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POSTILLA

PEABODY MUSEUM
YALE UNIVERSITY

NUMBER 132. 22 MAY 1969.

NEW SPECIES AND RECORDS OF
SHALLOW WATER DEMOSPON-
GIAE FROM BARBADOS, WEST
INDIES

GEORGE JOHN HECHTEL

POSTILLA

Published by the Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University

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in exchange for relevant publications of other scientific institutions
anywhere in the world.

NEW SPECIES AND RECORDS OF SHALLOW
WATER DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS
WEST INDIES

GEORGE JOFN HECHTEL

Dept. of Biological Sciences
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Stony Brook, N.Y. 11790

ABSTRACT

Descriptions are given of eleven species of Demospongiae col-
lected off Barbados, W.I. Five are new species and four are new
records for this locality. New species are Strongylophora dendyi,
Coelosphaera raphidifera, Monanchora barbadensis, Bubaris am-
mosclera, and Timea stenosclera.

POSTILLA 132: 38 p. 22 MAY 1969.

2 POSTILLA

INTRODUCTION

The shallow water inshore sponges of Barbados were surveyed in
June, 1966. The study was undertaken to provide additional
descriptive information on the sponge fauna of the Lesser Antilles.
An extensive faunal list is available only for Curacao (Arndt,
1927). My study of Jamaican sponges (Hechtel, 1965) indicated
the possible presence of a distinct southern Caribbean fauna,
which might contain a strong West African element. Barbados
was selected as a study site, since it has a marine station and a
southeastern location in the island chain.

Previous records of Barbadian sponges are scattered in the
literature. At least 34 species have been reported. The fauna
includes one calcareous sponge (Burton, 1963, p. 367) and six
hexactinellids (Stutchbury, 1842; Schmidt, 1880). Seven species
of lithistid sponges are known from the island (Schmidt, 1879,
1880; identifications by Hartman, in Lewis, 1965). Non-lithistid
Demospongiae have been recorded by Schmidt (1880), Weltner
(1882), Carter (1883b), Topsent (1928), Uliczka (1929), and
Hartman (identifications in Lewis, 1965). All species for which
bathymetric information is available were collected at depths
greater than 50 meters.

Collections for the present study were made by snorkeling from
shore in water from 1-15 feet (about 1/3—5 meters) in depth.
Specimens of 10 species were collected on corals and coral rubble
immediately offshore from the Bellairs Research Institute. The
station is located in St. James parish, on the west coast. An
eleventh species, Bubaris ammosclera, was collected in 45-50 feet
(about 14-15m) of water, 1/2 mile off the west coast, by Dr. I.
G. Macintyre of the Dept. of Geological Sciences, McGill Uni-
versity. The specimens are deposited in the Peabody Museum of
Natural History, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A.
(abbreviated as YPM in the text).

Laboratory study methods have been summarized previously
(Hechtel, 1965). In the data tables, ranges of spicule lengths are
based on samples of 100 and ranges of megasclere widths on sam-
ples of 25 spicules, unless otherwise noted in parentheses. Means
and standard deviations are calculated from random samples of
10 measurements, Other measurements are based on the scanning
of sections and spicule strews.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 3

The classification of de Laubenfels (1936b) is utilized in
amended form. The family Adociidae is placed in the Haplo-
sclerida (see Hechtel, 1965). The family Bubaridae is distinguished
from the Axinellidae, as in Topsent (1928), and included in the
order Clavaxinellida of Lévi (1956). Specimens are described
in detail to facilitate future investigations at the Bellairs Institute.
Zoogeographical studies also require detailed descriptions, since
the limits of variation are poorly known for most species of
sponges. For the benefit of investigators in the West Indies, each
new species is compared not only with morphologically similar
members of its genus, but with other tropical American species.

The study was supported by a 1966 summer research fellowship
and grant-in-aid No. 31-0230A, both from the Research Founda-
tion of the State University of New York. Field facilities were
made available by Dr. John Lewis, Director of the Bellairs
Institute. The study benefited from discussions with Dr. Willard
D. Hartman of Yale University. Specimens were made available
for comparisons through the kindness of Dr. Hartman, Dr.
William K. Emerson, American Museum of Natural History, and
Dr. Klaus Riitzler, U.S. National Museum. Camera lucida draw-
ings of spicules were prepared by Miss Martha Dimock. Mrs.
Mary Buddenhagen and Mrs. Lillyan Yagman typed the final
manuscript.

SPECIES EIST
Class DEMOSPONGIAE
Order HAPLOSCLERIDA
Haliclona erina de Laubentels
Gelliodes ramosa (Carter )
Adocia carbonaria (Lamarck )

Strongylophora dendyi n. sp.

Order POECILOSCLERIDA
Coelosphaera raphidifera n. sp.
Agelas schmidtii Wilson
Monanchora barbadensis 0. sp.

4 POSTILLA

Order CLAVAXINELLIDA

Bubaris ammosclera n. sp.
Timea stenosclera n. sp.
Placospongia melobesioides Gray

Order CHORISTIDA
Chondrilla nucula Schmidt

ECOLOGY AND ZOOGEOGRAPHY

Sponges are known to be abundant in depths below 25 feet
(about 8 m) near the Bellairs Institute (Lewis, 1965; personal
communication). They are restricted in abundance and number in
shallower water. The inshore collection has only two species
(Gelliodes ramosa, Agelas schmidtii) 11 common with the 23
species collected by Lewis (1965) on shell debris in 50-100 me-
ters. Encrusting sponges are certainly more numerous and diverse
on coral rubble near the Kingston Cays, Jamaica (Hechtel, 1965,
area H). Sponges could not be found in turtle grass beds along
the coast of Christ Church parish, south of Bridgetown. They are
abundant in numbers, if somewhat restricted in diversity, in similar
beds near Port Royal and the Kingston Cays (Hechtel, 1965, areas
D and J). Ramose and tubular sponges are common in 10-15
feet of water near the Cays (my area I, 1965), but are absent
from the Barbadian study area.

Wave action may be interacting with an unstable substratum to
restrict sponge settlement and survival. Inshore water is obviously
laden with sediment. Lewis (1960) noted the paucity of corals in
the Barbadian reef flat zone. He reported beach shifting at the
landward limit of the zone in periods of heavy seas.

All of the observed sponges were encrusting in form. By con-
trast, Jamaican specimens of Haliclonaerina often have tall
oscular projections, and specimens of Gelliodes ramosa are typi-
cally elongate and cylindrical. In 50-150 meters, Barbadian speci-
mens of Agelas schmidtii are elongate and tubular (Hartman,
personal communication). Observational evidence indicates that
many species of sponges are restricted to an encrusting form in
wave-exposed habitats. Currents influence at least the direction
of oscular chimneys, as was shown by Warburton (1960), using
reaggregating specimens of Microciona prolifera.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 5

The collection provides limited zoogeographical information.
There is no evidence of affinities with West African sponges.
Three of the previously known species are restricted, on present
evidence, to tropical Atlantic American waters (Haliclona erina,
Gelliodes ramosa, and Agelas schmidtii). Chondrilla nucula is
circumtropical. Most records of Placospongia melobesioides are
from the Indo-Pacific. Adocia carbonaria may be conspecific with
Pacific sponges studied by Bergquist (1965, p. 158).

