126 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL, MUSEUM 



VOL. 81 



dGURB 78. — Aplysilla glacialis 

 (Dybowksi) : Fiber, X40 



are eurypyllous, often polygonal in section, and typically about 30/x 



by 50jLt by 70;ii in size. Principal fibers, 80ju, to 255ju, in diameter, 



obviously of concentric layers. A pith 

 often occupies as much as 80 per cent 

 of the total, especially near the base 

 of the sponge. These fibers arise from 

 a basal plate (very thin) and branch a 

 few time«, but I find no anastomoses. 

 The distal ends of the fibers cause the 

 conules. (Fig. 78.) 



Remarks. — It is quite remarkable 

 that the Californian specimens agree so 

 closely with the original specimen from 

 north of Europe, and with Lenden- 



feld's description of what he records as the same species from 



Australia. 



APLYSILLA POLYRAPHIS de Laubenfels 

 Aplysilla polyraphis de Laubenfeils, 1930, p. 29. 



Holotype.—V.S.'NM. No. 21434; B.M. No. 29.8.22.41. 



Type locality. — The one specimen, or group of specimens, is from 

 my personal collection, taken at Pacific Grove, Calif., July, 1925. 



DescHption. — Shape, encrusting. Size, 5 mm thick, 3 cm in di- 

 ameter. Consistency, spongy. Color in life and when preserved, 

 purple. In collecting this sponge, it was necessary to detach its 

 rather thin encrustation from the rock under water. Upon doing 

 this, such copious quantities of deep purple coloring material were 

 emitted that the entire tide pool, about a meter in diameter, was 

 rendered purple. The sponge was put in a bucket of sea water to 

 be taken to the laboratory, and this was also colored purple. The 

 first jar of alcohol in which it was placed was colored so deeply as 

 to become opaque, but the alcohol was changed twice, and the third 

 filling remains uncolored, though the sponge appears as dark as 

 ever. 



Oscules, not evident as distinct from the pores (which see). Pores, 

 skeletal, 120/a to 300/x; protoplasmic, probably up to 200ja when full}'' 

 open, but closed or nearly closed in my specimen. Surface, super- 

 ficially smooth, with scattered conules I mm high. 



Ectosomal specialization, a fibrous reticulation in one plane, with 

 meshes having openings 120/i to SOO^a in diameter. The fibers are 

 about 80/A to ISOju, in diameter and are densely packed with foreign 

 spicules ; these are presumably united by spongin, but remain united 

 during only very slight maceration, more vigorous maceration sep- 

 arating them easily. Endosomal structure, a minimum of proto- 

 plasm with relatively enormous quantities of foreign spicules, the 



