Postilla

Dd SAVIO eh ole nth Porras Pee LIRA ©
Fie EL Pe OIE LS ERIE HE Fe erst a! kae®

ers pee ete 4 ‘ é —_
=

SOT et ae eed eke y °
* 4 ne Pere ot af i NS ae ed Peevey tae
. 4 oe ma aes Ore IE htege

sort 4 Ai Telnet

Sd ana a nd a
Lule dares in ens -~ Jiet CANALES OAD atad SD e™
chalet Aho bn 4 . ne Seen post ath
Ao eed Be Knee Hw hw

i . + a tha be need SRST echt oN
SS Feed he AN OF Tt 3 » ne eee ZA DRA ON i eta MS
es OS Pals oA PAP PEL Sen ged athe NaF oie Te aL Rel ao ete SSL AA
mar a _ ~ tame eS MO ae

ie ed tether agama tt

<2 .
wa hprigf a wae Ne aR nate
ee hee te to ee A ee et
cet arn he hal ty hahaa aa ee ha th

wh treet

pete
65 oe ee Se

Postilla

PEABODY MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

YALE UNIVERSITY
NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, U.S.A.

Number 113 22 November 1967

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA (PORIFERA,
DEMOSPONGIAE), A GENUS OF TOXIC SPONGES
FROM THE WEST INDIES AND AUSTRALIA

WILLARD D. HARTMAN

DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY AND PEABODY MUSEUM OF NATURAL
History, YALE UNIVERSITY

(Accepted for publication 13 Oct. 1967)

ABSTRACT

A revision of the sponge genus Neofibularia, known for its
dermatitis-producing qualities, is presented on the basis of a re-
study of holotypic specimens. Carter’s species Fibularia massa 1s
regarded as a synonym of N. nolitangere (Duch. &. Mich.), the
only species known from western tropical Atlantic waters. A new
subspecies of N. nolitangere, with oxeate megascleres, is described
as well as a new species, N. mordens, from South Australia. The
relationship of Neofibularia to Biemna is discussed.

Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

i)

INTRODUCTION

In 1864 Duchassaing and Michelotti described a sponge,
Amphimedon nolitangere, which, they said, produces on the skin
of the imprudent handler a smarting sensation and a numbness
which can last several hours. Two related forms, one from the
Caribbean coast of Colombia and the other from South Australia,
are described here. The latter is also toxic; Dr. R. V. Southcott,
who referred the sponge to me for identification, states that “seven
people handled it and all were affected with a contact dermatitis
from which in one or two instances it took weeks to recover.”

The sponge of Duchassaing and Michelotti has been described
by a number of workers subsequently and has had a varied taxo-
nomic history. The original authors made no mention of micro-
scopic characters and it is, therefore, not surprising that subsequent
authors failed to recognize the species.

Carter (1882) called the sponge “Fibularia massa’, assigning
it to a new genus for which, however, he gave no diagnosis. Carter
was aware of the paper by Duchassaing and Michelotti but said,
“Tt have hardly ever referred to it without vexation.” Carter failed
to note the similarity of Amphimedon nolitangere to his sponge,
in part, no doubt, because the Rev. H. H. Higgins, who collected
Carter’s specimen at Long Cay Is., New Providence, Bahamas,
apparently made no mention in his field notes of the toxicity of
the sponge.

Vosmaer (1887) pointed out that the generic name Fibularia
had been applied to a clypeastroid echinoid by Lamarck in 1815
and that it cannot stand for the sponges assigned to the genus by
Carter.

Arndt (1927) reported a sponge from Curacao that is com-
parable to Carter’s specimen and named it Gellius massa (Carter)
but made no mention of the dermatitis-producing quality of the
sponge.

De Laubenfels (1936) found several specimens of a toxic
sponge at the Dry Tortugas and recognized their identity with
Amphimedon nolitangere Duchassaing and Michelotti. His treat-
ment of the nomenclature of the species is unfortunate, however.
Following the establishment of Fibularia by Carter in 1882, this
same author used the similar name Fibulia in 1886 for a branched
sponge from South Australia, F. carnosa, with oxeas and sigmas

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 3

as spicules. De Laubenfels assumed that Fibulia was a name sub-
stituted by Carter for Fibularia, perhaps in recognition of the prior
use of the latter name for an echinoderm. Burton (1929), on the
other hand, interpreted Fibulia as a misprint for the earlier
Fibularia and substituted the name Plumocolumella for the species
carnosa. Later Burton (1936, p. 142) dropped the name Plumo-
columella and reverted to Fibulia tor the species carnosa, pointing
out that “there is no substantial evidence for believing” that Fibulia
was a misprint for Fibularia. Burton is certainly correct, since
Carter had the habit of failing to qualify his new generic names
with diagnoses or even with an indication that the names were new.
Carter’s species carnosa departs sufficiently from the species
described under the earlier name, Fibularia, so that it is reasonable
to accept the fact that Fibulia was intended as a new and distinct
genus.