Three of the new species are morphologically similar to Indo-
Pacific sponges. Strongylophora dendyi is very similar to S.
durissima Dendy, from Ceylon. Coelosphaera raphidifera is similar
to an Indonesian as well as a tropical American species. Monan-
chora_ barbadensis belongs to a genus that has been known
previously only from the Indo-Pacific. Ekman (1953) noted
faunal similarities between the West Indies and the Indo-Pacific on
a generic level, using data from crabs and echinoderms. He sug-
gested the similarities were due to an earlier connection between
the regions provided by the Tethys Sea.

DESCRIPTIONS OF SPECIES

cLASs DEMOSPONGIAE Sollas
ORDER HAPLOSCLERIDA Topsent
FAMILY HALICLONIDAE de Laubenfels
GENUS HALICLONA Grant

Haliclona erina de Laubenfels, 1936a
Hechtel 19 65.4p219:

MATERIAL. YPM 7740, two specimens on coral fragments; YPM
7754, a small specimen originally on a coral fragment with a
specimen of Agelas schmidtii (YPM 7751). Occurs commonly.

SHAPE. Encrusting, about 0.5 cm in thickness, with some oscules
raised 1-2 mm above the surrounding surface.

COLOR. The sponges are a dull dark green in life. They become
pinkish-gray in alcohol.

CONSISTENCY. Compressible, but easily crumbled.

6 POSTILLA

SURFACE. Even, smooth to the touch, but microhispid. The scat-
tered, mostly flush oscules are 1-5 mm in diameter. Their rims
are often jagged and irregular.

ECTOSOME. There is no skeletal specialization. Surface strips con-
tain scattered spicules and severed endosomal tracts. The dermal
membrane is pierced by oval to circular pores, separated by
aspiculous bands about 10-20 » in span. Typical pore sizes are
53.53, 03x93; 4232, and 7442 x.

ENDOSOME. Microcavernous. A three- to five-sided subisodictyal
network has one to several spicules on a side. In places, the
skeleton contains slender spicule tracts, 20-40 » in diameter.
Most of the tracts run vertically near the surface. As seen in
cross section, the ectosome is darkly pigmented and often pierced
by terminal spicules of ascending tracts. Spongin is present at
the network nodes. Some spicules, particularly thin ones, lie
scattered in the mesh interstices. Typical sizes of the oval flagel-
lated chambers are 35x24, 28 «24, and 31x24 x.

SPICULES. Oxeas, usually slightly curved, occasionally straight
or strongly curved, rather uniform in diameter over most of their
length. The points are typically gradually narrowed to hastate,
but may be irregular, mucronate, or stair-stepped. A few spicules
are styles, with or without a narrowed base. Spicule measure-
ments are listed in Table 1.

YABLE |. Haliclona ecrina de Laubenfels —oxea measurements (vw).

Specimen = Lenehan
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
7740a 152-184 168+7 3.5-7.1 5.422153
7740b 147-179 166+8 355 /al 5.61.4
7754 147-189 M725 3.5-7.1 5.4+1.3

DISCUSSION. The present specimens, which were collected in a
more surf-exposed location, lack the pronounced volcanic oscular
projections of Jamaican ones. They are similar to Jamaican speci-
mens in architecture and spiculation. The flagellated chambers

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 7

of Jamaican specimens are of similar size (for example, 35 16,
2414 «). De Laubenfels’ Panamanian specimens (1936a, p.
457) are described as being amorphous to encrusting, as in the
present case. The flagellated chambers of his material are of
similar size (30 4), but are described as spherical. The brilliant
green coloration of his material differs from the dull green colora-
tion of both Jamaican and Barbadian specimens.

FAMILY DESMACIDONIDAE Gray
GENUS GELLIODES Ridley

Gelliodes? ramosa (Carter, 1882)
Hartman, 1967, p. 20.

MATERIAL. YPM 7742, several specimens from coral and coral
rubble; YPM 7748, an encrustation in the fork of a piece of
coral rubble, which also bears a specimen of Agelas schmidtii.
Occurs commonly.

SHAPE. Encrusting, about 0.5 cm in thickness.

COLOR. The sponges are dull blue to grayish purple in life. They
become dull gray in alcohol.

CONSISTENCY. Slightly compressible, resilient, fibrous.

SURFACE. Rough to the touch, mostly even. The surface varies
from microtuberculate to minutely conulose, with fiber tufts
reaching nearly 1 mm in height. The scattered oscules are 0.5—3
mm in diameter. They may be flush with the surface or surrounded
by irregular, slightly raised rims.

ECTOSOME. There is no dermal skeletal specialization. The mem-
brane contains scattered debris, a few spicules, and fiber ends.
The singly scattered dermal pores are 50—100 » in diameter.

ENDOSOME. Microcavernous. A mostly pachychalinid fibroreticu-
lation, with scattered spicules and loose spicule tracts in the inter-
stices. The meshes are irregularly polygonal to rectangular, with
parallel sides often several hundred microns apart. The fibers
are 50-265 » in diameter, with many visible to the unaided eye.

8 POSTILLA

Some fibers, particularly thicker ones, are packed with spicules
and coated by a thin spongin film. Smaller fibers intergrade with
the loosely grouped spicule tracts of the interstices. Ascending
fibers branch near the surface to end in tufts of varied size. Their
terminal spicules often project slightly beyond the flesh. The small,
oval flagellated chambers are about 3020 up.

SPICULES. Oxeas, usually slightly to considerably curved, occa-
sionally straight, rarely stylote or strongylote. The shafts are rather
uniform in diameter over most of their length. The points may be
gradually narrowed, hastate, or stair-stepped. Spicule measure-
ments are listed in Table II.

rABLE Il. Gelliodes ramosa (Carter) —oxea measurements (1).

Specimen (a Leneh SN e 1 ereeN
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
7748 189-242 22S ==iul 4.7-8.2 7.80.8
7742a 179-273 Dyes) 5.9-11.8 py ees Ie7/
7742b 200-273 23517] 7.1-9.4 8.2+0.4
7742¢ 179-263 23,021) 5.9-10.6 8.7+1.0

DISCUSSION. The Barbadian specimens are similar in architecture,
megasclere form, and megasclere size to Jamaican specimens
(Hechtel, 1965, as Gelliodes areolata). They differ in having
a dull blue color and an encrusting form (the latter perhaps
due to strong wave action). Sigmas are lacking, as is the case
for five of six Jamaican specimens. A Puerto Rican specimen,
described as Pachychalina areolata by Wilson (1902), also lacks
sigmas (Hechtel, 1955).

Hartman (in Lewis, 1965) recorded the species (as Pachy-
chalina areolata) in depths of 50-150 meters off Barbados.
Pachychalina Schmidt is similar to Gelliodes but lacks microscleres.
It offers an alternative solution to the problem of generic place-
ment posed by the variability of microsclere abundance in the
species. Recently, Hartman (1967) placed Wilson’s species into
synonymy with Gelliodes ramosa (Carter, 1882), from Venezuela,
after an examination of the holotype.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 2

FAMILY ADOCIIDAE de Laubenfels
GENUS ADOCIA Gray

Adocia carbonaria (Lamarck, 1813)
Fechtel; 1965, p; 26.

MATERIAL. YPM 7746, two specimens growing on coral fragments,
taken from Porites rubble. Minute specimens occur on several of
the other coral fragments in the collection. Occurs commonly.

