PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XV, January 1961 
description : An encrusting sponge with 
porose surface copiously marked by subdermal 
grooves. Oscules are small, sometimes the grooves 
radiate in stellate manner from them. Colour in 
life yellow, in spirit pale brown. The skeleton 
is a reticulation with subplumose ascending 
fibres and connectives, mainly unispicular, of 
rhabdostyli. 
Spicules. Megascleres: rhabdostyles .21 to .32 
X .015 to .021 mm. Microscleres: (a) acantho- 
styli .039 to .045 X .003 to .004 mm.; (b) much- 
contorted sigmas .011 to .017 mm. chord; (c) 
quadriradiate spicules (calthrops?) with rays 
.014 to .024 mm. (These are found occasionally 
in a subdermal position and appear to be foreign 
inclusions. ) 
FAMILY SUBERITIDAE (Schmidt) 
GENUS Suberites (Nardo) 
Suberites cupuloides, sp. nov. 
Fig. 14 a, b 
OCCURRENCE: Rangitoto, littoral in swiftly 
flowing water. Onetangi Beach in similar habitat. 
description: A massive sponge with large 
rounded lobes. The surface is even and minutely 
hispid. Oscules are not apparent. The texture is 
firm and fleshy. Colour in life is yellowish-scarlet, 
in spirit yellowish-brown. The skeleton is of 
loose, subplumose ascending fibres, ending at the 
surface in paniculate brushes. Megascleres are of 
two distinct sizes, the smaller occurring mainly 
in the dermal brushes. 
Spicules. Megascleres: tylostyli .17 to 8 X .011 
to .018 mm. Microscleres: absent. 
GENUS Isociella (Halimann) 
Isociella incrustans, sp. nov. 
Fig. 15 a, b 
OCCURRENCE: Ahipara Bay, on ledge under 
rocks at low tide. 
DESCRIPTION: This sponge ranges in form 
from encrusting to massive and spreading. Its 
surface is uneven and minutely mammillate. Os- 
cules are small, scattered or irregularly grouped. 
Often with radiating subdermal channels. The 
texture is firm and resilient. Colour in life scar- 
FlG. 13. a, Rhabderemia stellata, sp. nov. b, Rhab- 
deremia stellata, rhabdostyles, acanthostyli (X 350). 
c, Rhabderemia stellata, contorted sigmas (X 350). 
