Onotoa Sponges — deLaubenfels 
139 
patently was common also in the Gilberts at 
Onotoa. 
6. Haliclona species 
Sponges of this genus were taken by Cloud 
on August 21, my number 52058, in an area 
of Thalassia patches on coarse lime-sand bot- 
tom, off N.W. end of outer rib of elevated 
beach rock at N. TeKawa, also by Banner on 
July 12, August 1 and 8, my numbers 52020, 
52017, 52014 and 52031. 
The genus Haliclona represents to an ex- 
treme the difficulties involved in sponge 
identification. It is abundant everywhere that 
sponges occur, and the general and probably 
correct assumption is that it represents nu- 
merous species. About a hundred species 
names have been placed in this genus, but 
these are perplexing. Almost certainly the 
same name has been applied to what are 
really several different but superficially sim- 
ilar species. It is equally certain that some 
species have received several names based 
upon variations that are of minor importance. 
Decision is outstandingly difficult. In explan- 
ation it may be pointed out that these ubi- 
quitous sponges have only the very simplest 
of spiculations, merely simple oxeas of one 
kind. If they had microscleres, it would be far 
easier to discriminate among them. Further- 
more the architecture is of utmost simplicity; 
the sponges of the genus Haliclona have no 
ectosome at all— the structure of the endo- 
sorne merely comes to the surface and stops. 
Study of the living sponge, always helpful, 
is practically indispensible for Haliclona . The 
various species can be differentiated only by 
becoming familiar with numerous living spec- 
imens, and noticing fine points that do not 
appear in long-preserved specimens, and that 
are difficult to put on paper. 
The preservation of these Haliclonas is not 
bad. More detailed field notes would help 
some, but not greatly; no collection of pre- 
served Haliclona is satisfactory. Species iden- 
tification under these circumstances is always 
conjectural and is not here attempted. It is, 
however, very probable that two or more 
species are represented. 
7. Callyspongia fistularis (Topsent) Burton 
One specimen was taken by Banner on 
August 6, my number 52034. It appears def- 
initely to be the same Callyspongia that is fairly 
common throughout the Marshalls, taken at 
Ebon, Majuro, Eniwetok and Rongerik. As 
noted, however, by deLaubenfels (1954: 85) 
it is perhaps a new species, rather than cer- 
tainly being fistularis . Topsent (1892: 25) de- 
scribed fistularis from the Red Sea. 
8. Pellina carbonilla deLaubenfels 
Cloud collected this sponge on August 23 
and 25, my numbers 52060, and 52053. The 
first was collected 5 kilometers N, 31° west 
from Tabu Arorae Maneaba, near center of 
Te Rawa ni Bao, a pass in the south part of 
the leeward reef. The second was collected 
one kilometer south and 80° west from Aiaki 
Maneaba, on a patch of reef in the central 
lagoon. 
This species was described by deLaubenfels 
(1954: 100) based on its occurrence at Ebon 
Atoll of the Marshall Islands. It was common 
at Ebon, but has not hitherto been discovered 
anywhere else. 
9. Agelas mauritiana (Carter) deLaubenfels 
This sponge was taken by Cloud on August 
23, my number 52054, 2790 meters north by 
30° west from Tabu Arorae Maneaba in the 
south part of Te Rawa Tekatobibi, a pass in 
the south end of the leeward reef. It was 
described by Carter from the Indian Ocean, 
and it has long been known to be common 
throughout the Australian regions. In 1949 
I found it well distributed in the Marshall 
Islands, at Ebon, Majuro, Bikini and Eni- 
wetok and have redescribed it (deLauben- 
fels, 1954: 113 ff.). 
10. Mycale armata Thiele 
This sponge was taken by Cloud on July 
25, my number 52015, at the southern portion 