SHAPE. Encrusting, about 0.5—1 cm in thickness, with some of the
oscules on volcano-shaped elevations, which reach 3 mm in height.

coLor. Black, externally and internally, in life and when preserved
in alcohol. The blue-black exudate characteristic of Jamaican
specimens was noted at the time of collection. At first alcohol is
darkly discolored by the sponge, but after several changes it merely
becomes yellow.

CONSISTENCY. Brittle, but easily crumbled; only very slightly com-
pressible.

SURFACE. Smooth to the touch and even, except for oscular eleva-
tions. The scattered oscules are flush to elevated in position,
and 2-8 mm in diameter. The dermal membrane is conspicuous.

ECTOSOME. A subisodictyal, mostly unispicular, typically three- to
five-sided network of oxeas, bound at nodes by spongin. In places
the mesh includes several spicules on a side. The network en-
closes groups of 2-10 roughly circular dermal pores, 10-70 » in
diameter. Adjacent pores are separated by thin aspiculous bands,
typically 2-5 » in diameter. The spicules are often bordered
(particularly at nodes) by small, dark, circular, pigmented cells
5 » in diameter.

ENDOSOME. Microcavernous, with a confused to subisodictyal archi-
tecture. The mesh is variously composed of single spicules, loose
groups of several spicules, and spicule tracts. Spongin is present
at nodes and in small amounts along many of the tracts. The
more compact spicule tracts are 55-105 » in diameter, with parallel
tracts frequently several hundred microns apart. Darkly pigmented
cells are abundant.

10 POSTILLA

SPICULES. Oxeas, slightly to strongly curved, rarely straight, nearly
uniform in thickness over much of their length. The ends may be
hastate, mucronate, stair-stepped, or blunt. A few spicules are
stylote or strongylote, with narrowed ends. Spicule measurements
are listed in Table III.

TABLE III. Adocia carbonaria (Lamarck) —oxea measurements (yw).

Specimen ae Length-————~ (= WIth SSN
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD

7746a 194-236 DNASE] 5.9-9.4 S:2e= 13

7746b 194-247 215+10 5.9-10.6 OM =e

DISCUSSION. The Barbadian specimens are similar to Jamaican ones
in external and spicular characteristics. Spicule tracts are more
prominent in the Barbadian examples. However, well-developed
tracts are present in the holotype (Topsent, 1930, p. 26), speci-
mens from Curagao (Arndt, 1927, p. 152), and West Indian
specimens (Carter, 1882° p. 277, 282).

GENUS STRONGYLOPHORA._ Dendy

Dendy’s original generic diagnosis (1905) emphasized the pres-
ence of strongyles of varied size and smooth microxeas, None
of the species attributed to the genus have sigmas, contrary to
de Laubenfels’ definition (1936b).

Strongylophora dendyi n. sp. (Figure 1)
HOLOTYPE. YPM 7747, one specimen, on a piece of coral rubble.
SHAPE. A small flat encrustation, 2-3 mm in thickness.

coLor. In life, the sponge is cream to dull white. In alcohol, it is
dull white.

CONSISTENCY. Soft, compressible, but easily crumbled.

SURFACE. Smooth to the touch, with an obvious dermal mem-
brane. The oscules are scattered, flush with the surface, and
0.5—3 mm in diameter.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 11

(f |

lOu

|| eee ce
|Op

FIG. 1. Spicules of Strongylophora dendyi n. sp., YPM 7747. Holotype.
A) Five strongyles of various sizes. B) Two microxeas. A: scale I. B:
scale II.

ECTOSOME. A close-meshed, four- to five-sided reticulation. The
skeletal network is composed typically of compact spicule tracts,
but single spicules and loose spicule clusters are not infrequent.
The tracts range in diameter from 20-55 ». The maximum mesh
span is typically 50-85 ,. Long robust strongyles form the bulk of
the reticulation, but megascleres of all sizes are present, partic-
ularly at the skeletal nodes. Associated with the dermal reticula-
tion are small projecting strongyles and numerous microxeas. The

12 POSTILLA

microxeas lie across or project from the reticulation, singly and
in clumps.

ENDOSOME. An irregular, subisodictyal reticulation, with one to
several spicules on a side. The mesh sides are composed largely
of long and medium sized strongyles, but small ones are common
at the skeletal nodes. Spongin is present at the nodes, and occa-
sionally envelops a spicule. The mesh interstices contain thin
developing strongyles, strongyles of small size, and an abundance
of microxeas. In places dense bands of flesh, 30-105 ». in diameter,
traverse the endosome. They contain numerous strongyles (mostly
of small to medium size) and microxeas. Next to the substratum,
strongyles of all sizes form a densely packed spicular mat.

SPICULES. Strongyles of varied size, and microxeas (Fig. 1).
Spicule measurements are listed in Table IV.

TABLE IV. Strongylophora dendyi n.sp.—spicule measurements (u) of
holotype.

Spicule (ae ENGI = >

Width——\
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
Strongyle, large 158-242 20d ==22. 4.7-8.2 6.8+1.4
Strongyle,medium 68-152 (50) 110+30 2.4-7.1 Darl
Strongyle, small 18-72 (50) saselS 12-7 al 3. Stile
Microxea 18-28 (50) 22323 1.2-1.7 1.4+0.2

A-strongyles, greatly varied in length. The smaller spicules are
sausage-shaped, stout, and straight to slightly or considerably
curved. They are rarely centrotylote. Medium-sized spicules are
thin to robust, and slightly to considerably curved. The longer
megascleres are robust and slightly curved. Intermediates are
common between the three sizes.

B—microxeas, fusiform, straight to slightly curved or considerably
bent, infrequently centrotylote, gradually pointed.

Some arcuate isochelas and oxyspherasters are present in spicule
boils. In sections and dermal peels, almost all are associated with
clumps of debris and obviously foreign spicules. They are con-
sidered to be foreign inclusions.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 13

DISCUSSION. The smaller spicules of the Barbadian sponge are
similar to those of the type species, Strongylophora durissima
Dendy (1905), from the Indian Ocean. The latter species dif-
fers in having a largely unispicular dermal network and in having
strongyles that become far more robust (up to 18-20 » in dia-
meter). Three tropical American species have been attributed to
the genus. S. amphioxa de Laubenfels (1950) has peculiar stair-
stepped oxeas interpreted by de Laubenfels as modified strongyles.
The microscleres are thin, elongate, raphidiform oxeas. S$. rampa
de Laubenfels (1934) from deeper waters off Puerto Rico is a
cylindrical sponge with elongate microxeas and strongyles of very
uniform size (330-380 « 12-13 ,»). S. santa de Laubenfels
(1936a), from the Atlantic coast of Panama, differs from S.
dendyi in being greenish-black, stony, and provided with large
oxeas (25x54).

Hartman (identifications in Lewis, 1965) recorded another
Barbadian Strongylophora at depths of SO-100 meters. His
specimens are not conspecific with mine, since they differ in
strongyle form and in the larger size of their oxeote spicules
(personal communication and examination of his slides).

ORDER POECILOSCLERIDA Topsent
FAMILY COELOSPHAERIDAE Dendy
GENUS COELOSPHAERA Thomson

Coelosphaera raphidifera n. sp. (Figure 2)

HOLOTYPE. YPM 7745, on a piece of coral.

