Sponges of Palau, I— BERGQUIST 
153 
FIG. 15 c. Callyspongia subarmigera (Ridley). De- 
tail of the dermal skeleton. 
latter is reminiscent of Callyspongia armigera 
from the West Indies. 
Pachychalina fibrosa var. gracilis Wilson has 
stouter fibres and wider meshes throughout 
than does the Palau specimen. In construction 
and habit the two compare closely, and both 
have strongyles, those in Wilson’s specimen 
being slightly stouter than those of the Palau 
specimen and nearer in this respect to the type. 
In all features except the possession of stron- 
gyles Pachychalina diffusa var. affinis Hentschel 
is close to C. subarmigera ( Ridley ) . 
DISTRIBUTION: Northern Australia (Ridley, 
Burton) ; Philippines (Wilson). 
Callyspongia ridleyi Burton 
Fig. 16a, b 
Callyspongia ridleyi Burton, 1934, p. 543, fig. 
7, a, b. 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 220 A (six specimens). 
DESCRIPTION: The specimens are probably 
all part of one large colony which is similar to 
that described as Callyspongia ridleyi by Bur- 
ton. Both species of Callyspongia described 
here exhibit a marked tendency toward the 
formation of strongylote spicules. In the speci- 
mens of C. ridleyi strongyles are approximately 
5% of the spicule total; their dimensions are 
equivalent with those of the tornote oxeas, 78- 
89g X 2.0-3.5 g. 
Fibre dimensions (in g) . 
Skeleton Primary Secondary 
Dermal 15-37 (26) 4.5-16 (11.5) 
Endosomal 20-28 (25) 5-16.5 (12) 
Australian specimens of Callyspongia ridleyi 
have substantially larger spicules (200 X 8 g) 
than the Palau specimens but compare very 
closely in all other respects. In the absence of 
specimens from intervening localities it is not 
possible to evaluate the significance of these 
spicule differences. 
DISTRIBUTION: Northeastern Australia (Rid- 
ley, Burton ) . 
FAMILY DESMACIDONIDAE Gray 
GENUS Gelliodes Ridley 
Gelliodes gracilis Hentschel 
Gelliodes gracilis Hentschel, 1912, p. 395, pk 
XXI, fig. 49. 
Gelliodes gracilis de Laubenfels, 1954, p. 89, 
fig. 53, pk V, fig. b. 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 125. 
remarks: This specimen is identical with 
the Palau sponge described by de Laubenfels 
and assigned to this species (Bishop Museum 
125). De Laubenfels expressed doubts as to 
whether G. gracilis should remain in Gelliodes, 
but gave no reasons for this. The Palau speci- 
mens have the fleshy conulose surface, fibrous 
structure, and spiculation of the type species of 
Gelliodes and appear to be correctly placed in 
this genus. The correspondence between the 
Palau specimens and G. gracilis Hentschel is 
dose; the two possibly differ in surface features 
FIG. 1 6a. Callyspongia ridleyi Burton. Sta. 220A. 
