NO. 17 NEW SPONGES— DE LAUBENFELS Q 



mates that of a style. The microscleres are exceedingly abundant 

 euasters, usually varying from 10 /i, to 50 /a in total diameter, with 

 all ranges of intermediate sizes between these extremes. In addition, 

 a few are much larger, ranging up to as much as 150/* total diameter. 

 In general the larger ones have smooth oxeote rays, and the smaller 

 ones have more rays, which are strongylote or rounded on the ends, 

 and faintly roughened. Some 'of the smaller ones have such thick 

 short rays that they almost appear to have centra, or may even re- 

 semble knobby spheres. 



This is a well-marked new type of sponge, with no very close rela- 

 tives. The nearest approach is the genus Tethya, which has a peculiar 

 surface covered with mushroomlike projections, which may corre- 

 spond to the equatorial marks of thyris. It is by no means so pro- 

 nouncedly stipitate and has definite spherasters, but its megascleres 

 resemble those of Tethycordyla. 



Family SUBERITIDAE Schmidt 



PSEUDOSUBERITES Topsent 

 PSEUDOSUBERITES MELANOS, n. sp. 



Holotype. — U.S.N.M. no. 22360. 



The only specimen of this species in the Johnson collection was 

 taken, according to the label, at station 40, but the date, latitude and 

 longitude, and depth, according to the station record, are those of 

 station 80. This was February 26, 1933, latitude i8°i9'o5" N., longi- 

 tude 65°i9'2o" W. to latitude i8°i9'io" N., longitude 65°i9'4o" W., 

 9 to 10 fathoms. 



This species is massive, the specimen being rather digitate, 4 by 11 

 by 35 mm. The color is black, and the consistency is spongy to carti- 

 laginous. The surface is even, Hpostomous, and the internal structure 

 is considerably confused. The spiculation consists exclusively of tylo- 

 styles about 10 /a by 200 fi. 



I am familiar with this species in the vicinity of Tortugas, north of 

 Cuba, where I have studied the sponge fauna at considerable length. 

 It is remarkable for its black color, which is found or approached 

 in only one other species of the genus — Suherites nwntiniger Carter 

 (1880, p. 256). This is an Arctic species and rather briefly described, 

 but its color seems to have been slightly different, its spiculation of 

 somewhat different sizes, and it was provided, even though a small 

 specimen, with conspicuous oscules. Burton ( 1929, p. 446) correctly 

 referred it to the genus Pseiidosuberites because of its possession of 

 dermal tangent spicules, which arc also found in P. uiclanos. 