SHAPE. A thin encrustation, from which closed fistules arise, partic-
ularly at the periphery. The base is several mm in thickness. The
hollow thin-walled fistules are several mm wide and reach 2 cm
in length. They occasionally have one or two short basal or
apical branches.

coor. In life, the sponge is white with purplish-brown tinges.
In alcohol, it becomes dull white to gray, except for the darkened
apices of the fistules.

CONSISTENCY. The fistules are delicate and bendable. The base
has a tough rind and crumbly endosome.

14 POSTILLA

e m1
(i aan
lOu
A B
C
( LU
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| excaoeneeaeri|
SO”

FIG. 2. Spicules of Coelosphaera raphidifera n. sp., YPM 7745. Holotype.
A) Tylotes. B) Raphides. C) Sigmas of two sizes. D) Isochela. A, B:
scale Ik ©: scale Ik Ds scale ull.

SURFACE. Even, smooth to the touch, lipostomous.

ECTOSOME. The easily detachable dermal rind averages slightly
less than 0.5 mm in thickness. Examination of dermal peels taken
from the base suggests that the pore-bearing membrane contains

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS Us)

scattered sigmas and singly scattered openings, about 35><25 pL
The membrane is underlain by a rind of thickly scattered tylotes,
devoid of any distinct layering.

Fistule walls consist of a thick mat of tylotes, mostly oriented
longitudinally or horizontally. The feltwork is devoid of micro-
scleres, except for rare sigmas. In places the fistular cavities are
partially occluded by cavernous tissue containing a varied num-
ber of sigmas (both sizes) and a few tylotes and isochelas.

ENDOSOME. Microcavernous. Tylotes are strewn loosely to thickly
in the interior of the base. Although sometimes grouped into
clusters, they never form compact tracts. The flesh contains
numerous sigmas of both sizes and lesser numbers of isochelas
and raphides. Most of the raphides are grouped into trichodrag-
mata. Small sigmas are particularly common in the membranous
regions around canals, where they occur in tangled masses.

SPICULES. Tylotes, sigmas, arcuate isochelas, and raphides. Spicule
measurements are listed in Table V.

TABLE V. Coelosphaera raphidifera n. sp.—spicule measurements (u) of
holotype.

Spicule mE CN tN SN, (a Width
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
Tylote 231-488 384+81 —_—_— ==
shaft ———— ——— 3.5-10.6 (52
head oa ——— 4.7-10.6 S.5=E 1S
Sigma, large 42.4-61.2 (40) 49.6+4.9 1E2=322 —_——
Sigma, small 20.0-40.0 DAKASES 1.0-1.2 ————
Isochela 19.9-28.2 (35) DAM 23 0.7 (shaft) }————

Raphide 294-473 (35) 431+34 I a

A-tylotes, long, thin, usually singly or doubly curved, less fre-
quently nearly straight, with smooth oval heads. The heads are
often no thicker than the middle region of the somewhat fusiform
shafts.

16 POSTILLA

B-raphides, largely in trichodragmata, often slightly undulating.
The sheaves are 30-45 » in diameter. Their presence makes it
unlikely that the raphidiform spicules are early developmental
stages of tylotes. (Thin tylotes with distinct heads are present
in the endosome. )

C-sigmas, divided into two size classes, with a few intermediates.

D-isochelas, arcuate, but tending toward the palmate condition.
The lateral teeth project freely from the shaft for up to one-third
of their length.

DISCUSSION. The species is characterized by its spicule dimen-
sions and the presence of trichodragmata, which are infrequent
in the genus. It is distinguished from the closely related Coelo-
sphaera_ biclavata (Priest, 1881, as Polymastia) from British
Honduras by small differences in form, architecture, and spicula-
tion. Priest’s specimen is described as being a minute bulbous mass
from which fistules project. The rind is extended inward at inter-
vals by stout skeletal pillars (see his plate XXIII, fig. 4). The
microsclere complement, if accurately described, differs from that
of the present species in having two sizes of chelas and a single
size of sigmas. In addition, the chelas (13 », 17 ») and _ tricho-
dragmata (254 ») are smaller in size. De Laubenfels (1936b)
erroneously transferred Priest’s species to Cornulella Dendy (1921).
Cornulella lundbecki Dendy, the type species, has a microsclere
complement of isochelas, toxas, and microrhabds (plus a few
sigmas, probably of foreign origin).

The Barbadian sponge is also similar in spiculation to the
Indonesian Coelosphaera fucoides (Topsent, 1897). Topsent’s
material has chelas of larger maximum size and peculiar ramify-
ing fistules. Little information is available on the internal struc-
ture of his species. The Barbadian sponge also has _ spicular
similarities to the Pacific Coelosphaera (Siderodermella) navicel-
ligerum (Ridley; see Ridley and Dendy, 1887), but it has no
navicelliform chelas.

Two species of Coelosphaera have been recorded from tropical
Atlantic America. C. tunicata Schmidt (1870, as Desmacidon)
from Florida differs from C. raphidifera in having a single cat-
egory of large sigmas and no raphides. Its “stumpf-stumpfe”
megascleres may be strongyles. Topsent (1928, p. 224) was

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 17

unable to locate the Floridian specimens at Strasbourg. He did
locate Portuguese sponges that Schmidt (1870) regarded as aber-
rant specimens of C. tunicata. Topsent (1920, p. 17) identified
them as Hymedesmia filifera (Schmidt), a species of the Myxil-
lidae.

Coelosphaera fistula Little (1963) from Florida differs from C.
raphidifera by the absence of raphides and in having distinctive
unguiferate chelas, typically with four teeth at each end.

Xytopsene sigmatum de Laubenfels (1949; also see Little,
1963) from the Bahamas and Florida exhibits some similarities
in spiculation to Coelosphaera raphidifera. It differs markedly
in other respects, including the absence of a dermal rind and
fistules.

FAMILY AGELASIDAE Verrill
GENUS AGELAS Duchassaing and Michelotti

Agelas schmidtii Wilson, 1902
Bewis, 1965-9 p. 1052, 11053, 1061.

MATERIAL. YPM 7741, two specimens, 7741a encrusting and 7741b
with an oscular projection; YPM 7748, on a coral fragment along
with a specimen of Gelliodes ramosa; YPM 7749; YPM 7751.
All specimens were growing on coral rubble.

SHAPE. Mostly encrusting, with a maximum thickness of 0.5—1 cm;
with or without oscular projections. YPM 7751 and 7741 b have
single oscular projections (1 and 3 cm in height) arising
marginally from an encrusting base. YPM 7749 is compressed,
with an apical row of slightly elevated oscules, opening from
a common central cloaca.

coor. In life, the exterior is light orange to reddish-orange while
the interior is pale orange to yellow orange. In alcohol, the
sponges become pale orange, pale brown, or drab with orange
tinges.

CONSISTENCY. Tough but compressible.

SURFACE. Even to uneven. The surface varies considerably, within
and between specimens. It is typically microtuberculate to con-
ulose, but may also be smooth. Conules, when present, range

18 POSTILLA

from barely visible to 2-3 mm in height and tufted. Interconular
ridges may also occur. The scattered oscules are 0.5-4 mm in
diameter, with some apically placed on projections.

ECTOSOME, The aspiculous dermal membrane is pierced by the
terminal spicules of ascending fibers. Foreign material may be
abundant. No dermal pores can be distinguished.