The genus Fibulia, with carnosa Carter as the type species,
must be used as diagnosed by Burton (1929, p. 424). Duchas-
saing and Michelotti’s genus Amphimedon was a heterogeneous
assortment of species. Vosmaer (1887, p. 358; confirmed by de
Laubenfels, 1936, p. 45) established the species compressa D.
and M. (1864, p. 78), a lamellate haliclonid with diactinal mega-
scleres only, as the type species of the genus. The species noli-
fangere is unrelated to compressa and Hechtel (1965) proposed
the name Neofibularia for it, designating Fibularia massa Carter
as the type species of the genus. Evidence is presented here demon-
strating that Carter’s massa is a synonym of the species nolitangere.

Neofibularia Hechtel, 1965

TYPE SPECIES: Amphimedon nolitangere Duchassaing and
Michelotti, 1864, p. 82, Pl. XV, fig. 3.

Massive sponges with an irregular reticulation of mostly flat-
tened spongin fibers that enclose the megascleres. The megascleres
are Strongyles, oxeas, or styles. Included among the microscleres
are always two categories of oxeate microscleres, forming tricho-
dragmas or not, and one to three categories of sigmas. Minute
tylostyles, curved or straight, known as commas, are usually pre-
sent in specimens of N. nolitangere. The oscules open into a large
cloaca or open individually on the surface of the sponge or are
grouped in clusters at the surface of the sponge. Sponges belong-

4 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No: 113

ing to this genus may produce a painful dermatitis when they come
in contact with human skin.

The spicule complement of species of the genus Neofibularia
is similar to that of the genus Biemna Gray (1867, p. 538.)
Bowerbank’s figures of the spicules of B. peachii (1874, Pl. LXII,
p. 163; B. peachii is a synonym of the type species, variantia
Bowerbank, 1858, p. 286) reveal the presence of two size cate-
gories of sigmas, short microxeas and longer raphides as micro-
scleres; the megasclere is a subtylostyle. The sponge figured is
notable for its plumose skeletal architecture. Subsequent descrip-
tions of B. peachii, especially those by Lundbeck (1902, p. 90)
and by Topsent (1913, p. 50), have confirmed Bowerbank’s notes
on the microsclere content, adding the occurrence of small commas
in some specimens. The megascleres are styles and these are
arranged in polyspicular tracts usually cemented together by a
small amount of spongin.

Burton’s (1930, p. 522) diagnoses of the species of Biemna
reveal that the skeleton usually consists of multispicular tracts
running more or less vertically to the surface, but it may be
halichondroid, subisodictyal, or reticulate. The surface of the
sponge is often shaggy and is sometimes conulose. The megascleres
are usually styles; in B. macrosigma they are amphitylotes (there
is some doubt about whether this species should be included in
Biemna.) The microsclere complement may include one to three
size categories of sigmas and one to three size categories of oxeate
microscleres; to these, commas are added in some species.

The megascleres of Neofibularia nolitangere are diactinal,
unlike those of Biemna species except for macrosigma, a species
of uncertain affinities to the genus in question; in the Australian
species of Neofibularia described below, the megascleres are styles
as is usual in Biemna. The significance of the presence of diactinal
vs. monactinal megascleres has sometimes been overestimated in
diagnosing sponge genera (Hartman, 1958, p. 45.) N. nolitangere,
with predominantly diactinal megascleres, has a small percentage
of styles as well; on the other hand, the Australian species of
Neofibularia, with stylote megascleres, also has a small number of
diactines.

In view of the similarity in spicules, it may be argued that
Neofibularia is a synonym of Biemna. When other characteristics

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 5

are considered, however, differences are apparent. Neofibularia
has well-defined spongin fibers that are characteristically flattened
in form and consistently reticulate in pattern. The amount of
spongin present in the Australian species described below is com-
parable to that found among keratose sponges. In a series of
species of Biemna studied at the British Museum (Natural History)
[chilensis Thiele, fortis (Topsent), megalosigma Hentschel, tri-
rhaphis (Topsent)| I have found that only small quantities of
spongin typically join the spicules together in tracts. Only in the
type species, B. variantia, of the forms examined, is there a mod-
erate quantity of spongin helping to make up the fibrospicular
tracts; but even in this case the amount of spongin present is not as
great as that found in Neofibularia. Interstitial megascleres are
rare or absent in Neofibularia, whereas they are common in some
species of Biemna (e.g., megalosigma Hentschel, 1912, p. 351.)
The external surface of specimens of Neofibularia is smooth or
minutely hispid whereas there is a marked tendency for most
Biemna species to have a shaggy or rough surtace.

Table I gives a comparison of Biemna and Neofibularia. The
latter genus is characterized by the reticulate skeleton of flattened
spongin fibers enclosing the megascleres, by the variation in mega-
sclere form from species to species, by the smooth to minutely
hispid surface, by the arrangement of the oscules, and by the
dermatitis-producing qualities of its species.

