I 1 
176 
of ectosome and endosorne is cavernous, the 
former having slightly denser protoplasmic 
matrix than the endosorne in which no cellular 
material remains in this specimen. Small patches 
of spongin occur binding groups of 2-3 spicules 
either at their tips or along their axes. 
DISCUSSION: The poor preservation of this 
specimen renders it useless for the purpose of 
close comparison with the type specimen of 
Phycopsis terpnis. The holotype of Phycopsis 
terpnis (USNM 23061) is, unfortunately, only 
a small portion of the sponge and its spicula- 
tion does not compare in detail with that fig- 
ured by de Laubenfels in the type description. 
All the stout spicules of this specimen are 
strongyles, 600-87 5/* X 19—24 fi (692 X 20g), 
which narrow very abruptly to relatively thin, 
rounded tips. The finer spicules are typical, 
evenly tapered oxeas, 700-880 X 7-15/* (793 
X 9.5/*), as figured. It seems clear that in the 
holotype there are, indeed, two megasclere 
categories. 
The present specimen is referred to this 
species since it compares well with the type 
Fig. 26. Higginsia mixta (Hentschel). Sta. 258. 
Acanthoxeas. 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XIX, April 1965 
description, the main difference being the pos- 
session of slightly larger oxeas. It is possible 
that the holotype has been wrongly labelled or, 
should this not be the case, that it is equiva- 
lent to the Palau specimen and merely has the 
stouter spicules modified to strongyles. If the 
latter were true, one would expect styles and 
occasional oxeas to occur, but such spicules can- 
not be located in the holotype nor are there 
any styles or strongyles in the Palau specimen. 
This divergence of spicule characters is the 
only difference between the two specimens. 
Clearly, additional specimens from other locali- 
ties are required before it can be definitely 
stated that the two are the same. 
distribution: Ponape, Caroline Islands (de 
Laubenfels ) . 
FAMILY DESMOXYIDAE Elallffiann 
GENUS Higginsia Higgin 
Higginsia mixta (Hentschel) 
Fig. 26 
Dendropsis mixta Hentschel, 1912, p. 415. 
Higginsia mixta Hallmann, 1917, p. 656. 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 258. 
DESCRIPTION: A thickly encrusting sponge 
with irregular digitiform processes arising over 
the whole surface. 
DIMENSIONS: 3.8 cm high, 2.5 cm long, 0.6 
cm thick. 
COLOR: In alcohol, gray. 
TEXTURE: Compact, compressible, and resil- 
ient. 
SURFACE: Unevenly conulose, smooth be- j 
tween conules, hispid over-all but particularly i 
at the apices of the conules and toward the 
ends of the erect processes. 
SKELETON : Somewhat lax and irregular, with I 
a tendency for concentration of ascending ! 
tracts toward the center of the vertical processes. 
Small patches of spongin occur along all spic- j 
ule tracts, but no actual spongin-encased fibres 
occur. The long styles and stout oxeas form the 
ascending tracts and these curve out at an acute 
angle to the surface. In the subdermal region 
fine, centrally-angulate oxeas are added to the 
spicule tracts and these, with the huge styles, 
