Sponges of Palau, I — BERGQUIST 
185 
TABLE 12 
SPECIMEN 
TYLOSTYLES 
SPIRASTERS 
Sta. 12 
300-687 (515) X 6-20 (13) 
13.5-17 (15.5) 
Sta. 92 
290-635 (408) X 6.5-23.5 (14.5) 
9-15 (16) 
Sta. 124 
250-637 (440) X 5.5-15(9-9) 
13-24 (18) 
variability of the spicules in this sponge has 
already been noted by Dendy (1905) for S. 
vagabunda var. trincomaliensis. The cortical 
structure is comparable to that described for 
the type of S. vagabunda Ridley ( 1884) „ Micro- 
scleres in this specimen are extremely rare. 
SPICULE DIMENSIONS (in g) (Table 12). 
DISCUSSION: De Laubenfels (1951, 1954) 
advocates retaining Spirastrella for four species, 
cunctatrix, decumbens, coccinea, and potamoph- 
era. All of these are considered to be persist- 
ently encrusting; the massive species are re- 
moved to other genera, in the case of S. 
vagabunda to Anthosigmella. Anthosigmella 
Topsent is defined essentially on the possession 
of anthosigmas, peculiar microscleres with 
short, truncate spines aligned on the convex 
surface of a C- or S-shaped spiraster. Certainly, 
some authors have described spirasters with 
spines restricted to the convex surface for S. 
vagabunda (e.g., Dendy, 1905); these were, 
however, present as an extreme variant of the 
normal spiraster. Nothing comparable to the 
anthosigma of Anthosigmella varians (Duchas- 
saing and Michelotti), the type species of An- 
thosigmella, has ever been described for S. 
vagabunda. De Laubenfels himself (1954) 
comments on the rarity of such microscleres 
and on their irregularity in his Pacific speci- 
mens. 
Vosmaer (1911), while creating extensive 
synonymies within Spirastrella which have been 
subsequently rejected by most authors, did pro- 
duce a great deal of evidence for the fact that 
no species of Spirastrella described up to that 
time was persistently encrusting. De Lauben- 
fels’ decision to restrict Spirastrella was arbi- 
trary; he produced no facts to support his con- 
tention and made no attempt to reassign 
species other than S. vagabunda , which he as- 
signed incorrectly. 
DISTRIBUTION: Torres Straits (Ridley); Trin- 
comalle, Ceylon ( Carter ) ; Mergui archipelago 
(Carter); Indian Ocean (Dendy, 1921); Phil- 
ippines (Wilson, 1925); central Pacific (de 
Laubenfels, 1954). 
GENUS Time a Gray 
Timea granulata n. sp. 
Fig. 29 
OCCURRENCE: Sta. 53 ( Holotype, USNM 
23699). 
DESCRIPTION: A thinly encrusting sponge, 
up to 0.5 mm thick, covering an area of ap- 
proximately 3.0 sq cm on a coral fragment 
around the base of Tetilla microxea. 
COLOR: In alcohol, pale brown. 
SURFACE: Unevenly hispid and finely granu- 
lar owing to the concentration of microscleres 
in the dermal region. No apertures are visible 
and much coarse calcareous debris is distrib- 
uted over the surface. 
skeleton : Basically a confused mass of 
tylostyles which in isolated patches are organ- 
ized into vertically disposed brushes. The larger 
tylostyles are always vertical and often project 
up to 200g beyond the sponge surface. Both 
types of microscleres occur in a dense dermal 
crust. 
SPICULES: Megascleres. Tylostyles, varying 
greatly in length and width with terminal and 
rounded or subterminal, ovate heads tapering 
evenly to sharp points; 170-687 X 1.5—8/a (401 
X 4g). 
Microscleres. Chiasters, of two distinct size 
groups but identical structure. Six to nine stout 
