460 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.83 



characteristic of all West Indian sponges. As to whether it is con- 

 specific with other species in the genus Tedania found in other parts 

 of the world there is considerable room for argument. 



FISHERISPONGIA, new genus 



Diagnosis. — Family Ophlitaspongiidae. A genus with two distinct 

 categories of megascleres, a dermal tylostyle and an endosomal plain 

 style, associated with toxas and palmate isochelas. Diagnostic ref- 

 erence may or may not be added as to the quantity of sand present. 

 The dense, almost radiate, structure, however, is not typical of the 

 family Ophlitaspongiidae but verges strongly toward that of the order 

 Haplosclerina. The genus that should be most closely compared here 

 is Camptisocale Topsent (1927, p. 7) described from the Azores. It 

 has significantly similar structure and has the polytylote dermal spic- 

 ules over styles as principal megascleres. Its only microscleres, how- 

 ever, are odd-shaped palmate anisochelas. A second similar genus is 



-^^^^ 



=0=0 



a 



Figure 44. — Fisherispongia ferrea, new genus and species: Spicules, X 666 (camera lucida). a, Termina- 

 tions of the megasclere sort (polytylote style) mid portion not shown; b, toxa; c, two views of the isochelas. 



Phelloderma, described by Ridley and Dendy (1887, p. 85) from the 

 South Atlantic. This also has the polytylote spicules together with 

 plain styles, and palmate isochelas, but these are of remarkable shape, 

 being almost the sort known as a placochela. 



Genotype. — Fisherispongia Jerrea, new species. 



The generic name is given in respect to the eminent zoologist. 

 Prof. W. K. Fisher, of Stanford University, California. 



FISHERISPONGIA FERREA, new species 



Figure 44 



Holotype.—V.S.lS^.M. no. 22239. 



This species is found growing intertidally at Fort Randolph. The 

 shape is amorphous, and the color in life is bright red. The con- 

 sistency is obscured by the fact that it is full of foreign materials and 

 sand. The surface is between tuberculate and even, and the pores 

 and oscules are not readily made out. There is a conspicuous layer 

 of spicules with their heads on the substratum, standing erect with 



