58 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 272 



comparing the latter species with Weltner's (1913) species here dis- 

 cussed, found the distinguishing criteria important enough to retain 

 his C. scabrispiculis as a distinct species. The present authors, there- 

 fore, follow Annandale's views, at least until additional collections 

 become available and comparative studies can be made. Should future 

 research establish the identity of C. micramphidiscoides with C. 

 scabrispiculis, the latter will have to be relegated to a synonym since 

 Weltner's paper, although published in the same year as Annandale's, 

 has priority of several weeks. 



Corvospongilla scabrispiculis Annandale, 1913 



Plate 4, figures 14-18 



Corvospongilla scabrispiculis Annandale, 1913b, p. 238; 1914, p. 245. — Stephens, 

 1919, p. 95.— Gee, 1931e, p. 48; 1932c, p. 27.— Arndt, 1936, p. 16.— Penney, 

 1960, p. 37. 



Material. — SHde of type specimen (IM no. ZEV 5504/7). 



Description. — External form of sponge unknown, apparently 

 hard but brittle; a stout basal membrane present; found growing on 

 shells of Aetheria sp. Skeleton of the basis of sponge a stout net- 

 work, formed of spicules enclosed in a membrane of spongin con- 

 tinuous with the basal membrane, which also contains spicules in 

 considerable numbers. Consistency of live sponge unkno^\^l. 



Megascleres small and moderately slender, feebly curved to straight 

 amphistrongyla, often with inflated extremities, covered with minute 

 tubercles throughout their length; length range 120-150 /x, width 

 almost constantly 16-17 n. 



Microscleres represented by microbirotulates with only slightly 

 curved smooth shafts, and terminally with a smaller number of hooks, 

 which are less recurved than in most other congeners; average length 

 25 M, diameter of rotule 8-11 n. 



Gemmoscleres in shape and armature similar to megascleres, but 

 smaller and relatively stouter, greatly variable in length and form; 

 length range 58-85 n, width range 10-13 n. 



Gemmules numerous, enclosed in spicular cages formed by mega- 

 scleres, restricted to base of sponge, and arranged in a distinct pave- 

 ment layer; pneumatic coat apparently absent; gemmoscleres forming 

 a somewhat sparse cover on inner gemmular membrane; loculi of 

 gemmides consisting of a roof of megascleres and a floor represented 

 by the stout basal membrane; gemmules proper are spherical, aver- 

 aging 270 ju in diameter; foramen produced into cylindrical porus 

 tube of moderate dimensions. 



Distribution. — Tropical Africa, probably the Nile Basin. 



Color in life. — Not yet reliably observed; dry sponge recorded 

 as "dark." 



Discussion. — Corvospongilla scabrispiculis is certainly closely 



I 