ENDOSOME. Microcavernous. The skeleton is a three- to six-sided,
irregularly polygonal fibroreticulation, with fibers 10-125 , in dia-
meter. Parallel fibers are 50 to several hundred microns or even
greater than 1 mm apart. Although aspiculous intervals occur
(rarely up to | mm in length), most of the fibers are ech-
inated abundantly by singly scattered acanthostyles of all sizes.
The spicules are embedded by their bases and usually project
outward at approximately right angles to the fibers. Most of
the echinators of horizontal fibers near the surface project to-
ward the exterior. Fibers ascending to the conules are echinated
and cored by acanthostyles. The coring spicules, mostly of con-
siderable length, are grouped loosely to compactly in the fibers,
often in a semi-plumose arrangement. The ascending fibers fre-
quently branch near the surface. Their terminal spicules pro-
ject slightly (if at all) beyond the protoplasmic surface. The
flesh contains varied amounts of sand and spicular debris. Some
spicules, particularly thin developing ones, apparently lie free
in the flesh. Acanthoxeas, when present, occur in both the
echinating and coring positions in low numbers.

SPICULES. Verticillately spined acanthostyles, with or without a
few oxeote modifications, straight to slightly or considerably
curved, with the shaft gradually tapering to a sharp point. Spines
are almost completely confined to the whorls, with two to five
visible in a row on spicules seen in profile. The spicule apices are
often irregulary spined ocr devoid of spines. Larger spicules tend
to have a higher number of whorls, a less prominent shaft spina-
tion, and more prominent basal spines. The correlation is far
from absolute. In most spicules the spines are low and incon-
spicuous, ranging from 1.2—2.4 ,», although some spicules have
spines as high as 4.7 ». The spicule bases usually are covered
with spines or stout blunt tubercles, up to 6 » in length. Some
spicules appear almost oxeote, due to the presence of a single

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 19

large terminal tubercle. Spicule data are listed in Tables VI
and VIII.

Three specimens have a low number of definite acanthoxeas.
The oxeote spicules are slightly to considerably curved and
gradually pointed. They lack any sort of localization in the sponge
and are assumed to be extreme variants of the acanthostyles.
Spicule data for acanthoxeas are listed in Tables VII and VIII.

TABLE VI. Agelas schmidtii Wilson —acanthostyle measurements ().

Specimen + Raised (eee Een tN WI

Oscules Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
774l1a = 63-226 149+50 5.9-10.6 es allen
7741b ae 46-252 156+52 4.7-10.6 ae 65)
7748 = 53-252 122+48 4.7-10.6 Si0z=201
7749 oF 68-221 147+24 5.9-10.6 7.8+1.4
ifs ae 74-336 180+70 4.7-11.8 9.62.3

TABLE VII. Agelas schmidtii Wilson—acanthoxea measurements (1).

Specimen + Raised

Oscules Length Width
7741b =F 163-192+28-231 (10) 5.9-7.8+1.0-9.4 (10)
7748 = 179-222+41-299 (10) 5.9-8.0+1.6-10.6 (10)
7749 =e 131-177+26-210 (10) 4.7-7.3+1.8-9.4 (10)

TABLE VIII. Agelas schmidtii Wilson—whorl counts.

Specimen + Raised Whorls,

Oscules Spicule range Mean, SD
7741a = acanthostyle 8-16 M21
7741b ain acanthostyle 8-20 [522279

acanthoxea 12-20 632225
7748 — acanthostyle 7-19 13.6+3.4
acanthoxea 14-19 E2224,
7749 55 acanthostyle 8-16 PSS)
acanthoxea 13-18 15.9+2.4

a 7/3) ae acanthostyle 9-20 (73-5

20 POSTILLA

DISCUSSION. The five specimens are considered to be conspecific,
despite differences in external form and spicule length. They are
similar in skeletal architecture, spicule form, range of whorls per
spicule, and spines per whorl.

The present material is considered tentatively to be con-
specific with A gelas schmidtii Wilson (1902), originally described
from St. Thomas. Wilson’s type specimen (USNM 7683), which
has been re-examined, is an elongate, microhispid, tubular, ir-
regularly cylindrical sponge with several short projections. At
present it is pale brown and compressible. A sample of 100
acanthostyles has a range of 67—-2343.5-7.1 », with 9-15, rarely
to 21 whorls per spicule, and 2-3 visible spines per whorl.
Most spicules are straight to slightly curved, but some of the
more elongate ones are considerably curved. As in the present
material, the correlation between spicule length and whorl number
is Only an approximate one. In smaller spicules the spines are
usually prominent, thorn-shaped, and perpendicularly projecting
to recurved. The spination is usually less prominent in the more
elongate spicules.

The similarity in spiculation and architecture is offset partially
by differences in external form. The presence of oscular projec-
tions in three of my five specimens, along with a central cloacal
cavity in one of them, suggests the possibility of tubular growth
in an environment less subject to wave action. The character of
the surface approaches that of Wilson’s type in my compressed
specimen and the degree of conulation varies in the others.

Four species of Agelas have been recorded previously from
Barbados. Hartman (identifications in Lewis, 1965) reported A.
schmidtii from 50-150 meters. Lewis (p. 1052, 1053) described
it as branching and red in life. Hartman’s specimen (YPM 5880)
is clearly conspecific with Wilson’s, with similarities extend-
ing to external as well as anatomical features.

Lewis’ samples from 50-150 meters also included specimens
identified by Hartman as A gelas dispar Duchassaing and Michelotti
(1864) and A. sceptrum (Lamarck, 1815; see Lamarck, 1836).
The massive A. dispar is less similar in external form to the pres-
ent material than is A. schmidtii. Burton and Rao (1932, p. 355)
selected a neotype for A. dispar, but unfortunately gave neither
a description nor geographical location for their specimen. The
type specimen of A. sceptrum was restudied by Topsent (1933,

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 21

p. 33). It is a cylindrical sponge with small stout spicules that
are typically 12012 pw. A. dispar and A. sceptrum are now being
revised by Dr. W. D. Hartman.

A. flabelliformis (Carter, 1883b, as Ectyon) was described
from the “West Indies” and Barbados. It differs from the present
material in having a flabellate form with pores restricted to groups
on one surface. Its acanthostyles were only 127 12.7 pw in “aver-
age largest size.”

Most of the other tropical American species of Agelas are
poorly known. The common Agelas sparsus (Gray, 1867a) has
smaller spicules than A. schmidtii, apparently all in the echinating
position (Carter, 1871; de Laubenfels, 1936b).

FAMILY MYCALIDAE Lundbeck
GENUS MONANCHORA Carter

Monanchora barbadensis n. sp. (Figure 3)

HOLOTYPE. YPM 7750, on a coral fragment.

SHAPE. A small thin encrustation, less than 0.5 mm in maximum
thickness.

COLor. The sponge is bright red in life. It becomes brown in
alcohol.

CONSISTENCY. Difficult to determine, due to the extreme thinness
of the specimen.

SURFACE. Smooth, lipostomous, microtuberculate.

ECTOSOME. A thin membrane, in which openings cannot be
detected. The membrane contains a few scattered thin megascleres
and the projecting ends of endosomal skeletal spicules. Micro-
scleres of both types are abundant.

ENDOSOME. Stout subtylostyles are implanted singly on the sub-
stratum, They are directed vertically upward with apices projecting
slightly beyond the surface. A small amount of cementing spongin
is present around the spicule bases. The thin subtylostyles are
scattered and also partly clustered in loose groups, with bases at
various levels and apices projecting slightly beyond the surface.
The flesh contains debris and isochelas in varying abundance.