The great difficulties experienced by sponge taxonomists in
grouping species and genera in higher categories is strikingly
illustrated by a consideration of Biemna and Neofibularia. Biemna
has most frequently been related more or less closely to the genus
Mycale trom which it differs in the absence of chelas and toxons
(the latter are not always present in species of Mycale, however.)
Dendy (1922) and Burton (1930) placed Biemna and Mycale
in the section Mycaleae, subfamily Esperellinae, family Desma-
cidonidae. Wilson (1925) and Topsent (1928), however, favored
placing Biemna at a greater distance from Mycale and assigned
the genus to the subfamily Desmacellinae of the family Desmaci-
donidae while placing Mycale in another subfamily, the Mycalinae,
of the same family. Hentschel (1923-25) set up a separate family,
the Biemnidae, for Biemna and its relatives, and placed it along
with the Mycalidae and Esperiopsidae in a separate suborder of

6 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

TABLE 1. COMPARISON OF BIEMNA AND NEOFIBULARIA

Character Biemna Neofibularia
Skeletal architecture Main spicule tracts ascending Irregular reticulation
and occurrence of to surface; halichondroid; of flattened spongin
spongin. reticulate with stouter fibers in which
primary tracts; or spicules megascleres are embedded.
scattered irregularly. Spongin abundant.

Small to moderate quantities
of spongin present.

Megascleres Styles; amphitylotes in Styles, oxeas, or
one species (?) strongyles.
Microscleres:

Sigmas One to three size categories; One to three size
may be roughened distally categories; distally
roughened.
Microxeas Present; may be roughened Present; distally
distally. roughened.
Raphides Present. Present.
Commas Present in some species. Present in one species.
Surface Often shaggy or rough; Smooth to minutely
sometimes smooth. hispid.
Oscules Small and isolated; up to Small and clustered;
6 mm in diameter and or larger and opening
localized on crest in into common cloacas.

B. fortis (Topsent).

Dermatitis-producing Not recorded for any species. Recorded for the two
qualities. known species.

the order Cornacuspongida. Hallmann (1916) saw a relationship
between Biemna and Allantophora on the basis of the similarity
in spicule types and placed these genera in the family Axinellidae,
far removed from Mycale. De Laubenfels (1936) set up a new
family Amphilectidae to receive Biemna, Allantophora and other
genera and postulated their origin from microcioniform sponges
by loss of echinating spinose megascleres. Mycale was placed in a
related family, the Ophlitaspongiidae, by the same author. De Lau-

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 7]

benfels placed his concept of the genus Fibulia (= Neofibularia) in a
different order, the Haplosclerida, on the basis of the simplicity
of the megascleres. He assigned it to the family Desmacidonidae
which ke interpreted in a quite different manner from previous
authors, however. Arndt (1927) placed the species that is here
called Neofibularia nolitangere in the genus Gellius, thus including
it among the Hapiosclerida in agreement with de Laubenfels.

By emphasiz:ng different sets of skeletal characters, therefore,
sponge systematists have arrived at divergent interpretations of the
relationships of Biemna and Neofibularia to other Demospongiae.
It is postulated here that Biemna and Neofibularia are closely
related, the latter genus having a greater amount of spongin in its
fibrosp.cular tracts, having a different arrangement of the oscules,
and possessing chemical substances that irritate human skin. An
affinity between these genera and Mycale seems likely in view of
the general similarity in skeletal architecture and microsclere types,
but an objective appraisal of the phylogenetic position of all these
genera is difficult at the present time. More characters are needed
for consideration. Information from the techniques of molecular
systematics and cytology, including studies of the fine structure
of cells and spicules, are promising possibilities.

Two species may be included in the genus Neofibularia at the
present time; the first of these, the type species of the genus, com-
prises two subspecies.

Neofibularia nolitangere (Duchassaing and Michelotti)
SYNONYMY:

Amphimedon nolitangere Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864, p. 82
Fibularia massa Carter, 1882, p. 282.

Gellius massa, Arndt, 1927, p. 151.

Fibulia nolitangere, de Laubenfels, 1936, p. S51; 1953a, p. 19.
Fibulia massa, de Laubenfels, 1953, p. 522.

Neofibularia massa, Hechtel, 1965, p. 23

A re-examination of the specimens on which de Laubenfels
(1950, p. 53; 1953, p. 522) based his conclusion that nolitangere
and massa are distinct species has revealed that they are, indeed,
synonymous as de Laubenfels had assumed in 1936 (p. 51). The
source of his confusion was the oversight of sigmas in his speci-
mens from the Dry Tortugas (see Table II.) Sigmas are present

8 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM Nowiis

in the holotype (PI. I, fig. 1, and text-fig. 1) of Amphimedon
nolitangere, preserved in the collections of the Museo di Zoologia,
Universita di Torino, and in a fragment of this specimen deposited
in the British Museum (Natural History) by de Laubenfels in
1928:

A re-examination of the holotype (Pl. I, fig. 2) of Fibularia
massa Carter has revealed that its spicule complement (text-fig. 2)

D D
lOp
|
Es
\
B
FIGURE |. Spicules of Amphimedon |= Neofibularia| nolitangere D. &
M. A. Strongyles. B. Microxeas. C. Raphides. D. Sigmas. MZT.

