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PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL XI, April, 1957 
production. The surface is conulose, with 
conules 1 mm. high and 2 to 3 mm. apart; 
between them are numerous apertures up- 
wards of 1 mm. diameter and only 2 or 3 mm. 
apart on centers. Exhalant openings are not 
obviously differentiated from the inhalant 
ones. The skeleton consists of plumose tracts 
or fibers profusely echinated by smooth 
styles. This and the whole external appearance 
strongly resembles the Homaxinella (species 
rudis) that is so abundant in the Bermudas. 
That has styles 9 X 280 to 11 X 320 whereas 
the Hawaiian Homaxinella has styles 12 X 240 
to 16 X 320 microns. The oscules are con- 
spicuous in rudis. The other Homaxinella with 
the striking appearance of rudis and anamesa 
is trachys de Laubenfels (1954: 171) from 
Ebon, but its styles were much larger, 16X550 
microns. The name anamesa is derived from 
a Greek adjective signifying "intermediate” 
or "in between.” The specimens are to be 
deposited in the U. S. National Museum. 
Densa distincta new species 
This species was dredged 19 February 1948 
at a depth of 50 meters, 3 kilometers south of 
Pearl Harbor. The specimen is to be deposited 
in the U. S. National Museum. It is an irreg- 
ular mass, almost lobate, with projections 
about 3 or 4 mm. thick. The whole sponge 
is about 3 cm. diameter. The color in life was 
bright orange and the consistency dense, like 
cheese. The surface is smooth and lipostom- 
ous. The sponge is full of spicules in utter 
confusion. The majority are oxeas, but many 
are strongyles. The sizes range from 3 X 600 
to 6 X 600 microns. 
Fig. 10. Camera lucida drawing (X 635) of spicules 
of Densa distincta'. a , A typical one of the oxeas, shown 
complete, but in three sections; b, the ends only of one 
of the strongyles, the long middle portion not shown. 
This sponge answers to the definition of 
Densa , which is to say, Hymeniacidon- like, but 
with diactinal instead of monactinal spicules, 
but this is a heterogenous genus. The type, 
Densa araminta de Laubenfels (1934: 14), is a 
cavernous sponge with spicules of more com- 
monplace proportions, whereas those of dis- 
tincta are extraordinarily thin in proportion 
to their length. The other species that has 
been referred to this genus is Densa mollis 
de Laubenfels (1954: 191). It had small 
spicules and verged toward the genus Collo- 
calypta by reason of mucous content, but 
Collocalypta has spongin fibers. Here is a genus 
of three species so diversified that their close 
relationship is questionable, yet they scarcely 
warrant erection of more new genera. The 
genus Hymeniacidon , which matches Densa, is 
similarly diversified and possibly polyphyletic. 
Anthosigmella valentis new species 
This species was dredged 10 April 1949 
from a depth of more than 200 meters near 
Kaena Point. The specimen is to be deposited 
in the U. S. National Museum. It was a 
l) < 5=1 ^ 
Fig. 11. Camera lucida drawing (X 635) of spicules 
of Anthosigmella valentis : a, Tylostyle; b, three of the 
distinctive microscleres. 
massive, rounded sponge, 2X5X9 cm. in 
size, dark drab in color, cartilaginous in con- 
sistency but packed with coarse calcareous 
sand. The oscules and pores appear to have 
closed. The surface is smooth, the interior 
finely cavernous, and (as noted above) full of 
debris. The skeleton comprises stout smooth 
tylostyles 7 X 300 to 9 X 425 microns in 
dimensions, and peculiar spirasters 10 to 
(rarely) 14 microns in chord measurement. 
These are essentially sigmoid microstrongyles 
with a single row of tuberculate processes. 