22 POSTILLA

A B
G
hes
(ese ie Wes sl
lOu lOw

FIG. 3. Spicules of Monanchora barbadensis n. sp., YPM 7750. Holotype.
A) Thick subtylostyles. B) Thin subtylostyle. C,D) Isochelas. A,B:
scale Is GxD:escalew ir

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 23

Chelas are more numerous near the surface and toward the
substratum.

SPICULES. Stout and thin subtylostyles, and anchorate isochelas of

two sizes (Fig. 3). Spicule measurements are listed in Table IX.

TABLE IX. Monanchora barbadensis n. sp.—spicule measurements (u) of
holotype.

Spicule ———— Lencih=——_V C-_ Widh SF
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
Subtylostyle, robust 142-273 18927 ——_— ———
shaft —-— ae 4.7-9.4 6.6+1.4
head on ——— 5.9-10.6 8.0+0.7
Subtylostyle, thin 179-305 264+24 or a
shaft a oa 1.2-3.5 1.9+0.6
head —- a 2.4-4.7 3.1+0.6
Isochelas, large ae 212 (50), 18:8321°3 1.2-2.4 (shaft) _————
Isochelas, small 4.7-7.1 (25) 6.6+0.6 0.7 (shaft) —

A-thick subtylostyles, rarely becoming styles, with rounded heads,
without necks, and with gradually tapering shafts.

B-thin subtylostyles, usually straight, occasionally slightly curved,
with narrow elongate heads, without necks, and with gradually
tapering shafts.

C-anchorate isochelas, unguiferate, typically with five short, sharp
teeth at each end, and strongly curved shafts. At each end, one
tooth is in continuity with the shaft, while the two lateral teeth
on each side share a common base. A few spicules seem to have
only three teeth. The teeth are occasionally narrow and blunt-
tipped.

D-—small anchorate isochelas, unguiferate, c-shaped, and very thin.
They are infrequent in sections and spicule strews, but are nu-
merous in the dermal peels. Although teeth could not be seen on
most, several spicules were clearly tridentate when viewed in situ
under oil immersion.

24 POSTILLA

Foreign spicules are present in the clumps of debris and in
spicule strews. The most common are curved acanthostrongyles,
74-110 2.43.5 p. They are in association with obviously foreign
tylotes, palmate isochelas, and toxas, and probably represent the
fragments of another sponge.

DISCUSSION. The present sponge is related to Indo-Pacific species
placed in Monanchora Carter (1883a), Folitispa de Laubenftels
(1936b), and Neofolitispa Bergquist (1965). Bergquist, regarding
Monanchora as poorly known, established Neofolitispa for mycalids
with unguiferate anchorate isochelas. At least for the present,
Neofolitispa is regarded as a synonym of Monanchora. Bergquist
emphasized the spatulate form of the anchorate isochelas in her
redefinition of Folitispa. It should be noted that tooth form varies
somewhat in the present material and also in Monanchora
unguiculata (Dendy, 1921).

The type species of Monanchora, M. clathrata Carter (1883a)
from Australia, has unguiferate anchorates with five elongate
claw-shaped teeth at each end. Little information is available
on the internal structure of the poorly preserved holotype, which
may have had a polygonally reticulate surface. Carter found two
categories of subtylostyles and a single category of chelas in
his specimen. The maximum spicule dimensions are somewhat
larger than in the present material, and the chelas have more
narrow and elongate teeth.

Lévi (1961b) identified a Vietnamese sponge as Monanchora
clathrata. His specimen differs from the holotype in having stylote
megascleres and two categories of chelas. Bergquist (1965) con-
sidered Lévi’s specimen to be conspecific with Monanchora dian-
chora de Laubenfels (1935). However, it may well represent a
distinct species.

Bergquist (1965) recorded specimens from the Palau Archi-
pelago as Neofolitispa dianchora (de Laubenfels). She considered
her specimens to be conspecific with both Monanchora dianchora
de Laubenfels and Folitispa pingens de Laubenfels (1954a). Her
specimens and the holotype of F. pingens have plumose fibers and
ectosomal spicule brushes. In both, the spicule complement includes
a single category of megascleres and two sizes of isochelas. The
Barbadian sponge differs from Bergquist’s material in having two
categories of megascleres and smaller-sized isochelas. According

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 25

to de Laubenfels’ description, M. dianchora has two partially dis-
tinct megasclere categories. The Barbadian sponge differs from his
description of M. dianchora in form, architecture, and microsclere
SiZe.

Monanchora acuata (Lévi, 1958, as Folitispa; see also 1961la)
from the Indian Ocean and Red Sea also has unguiferate chelas.
It closely resembles the Barbadian sponge in architecture and spic-
ule dimensions, but the large isochelas have no more than three
teeth. Lévi’s species lacks the plumose architecture of Bergquist’s
material.

Monanchora unguiculata (Dendy, 1921, as Amphilectus) differs
from the present material in having a single megasclere category
and chelas that are extremely variable in tooth development.
Specimens attributed to the species by Lévi (196la, as Hyme-
desmia) have two sizes of isochelas and acanthostyles of varied
abundance.

Monanchora viridis (Kieschnick, 1898, as Esperiopsis) from
Indonesia, with two sizes of isochelas, is distinguished by its
robust tylostyles, fibrous architecture, and tubercular surface.

ORDER CLAVAXINELLIDA Lévi
FAMILY BUBARIDAE Topsent

The family was established by Topsent (1894, p. 20) and is
used in the sense of Topsent, 1928. The family includes genera
with monactinal megascleres, mostly projecting from a basal mat
or axial column of diactinal megascleres. The latter are angu-
lated, bent, undulating, or irregularly flexed. Microscleres, if
present, are trichites.

GENUS BUBARIS Gray

Encrusting, massive, or ramose in form. The monactinal spicules
are styles or tylostyles. The flexuous diactinal spicules are oxeas
or strongyles. Two species have trichites (see Dendy, 1921).

Bubaris ammosclera n. sp. (Figure 4)

MATERIAL. Two specimens, YPM 7756 (holotype) and YPM
7757, collected by Dr. Ian Macintyre, of McGill University, in
45-50 feet (about 14-15m) of water, 1/2 mile off the west coast
of Barbados.

26 POSTILLA

[eae ee}
SO

FIG. 4. Spicules of Bubaris ammosclera n. sp.. YPM 7756. Holotype.
A) Tylostyles. B) Contorted strongyles.

SHAPE. A thin film, less than 0.5 mm in thickness, extending over
coral and continued as a mat binding clumps of fine to coarse
calcareous sediment.

coLor. In life and in alcohol, dull white and translucent.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS Pf

CONSISTENCY. Soft, easily torn by forceps. Macintyre found the
living sponge to be mucilaginous.

SURFACE. Even, hispid. A few scattered, flush oscules are present,
0.5—2 mm in diameter.

ECTOSOME. Many tylostyles pierce the surface. Dermal peels in-
clude tangentially scattered tylostyles and a very few flexuous
strongyles. Some peels contain a considerable amount of fine debris
and a few foreign spicules.

ENDOSOME, Some tylostyles are scattered in confusion, but many
are implanted vertically by their bases on all sides of calcareous
fragments. The strongyles, present in lesser numbers, are most
frequent next to the debris.

SPICULES. Tylostyles and flexuous strongyles (Fig. 4). Spicule
measurements are listed in Table X.

