130 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 72 



Megascleres feebly curved to almost straight and fusiform amphi- 

 oxea, sparsely microspined in their central portion; length range 370- 

 450 fjL, width range 14-20 /x. 



Microscleres not very abundant in dermal membrane or symplasm ; 

 in form and size fully comparable with those of D. plumosa, but ter- 

 minal pseudorotules on rays absent, or represented by an irregular 

 arrangement of distal spines. 



Gemmoscleres very similar to those of the preceding species but 

 somewhat larger and stouter; length range 75-95 n, thickness of shaft 

 5-6 iJL, diameter of rotules 26-28 fx. 



Gemmules numerous in the lower part of the sponge, subspherical 

 to ovoid, ranging in diameter 450-690 m; pneumatic layer well devel- 

 oped and granular, consisting of minute spherical air spaces; gem- 

 moscleres with their upper rotules often projecting through outer 

 surface of pneumatic coat ; foramen produced into a short and straight 

 tubule. 



Distribution. — Apparently restricted to central America. 



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

 as dark brown (Potts). 



Discussion. — This species is very closely allied to D. plumosa 

 from SE Asia, but differs in the possession of distinctly microspined 

 megascleres, in the absence of pseudorotules on the rays of its micro- 

 scleres, and by its stouter and longer gemmoscleres. Annandale 

 (1911c) was first to elevate Pott's "variety" to full specific rank, an 

 arrangement followed by all subsequent authors. As in D. plumosa, 

 even the gemmoscleres of D. palmeri are slightly but distinctly of two 

 length series, although this condition has not been recorded in pre- 

 vious literature. 



Kirkpatrick (1906) gave a brief but valuable comparison of this 

 and the preceding species with D. brouni from the NUe R. Our ex- 

 aminations of the various slides of all these sponges mentioned were 

 able to demonstrate beyond doubt that they represent distinct species. 



Dosilia brouni (Kirkpatrick, 1906) 



Plate 11, figures 10-13 



Ephydatia plumosa var. brouni Kirkpatrick, 1906, p. 226. — Weltner, 1913, p. 475. 

 Dosilia brounii Annandale, 1914, p. 245. — Penney, 1960, p. 39. 

 Dosilia plumosa var. brownii Gee, 193 le, p. 34. 

 Dosilia brownii Gee, 1932c, p. 28. 

 Dosilia brouni Arndt, 1936, p. 17. 



Material. — Slides of syntype (N. Gist Gee). 



Description. — No data available on the form, skeletal criteria, 

 and consistency of this species; original description referred to its 

 resemblance to D. plumosa from India. 