Holotype.

is identical to that of Duchassaing and Michelotti’s specimen
except for the somewhat larger size of the spicules. Carter’s speci-
men agrees in other characters as well with that of the earlier
authors. Spicule dimensions for a series of specimens of Neofibu-
laria nolitangere, including the holotype of F. massa, are given in
Table It.

In Neofibularia nolitangere the skeleton consists of an irregular
reticulation of flattened spongin fibers packed with strongyles (PI.

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 9

VI, fig. 1.) Although most of the strongyles are arranged in rows
parallel to the fibers, some are placed diagonally and these may
protrude from the fibers at all angles. At the surface of the sponge
the skeleton presents one of two arrangements. Vertical spongin
fibers filled with spicules may penetrate the epidermis at quite
regular intervals. A few spicules usually protrude from these fibers
and give the surface a hispid appearance. In some instances a

ey
lOp
D
| (Cc
B
A
A\=E
5Op

FIGURE 2. Spicules of Fibularia massa Carter | = Neofibularia nolitangere. |
A. Strongyles. B. Microxeas. C. Raphides. D. Sigmas. CLM No. 108.
Holotype.

regular reticulate pattern of flattened spongin fibers occurs at the
surface. At points where vertical fibers join the reticulation from
below a few spicules may protrude through the epidermis, but
the surface in these cases is quite smooth in general aspect. Both
types of surface pattern may be present in the same sponge. It is

10 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

possible that cross-connections between the vertically oriented
fibers are formed simultaneously over a large area of the sponge
surface and that areas with a reticulate surface pattern represent
places where cross-connections have just been formed. On the
other hand, regions of active outgrowth may present numerous
vertical fibers, the distal ends of which protrude from the surface.
At a later time such regions may assume a reticulate pattern as
cross-connections are added.

In the holotype most of the megascleres are gently curved,
some are straight, and a few are sinuous with two gentle curves.
The microxeas occur infrequently while the raphides are abundant
and the sigmas moderately common.

The microscleres occur throughout the sponge. The microxeas
occur individually or in dense trichodragmas in the flesh. The
raphides occur individually or in loose, irregular aggregations in
the flesh. Commas and sigmas occur individually in the flesh,
although the latter may occur in loosely arranged groups. All
types of microscleres may be found at the surface, but sigmas are
somewhat more abundant there than are the others. Regularly
aligned groups of microxeas do not occur near the surface. All
types of microscleres may be found associated with the surface
of the spongin fibers.

Oscules may open individually at the surface, at times at the
summit of an upright lobe of the sponge, or they may open into
wide cloacas Pl. II, fig: 1); (also see Arndt, 1927, PID Ti fees.
Hechtel, 1965).

The species may be divided into two subspecies as follows:

Neofibularia nolitangere nolitangere subsp. nov.

HOLOTYPE: Specimen of Duchassaing and Michelotti (PI. I,
fig. 1), preserved at the Museo di Zoologia, Universita di Torino.
A fragment of the specimen is deposited at the British Museum
(Natural History) [BM (NH) Reg. No. 28.11.12.34.] The speci-
men was collected at St. Thomas, Virgin Is., prior to 1864.

SUPPLEMENTARY TYPE MATERIAL: The following plesiotypes,
specimens upon which the descriptions of Hechtel (1965) and
the present writer are based, are designated: YPM Nos. 5177,

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA iil

5178, 5179. All were collected at Maiden Cay, Jamaica, in shal-
low water (<3 meters. )

DIAGNOsIS: With strongyles as megascleres (text-fig. 1); shape
varies from thickly encrusting to vasiform (PI. I, fig. 1); up to
24 cm high and 28 cm in greatest width. Other details as in de-
scription above and that of Hechtel (1965).

RANGE: Dry Tortugas, Florida, and north in the Gulf of
Mexico to Cape Romano, Florida; Bahamas; St. Thomas, Virgin
Is.; Jamaica; Curacao.

Neofibularia nolitangere oxeata subsp. nov.

HOLOTYPE: YPM No. 7604 (PI. Il, fig. 2). Collected at a
depth of four meters at Bocachica, at the entrance to the Bahia
de Cartagena, Colombia, in May, 1960, by Dr. Reynaldo Pfaff.
Specimen dried after collection.

PARATYPE: YPM No. 1186. A fragment dredged off Cape
Lookout, North Carolina (34°32.5’ N. Lat., 75°55’ W. Long.)
at a depth of 46-74 meters. Jan. 21, 1950.

DIAGNOSIS: With oxeas or strongyloxeas as megascleres; micro-
scleres as in the nominate subspecies; vasiform with a cloacal
cavity.

