PANAMA SPONGES — DE LAUBENFELS 447 



times verges toward the palmate. The smaller one varies from 16^ 

 to 24/i long and has three teeth at each end, wliich are so sharply- 

 pointed that this might almost be called imguiferate. There are 

 abundant sigmas 16m to 24/i in length of chord, and a few small oxeote 

 spicules about 2^ by 150 ix, which are only dubiously to be regarded as 

 microscleres inasmuch as there exists a possibility that they may be 

 immature stages of the principal megascleres. 



Figure iO.—Zetekispongia zonea, new genus and species: Spicules, X666 (camera lucida). a, Endosomal 

 oxea; b, ectosomal tylote; c, larger arcuate chela; d, abnormal form of same; e, side and front views of 

 the smaller chela; /, side view of larger chela; g, three views of the sigmas. 



Were the principal spicules monactinal instead of diactinal, this 

 would be a Lissodendoryx. This one point of difference in the mega- 

 scleres, however, is here interpreted as being exceedingly important. 

 In sponges of the family Axinellidae, the transition from monactinal 

 to diactinal spicules is made very readily, but this species is unlike 

 those of the family AxinelUdae; instead it should be regarded as of 

 the family Phorbasidae. 



Genus MYCALE Gray 



MYCALE CECILIA, new species 



Figure 41 



Holotype.—U.^.'^M. no. 22207. 



This species is exceedingly abundant on the rocks in the intertidal 

 zone at Panama City but apparently is not found in any other location 

 yet studied. At least during July and August 1933, it was easily 

 recognized by its striking color scheme. In life it was basically green, 

 abundantly provided with bright red specks, which are almost certainly 

 embryos. They are about 200/i in diameter but show plainly to the 

 unaided eye from a considerable distance. The consistency is soft, 

 the surface even. The oscules are about 2 cm apart, and their maxi- 

 mum size cannot be readily given. They are discovered in sponges 



