Sponges of Palau, X—Bergquist 
167 
Micro scleres . (i) Palmate isochelae, 8.0- 
13 .5/i ( 12/a). 
(ii) Toxa; 40-50/a once flexed, steepness of 
flexure variable; not abundant. 
EMBRYOS; Pale orange pigmented embryos 
(Y-R 6/4) are situated at the eotosome-endo- 
some junction and are particularly abundant in 
the more superficial ectosomal region in the 
vicinity of oscules. The embryos are 250-300/a 
in diameter, somewhat discoid, and contain 
abundant fine subtylostyles. 
DISCUSSION : This specimen is comparable in 
detail with de Laubenfels’ specimen of R. cervi- 
cornis from the Marshall Islands. De Lauben- 
fels describes the " microvelvet” surface attrib- 
utable to the presence of projecting brushes of 
dermal spicules but makes no further mention 
of the dermal Skeleton or of the spicules which 
constitute it. Spicule measurements differ only 
slightly from those given by Thiele (1903). 
DISTRIBUTION: Ternate (Thiele); East In- 
dies (Br0ndsted); Marshall Islands (de Lau- 
benf els ) . 
Clathria fasciculata Wilson 
Clathria fasciculata Wilson 1925, p. 442, pi. 
42, fig. 6, pi 49, fig. 7, 8. 
Clathria fasciculata de Laubenfels, 1954, p. 
140, fig. 89. 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 220 A, 2 36 A. 
DESCRIPTION (Table 7) : The two specimens 
are erect, ramose or incipiently so. 
COLOR: In alcohol, pale red-brown, near 
(y4-R 7/4). 
TEXTURE: Tough and elastic. 
SURFACE: Uniformly conuiose. The shape of 
the connles varies from rounded to pointed and 
in one specimen they tend to be aligned in verti- 
cal rows. The dermis appears granular and, in 
places where dermal spicule tufts are devel- 
oped, is slightly hispid; this is more evident 
at the apex of conules than elsewhere. No os- 
cules are apparent; pores are visible between 
the conules and above subdermal cavities where 
the dermal membrane is thinnest. 
SKELETON: The characteristic feature of this 
species is the presence of fasciculate ascending 
fibres cored by styles. Between these fasciculate 
columns, which are 300-7 50/a in diameter (in- 
dividual fibres 75-150/a), is a dense and irregu- 
lar reticulum of secondary fibres. External to the 
fibres auxiliary styles are abundant. In the endo- 
some these have no regular arrangement; in 
the ectosome they are obliquely or tangentially 
disposed or, in places, organized to form dermal 
brushes. Echinating acanthostyles are present on 
all fibres, usually occurring singly, but some- 
times in tufts at the nodes. 
The ectosome is a cavernous layer varying 
from 250-900/x in thickness, according to the 
size of the subdermal cavities at any given 
point. Thin obliquely oriented tracts of auxil- 
iary styles run across the ectosome between 
subdermal cavities. The main spicule concen- 
tration in this region is in the tangential spic- 
ules and dermal brushes situated in the dermal 
membrane. 
SPICULES: Megascleres. (i) Smooth styles, 
slightly curved, coring the endosomal fibres; 
162-250 X 5.5-11/a (200 X 7.5/a). 
(ii) Slender straight auxiliary styles occur- 
ring throughout the sponge except in the fibres; 
100-270 X 2.5-6.6/a (200 X 4/a). 
(iii) Echinating acanthostyles, short, slightly 
tylote with spines concentrated on the head and 
distal half of the shaft; 50-62.5 X 5-7/a (58 X 
6.25/a). 
TABLE 7 
SPECIMEN 
HEIGHT 
WIDTH 
LENGTH OF 
BRANCHES 
BRANCHES 
SHAPES OF 
CONULES 
HEIGHT AND SPACING 
OF CONULES 
Sta. 220A 
4.5 cm 
5.0 cm 
— 
stem 
3.0 cm 
rounded or 
sharp pointed 
0.4-3. 0 mm high 
2. 0-4. 5 mm apart 
Sta. 236A 
6.5 cm 
0.7-1. 0 cm 
1.5 cm 
stem 
0.7-1. 0 cm 
sharp 
0. 5-3.0 mm high 
2. 0-6.0 mm apart 
