90 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 72 



minute spherical air spaces; gemmoscleres embedded in this coat in a 

 single layer, their distal rotules never penetrating outer gemmular 

 membrane, which is well defined and distinctly uneven; foramen 

 slightly elevated, surrounded by a minute collar, never tubular. 



Distribution. — Hitherto known only from eastern Australia and 

 New Zealand; record from New Guinea (Annandale, 1909) needs 

 confirmation. 



Color in life. — Flesh colored to light brown. 



Discussion. — In view of Haswell's (1882) brief and slightly in- 

 correct original description of E. ramsayi, this species remained in 

 obscurity till the time of Gee's (1931d) revision. After reexamining 

 the type in the AusM, Gee pointed out that the megascleres in this 

 species are not "perfectly smooth," as stated by Haswell, but in- 

 variably covered with a number of inconspicuous spines except at 

 their tips. The reexamination of the type during the present studies 

 confirmed Gee's statement, and the great majority of megascleres 

 range from incipiently spiny to covered with small but conspicuous 

 spines, although there and then a smooth sclere could be found. Had 

 this information been available in earHer literature, a number of 

 closely related species, particularly E. facunda and the E. fortis com- 

 plex, would not hkely have been given separate specific status. In 

 fact, E. ramsayi, in its typical mode of growth, is quite difficult to 

 distinguish from these congeners; aU might yet be relegated to sub- 

 species of the nominal species from Australia, when more detailed 

 studies will result in the erection of a trinomial nomenclature for most 

 spongiUids. Even though the interrelationship of all these "species" 

 cannot be fully demonstrated, and their merging into one species 

 could well obscure existing taxonomic evidence, this group of closely 

 related spongiUids have a great number of features in common. They 

 usually form massive to bulbous growths of uregularly ripply surface 

 and are moderately to distinctly firm in skeletal construction; mega- 

 scleres are incipiently to conspicuously spiny and moderately stout 

 to stout; gemmules possess a well-developed and thick pneumatic 

 layer and usually possess a well-defined outer membrane; gemmo- 

 scleres are robust birotulates with typically spiny cyhndrical shafts 

 of distinctly unequal length, without forming perceptible length classes 

 and terminally \vith flat rotules, irregularly incised in lobes and teeth, 

 often granulated; with some minor exceptions, distribution seems to 

 be restricted to warmer chmates; and all are subject to extreme 

 malformations of spicules, often resulting in the superficial resemblance 

 of gemmoscleres to the condition displayed in the genus Heteromeyenia. 



However, the morphometric differences between all species of this 

 group are sufficient enough to retain their separate status. While 

 E. ramsayi and E. facunda, from which latter E. ramsayi talaensis 