DESCRIPTION: Shape: vasiform; 30 cm high; basal diameter,
ca. 18 cm; apical diameter, 16 cm; wall 3-5 cm thick; cloacal
diameter, 7.5 cm; depth of cloacal cavity, 22 cm. The wall of the
sponge is marked by low moundlike lobules, 1-2 cm high (PI. I,
fig. 2.) The sponge was attached on one side of the base to dead
corals.

COLOR: Unknown in the living condition. The dried specimen
is beige.

CONSISTENCY: Firm but friable.

OSCULES: Opening into the cloacal cavity; 4-15 mm in dia-
meter; in some instances several excurrent channels have fused
near the surface to form openings up to 1.5 3.0 cm.

12: Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

SKELETON: As in the nominate subspecies, the skeleton consists
basically of a reticulation of somewhat flattened spongin fibers in
which the megascleres are embedded. The fibrospicular tracts vary
from 85-235, in diameter, the larger diameter being about twice
that of the diameter at a right angle to it. Mesh sizes vary from
300 425 to 600 « 1475. Not infrequently thin sheets of
spongin span the distance between adjacent longitudinal fibers; in
these sheets are embedded megascleres oriented at right angles to
the spicules in the main fibers.

The surface of the sponge varies from minutely hispid to
smooth depending upon whether erect fiber ends project from the
surface or whether the surface pattern of the fibers is reticulate.

D

G

A-C
(te

SOp

FIGURE 3. Spicules of Neofibularia nolitangere oxeata subsp. nov. A.
Oxeas, style, strongyle. B. Microxeas. C. Raphides. D. Sigmas. YPM
No. 7604. Holotype.

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 13

The megascleres are mostly oxeas of quite uniform diameter
and with hastate ends; some have mucronate ends, while in still
others the diameter at the ends decreases in a steplike fashion.
Strongyloxeate modifications are common. True strongyles and
styles occur occasionally. Most of the megascleres are gently
curved; some are straight. The microscleres are microxeas,
raphides and sigmas (text-fig. 3.) The microxeas taper gradually
to a point at one end and abruptly so at the other end; the grad-
ually pointed end is minutely roughened. Both the microxeas and
raphides may occur in bundles or scattered individually in the
flesh. The sigmas are minutely roughened at both ends. In the
paratype some of the sigmas have a central swelling. Commas are
of infrequent occurrence. Spicule dimensions are given in Table II.

DISCUSSION: The subspecies oxeata differs from the nominate
form in its generally larger size, in the oxeate structure of the
megascleres and in the larger size of all spicule types except the
sigmas.

At present it is known only from two localities beyond the
periphery of the range of the nominate subspecies. If further col-
lecting reveals that the two forms overlap in range, consideration
should be given to the possibility that oxeata represents a distinct
species.

No information is available to indicate whether or not this
form causes a dermatitis.

RANGE: Known only from the holotypic specimen from Colom-
bia and from a fragment (YPM No. 1186) collected off Cape
Lookout, North Carolina (34°32.5’ N. Lat., 75° 55’ W. Long.)
at a depth of 46-74 meters.

Neofibularia mordens sp. nov.

HOLOTYPE: YPM No. 5092. A portion of a specimen collected
at a depth of 9.2 meters at Willunga (Aldinga) Reef, south of
Adelaide, South Australia, on Feb. 7, 1960, by Mr. S. A. Shepherd.
Another portion of the same specimen has been deposited at the
South Australian Museum as a schizoholotype (No. A552.)

OTHER TYPE MATERIAL: Paratypes: YPM No. 7688, a por-
tion of a specimen collected at a depth of 12.3 meters at the same

14 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

locality on March 6, 1966, by Messrs. H. W. Rumball and S. A.
Shepherd. Another portion of the same specimen has been
deposited at the South Australian Museum as a schizoparatype
(No. A925). YPM No. 7689, three fragments of two specimens
collected on the beach near Troubridge Lighthouse, Yorke Penin-
sula, South Australia, in 1890 by Messrs. H. W. Cristie and G. A.
Payne. Portions of these specimens have been deposited at the
South Australian Museum as schizoparatypes (Nos. A920, A921,
A922.)

DIAGNOSIS: A massive sponge with oscules opening at the sur-
face in clusters. The skeleton consists of a reticulation of spongin
fibers enclosing styles. Microscleres include two size categories of
microxeas and three size categories of sigmas. Dermatitis-produc-
ing properties pronounced.

DESCRIPTION: Shape and size: The collector of the holotype,
Mr. S. A. Shepherd, described it as being massive and shaped like
a hemispherical dome on a short cylindrical stalk (PI. III, fig. 1.)
It was 37 to 45 cm high and 30 « 25 cm in diameter. Large
cavities penetrate the middle and lower regions of the sponge.

