AKT. 4 SPONGES OF CALIFORNIA DB LAUBENFELS 51 



This species is of peculiar interest because it is the largest sponge 

 in the world. I have frequently found examples nearly a meter 

 in diameter and they are on definite record as of nearly 3 meters 

 in diameter. 



The Californian representative of this remarkable genus 

 {Spheciosfongia conf oederata) resembles vespwa in many ways. 

 It is significant that it is one of our largest local sponges. The 

 species vespara has the same most remarkable kaleidoscopic color 

 changes, and the same architecture, but differs in having a few 

 dermal spirasters in some specimens and in having (at least in 

 mature specimens) much coarser pore structure. 



Many species described as Spirastrella are probably rather closely 

 related here. Other relatives are incorrectly described as Suberites, 

 which is properly a genus of compact, nonfibrous sponges with a 

 special dermal armor of outwardly pointing tylostyles smaller than 

 those of the endosome. 



Family POLYMASTIIDAE Vosmaer 

 Genus POLYMASTIA Bowerbank 



POLYMASTIA PACHYMASTIA, new species 



Holotype.—V.S.^M. No. 22062; B.M. No. 30.10.8.5. 



Type locality. — The holotype was collected by me at Point 

 Lobos, south of Carmel, Calif., intertidal. July 12, 1930. A second 

 specimen, presented to Prof. Harold Heath, of Stanford University, 



was trawled near Point Sur by a fisher- ^ 



man, August 20, 1929, depth not known. C ^ \ 



Description. — Shape, massive with ^ — ^ > 



digitate protrusions 7 to 10 by ITO mm. ^— 



The holotype was about 2.5 cm in diam- ( ^ I 



eter, with 3 fistules; the second speci- 

 men was about 3 by 6 by 6 cm, with 

 14 fistules. Consistency, woody. Color 

 in life, bright yellow. No oscules were 

 in evidence, and the pores were closed, fio^re -i^.-y oiymasua pachimas- 



The surface of the fistules was smooth, tla, new species, XSOO. Only 



u J- au i i; j-1 •„ 1 heads and points of spicules are 



but that or the mam mass was coarsely shown 

 hispid. 



Ectosomal specialization, in the form of a cortexlike rind, 1.5 mm 

 thick and densely packed with spicules both perpendicular and 

 parallel to the surface. It contains the extremities of the fascicular 

 columns, and there are smaller tylostyles in their terminal brushes, 

 points outward. Over the main mass of the sponge a spicule fur 