TABLE X. Bubaris ammosclera n. sp.—spicule Measurements (4).

Spicule (La SS ee OO Sa
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD

YPM 7756 (Holotype )

Tylostyle 152-551 BASS — a
shaft —— —_— 7.1-22.3 122 ==320
head —— ——— 9.4-22.3 13042357,

Strongyle 116-273 (50) NSVSEZ5 2.4-5.9 4.0+0.4

YPM 7757

Tylostyle 116-583 275100 —_——— ———
shaft —_—— ——— 4.7-22.3 14.1+4.5
head — ——— Tele 2233 15.5+4.7

Strongyle 68-294 (50) 159+26 2.4-5.9 3.8+0.6

A-tylostyles, straight to slightly curved, with prominent rounded
or slightly trilobed heads, shafts rather uniform over most of
their length, and with gradually tapering points. Most of the
smaller tylostyles are straight. Curvature, when present, is partic-

28 POSTILLA

ularly pronounced near the basal end. Some spicules are bent
sharply just below the head (a condition found in many species
of the Bubaridae). The heads are infrequently small, with the
spicules approaching the stylote condition, A very few spicules
are inflated subterminally and then often eccentrically. In most
the head diameter slightly exceeds maximum shaft width, but in
some larger spicules the reverse is true. Maximum shaft diameter
occurs in midlength or slightly toward the apical end. The points
are usually sharp, but occasionally narrowed and rounded.

B-strongyles, irregularly flexed, bent, or twisted, very uniform
in diameter, with rounded, equally developed ends. The spicules
range in form from elongate and only slightly irregular to gro-
tesquely bent. The ends are always perfectly strongylote.

DISCUSSION. Bubaris ammosclera can be distinguished from other
species of the genus by its tylostylote megascleres. The only
other tropical American species of Bubaris is B. mastophora
(Schmidt, 1870) from Florida, which differs further from B. am-
mosclera in having a lobate form and undulating oxeas. Specimens
from the Azores attributed to B. mastophora by Topsent (1904)
differ from the present material in having elongate strongyles with
narrowed ends.

The peculiar habitus of the Barbadian sponge has been re-
corded for two other species of Bubaris. Topsent (1928) described
Madeiran specimens of B. vermiculata (Bowerbank) as being
“conglomérats faits de débris calcaires cimentés par l’eponge.”
Dendy (1921) described B. salomonensis as “spreading over a
mass of calcareous debris.”

Hartman (identification in Lewis, 1965) recorded another
Barbadian Bubaris from 50 meters. It differs from the present
species in the form of both styles and diactinal spicules (personal
communication and examination of his slides.)

FAMILY SPIRASTRELLIDAE Ridley and Dendy
SUBFAMILY TIMEINAE Topsent
GENUS TIMEA Gray

Timea stenosclera n. sp. (Figure 5)

MATERIAL, YPM 7755 (holotype), on a small piece of coral.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 29

lOy

FIG. 5. Spicules of Timea stenosclera n. sp., YPM 7755. Holotype.

A) Tylostyle. B) Large oxyspheraster with spined rays. C) Small euaster
(oxyspheraster). A: scale I. B, C: scale II.

SHAPE. A small film-like encrustation, less than 0.5 mm in thick-
ness.

COLOR. Orange in life, grayish-brown in alcohol.

CONSISTENCY. Difficult to determine, due to the extreme thinness
of the specimen.

SURFACE. Smooth, lipostomous (in life as well as in preservative),
microtuberculate.

ECTOSOME. There is little dermal specialization. The tylostyle
bundles may project slightly. Euasters, abundant everywhere, are
somewhat more frequent toward the surface. The singly scattered
circular dermal pores are about 30 » in diameter.

ENDOSOME. The interior is packed with euasters. Most of the
tylostyles are grouped into loose clusters, with bases at various
levels, and apices directed toward the surface.

SPICULES. Tylostyles and euasters (Fig. 5). The ecuasters are
divided incompletely into two forms, large oxyspherasters and
small euasters, without any obvious localization. Spicule measure-
ments are listed in Table XI.

30 POSTILLA

TABLE XI. Timea stenosclera n. sp. —spicule measurements (“) of holotype.

Spicule Gavensth; astendiamett = ah aN
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
Tylostyle 173-252 21025 —
shaft a aa 1.7-2.4 Dale 05S
head ca a 3.5-4.7 3.60.2
Oxyspheraster = 11.8-25.9 (100) IO aera) ——o —-——
Euaster, small 4.7-11.8 (S0) D283 os 2

A-tylostyles, slender, straight, (but with the head rarely at an
angle to the shaft), gradually pointed, with an elongate although
inconspicuous neck.

B-oxyspherasters, very abundant, with centrum diameter equal to
or slightly less than ray length. The rays are thick (1.2-1.4 pu
basally) usually conical, cccasionally truncate or strongylote, and
often distally roughened or spined.

C-euasters, oxy- to strongylospherastral in form, with a centrum
diameter usually slightly less than ray length. The rays are very
thin (0.7 » or less basally), straight, smooth, and cylindrical or
slightly conical. A few spicules are intermediate between cate-
gories B and C. In both categories, a very few spicules have a
small, nearly inconspicuous centrum.

DISCUSSION. The Barbadian specimen is characterized by its short
slender tylostyles and thin-rayed smaller euasters. The only
other species of Timea with small tylostyles is T. xena de Lauben-
fels (1954b) from Hawaii, which differs from the present species
in having only a single category of euasters.

The generic position of the species requires explanation. Most
species of the subfamily Timeinae have a spiculation of tylostyles
and one or more categories of euasters. Species lacking peculiari-
ties of external appearance or euastral form should be placed
in Timea Gray (1876a). De Laubenfels (1936b) established
Kotimea for species with spherasters, which occur in Timea steno-
sclera, However, euastral form and the degree of centrum develop-
ment vary within many species of the Timeinae, including 7.
moorei (Carter, 1880), the type species of Kotimea.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 31

De Laubenfels (1936b, 1950) utilized Halicometes Topsent
(1898) for species with two categories of euasters, as in Timea
stenosclera. However, Halicometes is a member of the Stylocordy-
lidae and cannot be utilized for species of the Timeinae.
Halicometes was established tor Cometella stellata Schmidt (1870),
which has a tuberculate body mounted on a stalk. Schmidt de-
scribed the spicule complement as including anisostrongyles,
spherasters, and long-rayed euasters. At a later date (1880)
Schmidt, partly on the basis of new material, transferred the
species to Tethya. He gave it a new name, Tethya cometes, and
listed Cometella stellata as a synonym. Sollas (1888) corrected
Schmidt’s nomenclature, calling the species Tethya (?)_ stellata.
Topsent (1898) made C. stellata the type species of his new
genus Halicometes. The genus, with a supposed spiculation of
strongyles and spherasters, was placed in the family Stylocordy-
lidae.

In a later paper (1920), Topsent described two specimens that
Schmidt had deposited in the Strasbourg Museum under the name
Tethya cometes. One specimen has smooth surface tubercles and
the other has hispid ones. The latter thus resembles Schmidt's
illustration (1870) of Cometella stellata. Topsent described the
spicule complement of the Strasbourg sponges as including large
skeletal anisostrongyles, peripheral styles, exotyles (in the stalk),
spherasters (with centrum development varied between speci-
mens), and chiasters (with a similar variation in centrum devel-
opment). Topsent transferred the genus to the Tethyidae, but
the presence of a stalk suggests that his original familial place-
ment is more probable. Lévi (1964, p. 72-73) also regards
Halicometes as being closely related to Stylocordyla. Assuming
the identity of Cometella stellata and Tethya cometes (as intended
by Schmidt), the diagnosis of Halicometes must be based on Top-
sent’s description, making it a peculiar, monotypic genus without
close relation to Timea.