The paratype from Willunga Reef (YPM No. 7688) is mas-
sive, 32 cm high and 31 x 22 cm in width (Pl. IV, figs. 1, 2.)
A marked ridge runs up the sides of the sponge and across the top
at its greatest diameter.

COLOR IN LIFE: Mr. S. A. Shepherd has stated that the holo-
type was a “rich royal blue tending to purplish” as viewed at a
depth of nine meters. When brought to the surface it was dark
chocolate brown with a bluish tint. In a series of Kodachrome
transparencies taken by Mr. Shepherd the upper surface of the
sponge appears to be a deep taupe brown. This color changes
gradually to a grayish-tan on the surface of the cavities described
above. The cut surfaces reveal that the surficial color extends but
a short distance into the endosome where a narrow region of
medium gray color gives way to the biege-tan color of most of the
interior mass of the sponge.

The paratype is also a deep taupe color grading to dark gray
in the furrows in places, according to Kodachrome transparencies
provided by Dr. R. V. Southcott.

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 15

CONSISTENCY: Moderately compressible but firm; tough; not
friable.

SURFACE: The upper surface of the sponge is raised into ridges
and lobules which rise to heights of 5 to 10 mm above the inter-
vening furrows. The lobules on the holotypic fragments vary from
7 to 10 mm in diameter; ridges run for a distance of 3 cm and
measure about 7 mm across. Plate LI, fig. 1 shows one ridge
running for a length of 18 to 20 cm; this ridge varies in width
from 1.0 — 1.5 cm and bears a series of clustered oscules. The
surface of the cavities is smooth and is not raised into ridges or
lobules.

In the paratype upwardly directed ridges mark the sides of
the sponge, and these terminate in free processes, 5-10 mm high
and 3-4 mm in diameter.

The collector reports that the entire surface of the holotype
exuded mucus when the sponge was collected. The cut base of
the sponge was not slimy, however, indicating that the mucus is
secreted by cells localized in the ectosome.

OSCULES: These occur in clusters distributed over the surface
of the sponge on raised lobules or ridges. Each cluster includes
from 6 to 25 or more oscules. The oscules are circular or elliptical
in outline and vary in diameter from 2 mm to 3.5 « 3.0 mm. The
oscules are the openings of long excurrent channels, 4 to 5 mm
in diameter, which can be followed to depths of at least 5 cm into
the interior of the sponge in the fragments available for study (PI.
V, fig. 1) These channels run parallel to one another for con-
siderable distances into the endosome and presumably radiate out
to receive smaller excurrent channels deep in the endosome.

In the case of the long ridge on the holotype mentioned above,
the oscular clusters are spaced quite regularly along its length
with 2 cm intervals between them. The clusters themselves are
elongate; the one complete cluster present on the preserved frag-
ments measures 2.0 1.4 cm.

Oscular clusters also open out into the cavities of the holotypic
specimen. One such cluster shown in Pl. V, fig. 2, is composed of
about 25 oscules. The cluster measures about 2.4 « 1.6 cm.

PORES: Not visible in the specimen available.

16 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

HISTOLOGY: The cells of the specimen have largely disappeared
from the skeletal framework owing most probably to the fact that
the sponge was preserved in sea-water formalin to which no sup-
plementary neutralizing agent was added. In the few places in the
interior of the sponge where cells are preserved, sections reveal
the presence of a ground substance in which numerous amoe-
bocytes lie. These cells lack cytoplasmic granules, are nucleolate,
and bear two, three or more pseudopodia. Nucleolate cells with
small cytoplasmic granules are common. A third cell type is prob-
ably anucleolate and bears large cytoplasmic granules which may
represent food reserves. These cells are uncommon and vary in
shape from spherular to amoeboid. These three cell types are com-
parable to the amoebocytes and granular cells described by Tuzet
(1932) in Haliclona elegans (Bowerbank). Flagellated chambers
and choanocytes were not seen in the sections examined.

Aggregations of sperm cells were found in one region about
1.5 cm below the surface. The sperm cells are enclosed by a
protective layer of endopinacocytes. The cross-sectional diameters
of one such aggregation measure 48 40. Free sperm cells are
distributed widely in the ground substance of the sponge. Fibers
of spongin A (Gross et al., 1956) cannot be seen in the ground
substance in Mallory-stained sections.

SKELETON: A rather irregular reticulation of spongin fibers in
which the megascleres are embedded (PI. V, fig. 1; Pl. VI, fig. 2.)
The fibers are flattened; they twist occasionally so that now one
is viewing the flattened side, again one is viewing the fiber on edge.
The lesser diameter of the fibers is from about 3/5 to 1/3 the greater
diameter. Fibers which measure 88» and 151, in lesser diameter,
measure 2654 and 252, respectively, in greater diameter. The
dimensions of the fibers vary greatly throughout the sponge, mea-
surements of the greater diameters ranging from 50, to at
least 365. The sizes of the openings between the anastomosing
fibers are also highly variable, measurements ranging from 63
150u to 820 « 1070u. Spongin reinforced with megascleres often
occurs in perforated sheets which bound small cavities in which
the cellular elements are undoubtedly enclosed in life. In some
parts of the interior of the sponge, rows of such cavities run
parallel to the surface, separated by dense, sparsely perforated
layers of spongin packed with spicules and lying from 2 to 4 mm

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA V9

apart. In other parts of the sponge these dense layers of spongin
are not apparent.

