38 
strongylote, .24 X .014 mm., and with toxa .035 
to .052 mm. long, for microscleres. 
The old genus Gellius has been split by de 
Laubenfels (1936) into several genera and the 
present species is referred to Toxadocia. 
distribution: Aru Islands (Malay Archi- 
pelago), 4-6 fathoms. 
GROUP MICROCIONIFORMES (de Laubenfels) 
family MICROCIONIDAE (Hentschel) 
GENUS Microciona (Bowerbank) 
Micro ciona coccinea, sp. nov. 
Fig. 8 a, b 
OCCURRENCE: Stanley Bay, under sides of 
stones at low tide. Onetangi, Waiheke Island, on 
roof of cave at low tide. 
DESCRIPTION: A thinly encrusting sponge 
with uneven surface over which oscula are not 
apparent. Texture is soft. Colour when alive is 
scarlet, in spirit rusty brown. The skeleton is 
low plumose columns of basally spined styli 
and of acanthostyli. Scattered loose between the 
columns and forming a loose tangential layer in 
the dermis are auxiliary subtylostyli. 
Spicules. Megascleres: (a) basally spined styli 
.24 to .4 X .012 to .016 mm.; (b) acanthostyli 
.08 to .21 X .007 to .014 mm.; (c) subtylostyli 
.14 to .28 X .003 to .004 mm. Microscleres: 
toxas .05 to .07 mm. chord. 
Microciona rubens, sp. nov. 
Fig. 9 a, b 
OCCURRENCE: Waitawa Bay, Clevedon, en- 
crusting rocks at 2 fathoms. 
DESCRIPTION: An encrusting sponge with an 
uneven, minutely and irregularly mammilate 
surface on which oscules are not apparent. Tex- 
ture firm. Colour in life vermillion red, in spirit 
pale brownish yellow to dark brown. The skele- 
ton is made up of plumose columns of basally 
spined styli (rarely completely smooth) and 
of acanthostyli. Auxiliary subtylostyli are asso- 
ciated with these columns and form an irregular 
tangential layer in the dermis. 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XV, January 1961 
Fig. 7. a, Adocia venustina, sp. nov. b, Adocia 
venustina, typical oxea (X 350). 
Spicules. Megascleres: (a) basally spined styli 
.14 to .53 X .021 mm.; (b) acanthostyli .09 X 
.011 mm.; (c) subtylostyli .11 to .28 X .003 to 
.005 mm. Microscleres: (a) palmate isochelae 
.008 mm. chord; (b) toxa .04 to .07 mm. chord. 
REMARKS: This species is most closely related 
to Clathria mortens enii ( Brpndsted ) , which has 
been transferred to Microciona by de Lauben- 
fels (1936). Spicule dimensions in the present 
specimens differ widely from those described by 
Brpndsted. 
