with scattered fascicular bundles of 

 tylotes, often, but not always perpendicular to the surface. At the 

 very base are a few acanthotylostyles perpendicular to the sub- 

 stratum. 



Principal spicules, tylotes (fig. 40, A), ?>ii by 140/^ to 4/x by 145yLi. 

 Echinating spicules, acanthotylostyles (fig. 40, G), 8/x by 110/x to 9/a 



' Named for Prof. Walther Arndt, of the University of Berlin. 