The reticulation of fibrospicular tracts continues to a level very
near the surface; in this region the fibers are narrower, measuring
from 75 to 100u just beneath the general upper surface of the
sponge and from 60 to 140, beneath the surface of cavities. The
lacunae between the fibers show somewhat less variation in dimen-
sions near the surface. Measured extremes of lacunar size are
88 « 100 to 565 x 630. At closely spaced intervals short,
mostly flattened spongin fibers arise from the subsurface reticula-
tion, and each terminates at the surface in a tuft of megascleres.

MEGASCLERES: Mostly styles; small numbers of oxeas and
strongyles are also present. The styles are straight or, more often,
gently curved. The curvature usually occurs in a region about
1/4 to 1/3 the distance from the rounded to the pointed end but
may occur in a region 1/2 to 2/3 that distance. The diameter of
the styles is usually uniform for about 4,5 of the length and tapers
gradually to a point at one end. Not infrequently the decrease in
diameter at the pointed end is stepwise (e.g., style on right, text-
fig. 4A.) The oxeas curve gently about 1/3 the distance between
the two points.

Most of the megascleres lie embedded in spongin fibers, with
6 to 25 rows occurring in a fiber cross-section. Occasionally a
megasclere is enclosed in spongin only at one or the other tip, and
the main body of the spicule protrudes into the space between
fibers. Few if any megascleres lie completely free of the spongin
fibers. The megascleres usually lie parallel to the fiber length but,
especially at fiber intersections, some lie in diagonal positions.

MICROSCLERES: Two categories of microxeas are present. The
larger ones (I) are roughened at one end only in most instances,
but occasional ones are roughened at both ends. The middle third
of these spicules has a uniform diameter; the distal thirds taper
gradually to a sharp point. However, there is a tendency for the
roughened end to taper more gradually and the smooth end more
abruptly. The smaller microxeas (II) are roughened at both ends.
It is this difference in structure together with the lack of overlap in
length which suggests that the two categories of microxeas are

18 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

A+B G=lz
ee eS ==
SO lOy

FIGURE 4. Spicules of Neofibularia mordens sp. nov. A. Styles, oxea. B.
Microxeas of two sizes. C, D. E. Three size categories of sigmas.
YPM No. 5092. Holotype.

distinct rather than that the smaller ones are developmental forms
of the larger.

Three size categories of sigmas are present. In each category
one prong of the spicule lies in the same plane as the main body
of the spicule; the opposite prong is turned at an angle of 45° or
more from the main axis. In the case of the largest and middle size
categories, both distal prongs are roughened. It is impossible to

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 19

determine under the light microscope (1440) whether or not the
same is true for the smallest category.

Relatively few of the microscleres are enclosed in the spongin
fibers; they do occur in abundance on the surface of the fibers,
however. Microscleres of all categories also occur in abundance
in the space between the reticulations of fibers. There is no locali-
zation of the several microsclere categories in the sponge. The
microxeas do not form trichodragmas but occur individually with
their axes arranged at random. In some instances the larger cate-
gory of microxeas occurs in irregular star-shaped configurations,
the midpoints of all axes in such an assemblage approaching one
another at a central point and the distal ends radiating out in all
directions.

Spicule dimensions are given in Table II.

DISCUSSION: This species agrees in spiculation in a general
way with Biemna variantia (Bowerbank), the type species of
Biemna. Minor differences occur, however. B. variantia has only
two size categories of sigmas and the oxeate microscleres include
short, rather stout microxeas and long, thin raphides. No trace of
roughened ends can be seen on the sigmas or microxeas in speci-
mens of B. variantia that I have examined. This modification does
occur in some species of Biemna, however.

In other characters, such as the abundance of spongin in the
fibrospicular tracts, the roughened ends of the sigmas and micro-
xeas, and the dermatitis-producing properties of the sponge, N.
mordens approaches the West Indian sponge nolitangere. The
Australian species differs from the latter, however, in the form of
the megascleres, in the even greater quantity of spongin found
in the fibrospicular tracts, in the arrangement of the oscules, and
in another character that is difficult to understand. This is the fact
that nolitangere is friable while mordens is more difficult to break
apart. A similar difference can be observed between the genera
Adocia and Haliclona (Hartman, 1958.) These crude observa-
tions no doubt have their basis in the structure of the fibrous
proteins making up the fibers.

RANGE: Known only from the vicinity of Adelaide, South
Australia, in the Gulf St. Vincent, where the toxic nature of the

20 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

sponge has been known at least since 1890 according to corre-
spondence in the South Australian Museum. Depth: 9-12.3
meters.

