140 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL XIX, April 1965 
maplysilla Keller be used for Aplysina purpurea 
Carter and its synonyms. 
Psammaplysilla arahica was well described by 
Keller (1889) except for the canal system, and 
there can be little doubt that it is the same 
sponge as A. purpurea Carter. Certainly the 
two belong in the same genus, the affinities 
of which are with genera such as Verongia 
rather than with the Aplysillids (Dendy, 1905 ) . 
No significant difference can be found in the 
descriptions of Psammaplysilla arahica and 
Psammaplysilla kelleri Wilson. The type of the 
latter (USNM 21241) has been examined and 
Its identity with the Palau specimens estab- 
lished. P. kelleri is from the Celebes, as is Drui- 
nella ramosa Thiele, and these are considered 
identical. Druinella purpurea (Burton, 1934, 
BM I 93 O. 8 .I 3 .I 97 ) has also been examined and 
is identical with the above. Row (1911) con- 
sidered that P. arahica and A . purpurea may 
belong to the same species, but he appended a 
query to his synonymy. Burton has not endorsed 
the synonymy and in 1959 recorded a speci- 
men of P. arahica (bm 1936.3.4.574) from 
Suakin. This sponge has been examined and, 
while no opinion can yet be offered as to what 
it is, it certainly is not P. arahica . 
De Laubenfels (1954) described Thorecto- 
psamma xana (USNM 22994) and Dendrilla 
verongiformis (USNM 23104) from the Palaus. 
The types and paratypes of these sponges have 
been examined and all specimens are referable 
to P. purpurea. 
Hexadella pleochromata de Laubenfels, from 
Hawaii (USNM 22748) is an encrusting speci- 
men of P. purpurea , and closely resembles the 
holotype of ""Druinella tyroeis. 
All of the species listed in the synonymy 
above are identical in their possession of a 
unique type of fibre and in their color. Many 
of the early specimens were either dry or poorly 
preserved and thus, until the work of Wilson 
(1923), no reliable description of the flagellate 
chambers was available. In Wilson’s specimen 
it is difficult to see the chambers because of 
the density of the spongin A. Burton (1934) 
commented that too much emphasis on color 
and too little attention to the more important 
details of histology has led to confusion in this 
complex. This statement is perhaps true, but it 
appears from the literature that, with the pos- 
sible exception of Lendenfeld, no author up to 
the time Burton made the statement had satis- l! 
factory material for histological study. Burton, 
however, did not publish the desired histologi- L 
cal details. De Laubenfels collected his own 
material, which is in an excellent state of pres- 
ervation, but only in the small semiencrusting 
fragment described as Druinella tyroeis did he 
observe aphodal canals. 
DISTRIBUTION: Gulf of Manaar (Carter, 
Dendy); Ceylon (Carter); S. W. Australia 
(Carter); Red Sea (Keller, Row); Celebes 
(Thiele, Wilson); Gt. Barrier Reef (Burton); 
East Indies ( Br0ndsted ) ; Caroline Islands, Mar- 
shall Islands, Palau Islands, Hawaii (de Lau- 
benfels ) . 
FAMILY DYSIDEIDAE Gray 
GENUS Dysidea Johnston 
Dysidea herhacea (Keller) 
Fig. la, h, c 
■ 
RESTRICTED SYNONYMY: 
Spongelia herhacea Keller, 1889, p. 336, pi. 
20, fig. 1. 
Dysideopsis palmata Topsent, 1897, p. 482, 
pi. XX, fig. 25. 
Spongelia delicatula Row, 1911, p. 364. 
Phyllospongia cordifolia Row, 1911, p. 378. 
Dysideopsis topsenti Hentschel, 1912, p. .439. 
Dysidea herhacea Burton, 1934, p. 593. 
Phyllospongia complex de Laubenfels, 1954, 
p. 18, fig. 8, pi. 3, fig. 6. 
non Dysidea herhacea de Laubenfels, 1954, 
p. 38. 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 10, 60. 
description: The habit of the sponge is 
well described and figured by de Laubenfels 
(1954: pi. Ill, fig. 6). Beyond this point, how- jj! 
ever, his description is completely unrelated to 
Dysidea herhacea. The following description is 
based upon the holotype (USNM 23110) and 
paratypes (USNM 23127 and Bishop Museum 
148) of Phyllospongia complex de Laubenfels 
and two additional specimens from our Palau 
collections. 
COLOR: In life, gray; in alcohol, yellowish- 
gray (between Y-R-Y 7/2 and rY 7/4) to 