The tropical Atlantic American fauna includes several species
of Timea that resemble T. stenosclera in having two types of
euaster. T. perastra (de Laubenfels, 1936b) from the Dry Tortu-
vas. Florida, differs from the Barbadian species in having a cylin-
drical form and a euastral complement of tylasters and small
chiasters. T. parasitica (Higgin, 1877) from Grenada, West
Indies, differs from the present material in having large (508 »)

32 POSTILLA

subterminally inflated megascleres, and terminally spined chiasters
as the smaller category of euaster.

Encrusting sponges from Bermuda (de Laubenfels, 1950) and
Florida (Little, 1963) were identified as Halicometes stellata
(Schmidt). They represent a species of Timea, with two categories
of euaster, similar to T. mixta (Topsent, 1896; also see Topsent,
1900) from the Mediterranean and Cape Verde Islands. They
differ from 7. stenosclera in megasclere size, the absence of spina-
tion on their large spherasters, and the thick-rayed spinous form of
their small euasters.

FAMILY PLACOSPONGIIDAE Gray
GENUS PLACOSPONGIA Gray

Placospongia melobesioides Gray, 1867b
Vosmaer and Vernhout, 1902, p. 1-17.

MATERIAL. YPM 7753, a small specimen on a coral fragment.
The fragment was removed from a larger piece of rubble on which
the holotype of Coelosphaera raphidifera (YPM 7745) was grow-

ing.

SHAPE. An encrustation, up to 3 mm in thickness, with an incipient
projection, 7 mm high, at one edge.

coLor. A dark brown cortex and yellowish endosome, in both the
living and the preserved states.

CONSISTENCY. A hard cortex and tough endosome.

SURFACE. Covered by irregularly polygonal plates, up to 1 cm in
span, with raised rims.

ECTOSOME. The cortex reaches 1 mm in thickness, with a thin
spherule-rich ectochrote covering a dense selenastral rind.

ENDOSOME. The flesh is dense and fibrous, except for wide hori-
zontal subcortical canals. Stout tylostyle bundles traverse the
endosome, narrowing progressively, and penetrate the cortex.
The bundles are 85-125 » in width at the point of penetration.
The tylostyles are placed at various levels within the bundles,
with apices directed toward the surface. Larger sized mega-
scleres are restricted to the endosome. The endosomal micro-

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 33

sclere complement consists of numerous selenasters (both mature
and developmental forms) and spherules. Many of the spherules
are in irregular clusters, as noted by Lindgren (1898) and Vos-
maer and Vernhout (1902).

SPICULES. Tylostyles, selenasters, and spherules. Spicule measure-
ments are listed in Table XII.

TABLE XII. Placospongia melobesioides Gray —spicule measurements (1)
of YPM 7753:

Spicule 7 Length; aster diameter © = Width >,
Range Mean, SD Range Mean, SD
Tylostyle 252-845 T= 97, —_—— ana
shaft —_— —_——. 4.7-12.9 fed=ae8
head —_— ——— 5.9-14.1 10.4+1.6
Selenaster 40-63.5 5544.3 25.9-56.4 45.2+4.3
Spherule ZEN G7/ 1.4+0.2 —_—— —

A-tylostyles, long, straight, gradually tapered, with conspicuous
heads. The heads are usually rounded, sometimes oval, and infre-
quently subterminal. A very few spicules have a slight neck con-
striction. The apices, while narrow, are usually rounded.

B-selenasters, elliptical, with a hilum and a granular surface.
Selenasters develop in the endosome from entirely spined rods,
16-22 » in length. The intermediate stages are ovoid pincushions,
about 2212 » (see also Vosmaer and Vernhout, 1902).

C-spherules.

D-spherasters, 12 and 13 ». Only two examples were found in
spicule strews.

DISCUSSION. P. melobesioides is a common Indo-Pacific species,
recorded with some degree of certainty from tropical American
waters only by Arndt (1927). Arndt’s somewhat aberrant speci-
men had large spherules (6 ») and a few oval microscleres. De
Laubenfels (1936b) tentatively attributed a specimen from the
Dry Tortugas, Florida, to P. melobesioides. His fragmentary

34 POSTILLA

material is unidentifiable since it lacks small microscleres (Little,
1963; Hechtel, 1965). Schmidt’s record from Florida (1870) can-
not be verified for the same reason (Arndt, 1927; Hechtel, 1965;
Sollas, 1888).

ORDER CHORISTIDA Sollas
FAMILY CHONDRILLIDAE Gray
GENUS CHONDRILLA _ Schmidt

Chondrilla nucula Schmidt, 1862
Hechtel, 1965, p. 74; Rutzler, 1965, p. 16

MATERIAL. YPM 7743, a specimen encrusting a Porites tragment,
taken from Porites rubble.

SHAPE. A flat encrustation, about 2 mm in thickness.

coLor, Dark brown externally, in life and in alcohol. The interior
is cream in life, and drab to gray in alcohol.

CONSISTENCY. Tough.

SURFACE. Smooth. The oscules are small, flush, and scattered.
Their diameter in life does not exceed 0.5 mm. The oscules con-
tract strongly upon removal from water, giving the surface a
lipostomous appearance.

ECTOSOME. A densely pigmented, richly spiculiferous region, about
100-160 » in thickness. Dermal peels are pierced by singly
scattered circular openings, which may be dermal pores. The
openings, 85-160 ,» apart, have diameters of 20-30 », and darkly
pigmented rims about 10 » in thickness. In one peel, a larger, pos-
sibly oscular opening is present, 10542 », with an aspiculous
pigmented rim 30-105 » in span.

ENDOSOME. The ectosomal concentration of spherasters gradually
diminishes toward the interior. In deeper parts of the sponge
spherasters are largely restricted to canal linings and the basal
layer of the endosome. Considerable areas (up to 400 » in span)
are devoid of spicules. Vertical canals, 30-135 » in diameter, are
prominent in the upper 1/2~ 1/3 of the dense endosome. They
divide into smaller canals, often obliquely placed, which run
toward the base of the sponge.

NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 35

SPICULES. Spherasters, with a well-developed centrum and short
conical rays, 14.1-37.6 » (mean 26.8 + 2.5 «) in overall dia-
meter. Rays are 1.2—6 » in length. No long-rayed spherasters are
present.

DISCUSSION. The present specimen differs from Jamaican ones by
the absence of long-rayed spherasters. However, ray length varies
considerably within and between specimens of the species
(Hechtel, 1965).

LITERATURE CITED

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1880. Report on specimens dredged up from the Gulf of
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—_——— 1883a. New genus of sponges. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5)
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—_————. 1935. A collection of sponges from Puerto Galera, Mindoro,
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36 POSTILLA

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NEW DEMOSPONGIAE FROM BARBADOS 37

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38 POSTILLA

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REVIEW

STYLE

FORM

Tne

ABSTRACT

OMENCLATURE

-_LUSTRATIONS

ee

FOOTNOTES

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TABLES

REFERENCES

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