130 
RESTRICTED SYNONYMY: 
Hircinia ramosa Keller, 1889, p. 345, pi. 20, 
fig. 5. 
Ircinia ramosa de Laubenfels, 1948, p. 73. 
Ircinia ramosa de Laubenfels, 1954, p. 23, fig. 
11 . 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 15, 60, 92. 
REMARKS: De Laubenfels (1954) gives a 
relatively detailed description of this species 
and stresses the ramose form, the abundant fine 
filaments, and the presence of a second coarser 
type of filament containing refractile material 
as the characteristic features. The specimens in 
this collection agree in most details with the 
above. The fibres lacking granules have a greater 
range in diameter, 2. 0-5.0 /x, than either de Lau- 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIX, April 1965 • 
benfels’, or Keller’s specimens; the flagellate . 
chambers range from 24-36/x in diameter. 
De Laubenfels ( 1950) differentiates I. ra~ ■ 
mosa , in the West Indies, from 1. fasciculata by 
the form of the branch tips, rounded in ramosa, 
pointed in fasciculata. Hartman (1959) has; 
emphasized the presence of a dermal reticulum i 
of sand grains in I. ramosa . At present It is mi • 
possible to be sure that the Pacific sponges dis- • 
cussed above belong to the same species as West t 
Indian sponges also named 1. ramosa; the same 
problem applies to I. fasciculata. In the case of 
ramosa, however, the Pacific sponges seem 
closer to Keller’s original description and, in the : 
event some specific difference is found, the j 
West Indian population would require a new 
Fig. 2. Heteronema erecta Keller. Left, Sta. 10; right , Sta. 140. 
