444 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.83 



The Panama sponge now being described shows no evident oscules, 

 probably as a result of abundant ciurent near its location, and may be 

 regarded as typical of the race that extends from the Arctic to the 

 Antarctic. 



Genus HALICLONA Grant 



HAUCLONA PERMOLLIS (Bowerbank) 



This species is represented in the collection by U.S.N.M. no. 

 22200, found growing on the extensive rocky tide flats at Panama 

 City. It is a thin crust, drab to violet, mediocre in consistency, and 

 without any dermal specialization. The oscules, 2 to 3 mm in diam- 

 eter, are surrounded by raised collars 3 mm high. The endosome is 

 an isodictyal reticulation of oxeas 7m by 130/x. 



This cosmopolitan species has frequently been known under the 

 specific name of cinerea (Grant), but Burton (1934) chooses as the 

 lectotype of Grant's Spongia cinerea a specimen that is an Adocia. 

 It therefore becomes necessary to apply Bowerbank's name of 

 permollis to the species, which is a typical Haliclona. It is well char- 

 acterized by its violet color, except where environmental factors inter- 

 fere with it, perhaps by causing damage, in which instances a whole 

 range of colors tending toward drab results. Bowerbank (1866, p. 

 278) founded the name as Isodidya permollis. 1 have transferred it 

 to the genus Haliclona (de Laubenfels, 1936, p. 40). 



HALICLONA COERULESCENS (Topsent) 



This species is represented in the collection by U.S.N.M. no. 

 22240, from the Atlantic coast of Panama, and also (less typically) 

 by nos. 22250, 22219, and 22208, from the Pacific coast. The Pana- 

 manian specimens are basically encrusting, but cylindrical or lamel- 

 late processes commonly grow up from the base. The color is typi- 

 cally blue in life, but where in some ways interfered with by the 

 environment it tends toward drab. The consistency is mediocre, and 

 the surface is comparatively even, with no special dermal skeleton 

 at all. The pores are about 200 fx in diameter and occur about two 

 to the square millimeter. The oscules vary from 1 to 2 mm in diam- 

 eter and occur very irregularly. The indications are that where the 

 current passing the sponge is insufficient, the more evident oscules 

 occur. The endosome is an isodictyal reticulation of oxeas varying 

 from 5m by 120m commonly to 6m by 150m and rarely to 9m by 175m. 



This species was described as Reniera coerulescens by Topsent 

 (1918, p. 537) from the West Indies. It is here transferred to the 

 genus Haliclona. The Panama specimens do not differ to any sig- 

 nificant extent from Topsent's specimens. This is one of the most 

 characteristic species of the Canal Zone, It was found growing inter- 

 tidally on rocks near Panama City, on wood beneath the piers at 



