16 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 72 



Color in life. — Not yet reliably observed. 



Discussion. — This species displays some affinities to S. aspinosa, 

 and Gee (1928) considered the existing differences unimportant enough 

 to relegate it to a mere synonym of Potts' species. The reason for the 

 retention of both as separate species in this paper were given in the 

 discussion of S. aspinosa. It can be added that the different shape and 

 surface of the microscleres in both species are also helpful in their 

 discrimination. 



Spongilla alba Carter, 1849 



Plate 1, figures 1-3 



Spongilla alba Carter, 1849, p. 83; 1881a, p. 88. — Bowerbank, 1863, p. 463. — 

 Gray, 1867, p. 553.— Potts, 1887, p. 193.— Weltner, 1895, p. 114.— Annandale, 

 1907c, p. 26; 1907b, p. 388; 1912d, p. 384; 1918a, p. 211.— Gee, 1930a, 

 p. 71; 1931e, p. 31; 1932c, p. 36.— Arndt, 1932c, p. 550; 1936, p. 14.— 

 Schroder, 1935, p. 105.— Jewell, 1952, p. 448.— Penney, 1960, p. 12. 



Spongilla lacustris var. bengalensis Annandale 1906a, p. 56. — Gee, 1931e, p. 33. 



Spongilla alba var. marina Annandale, 1907b, p. 389. — Gee, 1931e, p. 42. 



Spongilla microsclerifera Annandale, 19091, p. 131; 1911c, p. 53; 1918a, p. 211. — 

 Gee, 1931c, p. 69; 1931e, p. 43; 1932f, p. 507; 1932c, p. 40.— Penney, 1960, 

 p. 25. 



Spongilla travancorica Annandale, 1909f, p. 101; 1911c, p. 81; 1912d, p. 384. — Gee, 

 1931e, p. 50. 



Spongilla alba var. bengalensis Annandale, 1911c, p. 77. — Gee, 1931e, p. 33. 



Spongilla nana Annandale, 1915b, p. 31; 1918a, p. 208. — Gee, 1930f, p. 88; 

 1931e, p. 44; 1932c, p. 41; 1932g, p. 299.— Suvatti, 1950, p. 3.— Penney, 

 1960, p. 25. 



Spongilla alba var. rhadinea Annandale, 1919c, p. 85. — Gee, 1931e, p. 47; 1932c, 

 p. 36. 



Material. — Type or syntype material of all species and "varieties" 

 listed above, from the USNM, IM, and N. Gist Gee; material and 

 slides from India, Indonesia, and the Amazon R. (RMS), as well as 

 from Queensland, Australia. 



Description. — Sponge forming massive growths, or crusts of 

 considerable dimensions but moderate depths; surface smooth and 

 slightly lobose, with irregular projections; oscula moderately large, 

 usually inconspicuous; dermal membrane closely adherent to sym- 

 plasm. Skeleton consisting of a comparatively dense network of slender 

 primary and secondary spicule fibers, held together by only little 

 spongin. Consistency of live sponge rather firm but brittle. 



Megascleres slender to stout and fusiform amphioxea, completely 

 smooth; length range 256-420 n, width range 12-22 fi. 



Microscleres very numerous in both dermal membrane and sym- 

 plasm; they are very slender and slightly curved amphioxea, entirely 

 covered with erect spines which are invariably much longer and more 

 prominent in the central parts of the spicule; these spines often with 