OTHER SPECIES CONCERNED

Four additional species have been related to Neofibularia
nolitangere at one time or another. Carter (1882) included two
species in addition to massa in his genus Fibularia. These have
since been placed in other genera as follows:

Fibularia ramosa Carter, 1882, p. 283 = Gelliodes ramosa
(Carter) de Laubenfels, 1936, p. 53. A re-examination of the
holotype of this species (Pl. VII, fig. 2) has shown that it is
identical to Pachychalina areolata Wilson (1902, p. 392) which
was redescribed by Hechtel (1965, p. 25) as Gelliodes areolata.
Wilson’s name falls in synonymy to ramosa. The megascleres of
the holotype are oxeas, mostly straight or gently curved, but some-
times with a pronounced curve. About ten percent of the spicules
are styles. The megascleres are densely packed in the reticulate
spongin fibers; some occur interstitially. The microscleres are few
in number and comprise sigmas only (text-fig. 5.) Spicule dimen-
sions of the holotype are given in Table II.

Fibularia anchorata Carter, 1882, p. 283 = Desmapsamma
anchorata (Carter) Burton, 1934, p. 547. (See Pl. VU, fig. 1.)
This sponge was redescribed by Hechtel (1965, p. 21.) The
megascleres of the holotype (text-fig. 6) are hastately pointed
oxeas, straight or gently curved. A very few styles occur. The
microscleres are arcuate isochelas and sigmas, possibly of two size
categories; all are infrequent in occurrence. The megascleres occur
in tracts forming an irregular reticulation and held together by
small to moderate amounts of spongin; interstitial megascleres
occur as well. Moderate amounts of debris, including broken
spicules of other sponges, coat the surface of the sponge and are
dispersed through the interior. Spicule dimensions of the holotype
are given in Table II.

The only other species that has been assigned to Fibularia is
raphidifera Topsent, 1889, p. 45. The same author later placed
this species in the genus Desmacidon |—=D. raphidifer (Topsent)
Topsent 1894, p. 34]. De Laubenfels (1936, p. 52) included it
in a new genus Burtonispongia, but later (1950, p. 78) transferred

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 21

it to Fibulia. Its spiculation does not agree with that of the type
species of Fibulia, and its generic placement must be reconsidered.
It is clearly not related to N. nolitangere.

Fibulia bermuda de Laubenfels, 1950, p. 52, is clearly not
related to sponges of the genus Neofibularia. A re-examination of
the holotype at the British Museum (Natural History) [BM (NH)
Reg. No. 1948.8.6.2.1] has shown that the only spicules present
are thin strongylote subtylostyles arranged in spongin fibers. The
raphides mentioned by de Laubenfels must have been broken

A
(ees) lOw

lOp

FIGURE 5. Spicules of Fibularia [= Gelliodes| ramosa Carter. A. Oxeas,
styles. B. Sigmas. CLM No. 76. Holotype.

22 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

spicules mistaken for microscleres. The question of the correct
allocation of bermuda must be restudied.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am indebted to Dr. G. Bacci, director, and to Dr. Lucia
Rossi, curator, Istituto e Museo di Zoologia, Universita di Torino,
for permission to examine the collections of Duchassaing and
Michelotti at their museum and to Mr. William G. Fry and Miss
S. M. Stone of the British Museum (Natural History) for permis-
sion to study specimens under their care. I am also grateful to all
these persons for their kind hospitality during my visits to their
institutions. Mr. W. K. Ford, keeper in invertebrate zoology at
the City of Liverpool Museums, kindly sent fragments of Carter’s
specimens for examination; Mr. Charles E. Cutress, formerly of

A C

C
[ee

lOp

A

lOy

FIGURE 6. Spicules of Fibularia [= Desmapsamma] anchorata Carter.
A. Oxeas. B. Sigmas. C. Isochelas. CLM. Holotype.

oe
L

i)
WwW

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA

the United States National Museum, kindly lent specimens iden-
tified by de Laubenfels. I am also grateful to the Trustees of the
British Museum (Natural History) for permission to publish the
photographs shown on PI. I, fig. 2, and Pl. VII, figs. 1, 2. Dr. R.
V. Southcott of Adelaide, South Australia, sent me the specimens
of Neofibularia mordens and kindly provided colored photographs
taken in the field. Dr. Reynaldo Pfaff, chairman of the Department
of Phyto- and Zoochemistry, University of Cartagena, sent the
specimen of N. nolitangere oxeata. | am indebted to Mr. John
Howard and Mrs. Diane Barker for assistance in photography
and to my wife, Shirley G. Hartman, for preparing the drawings.

This study was supported in part by National Science Founda-
tion Grant GB-516.

LITERATURE CITED

Arndt, Walther. 1927. Kalk- und Kieselschwimme von Curagao. Bijdr.
Dierk. 25: 133-158.

Bowerbank, J. S. 1858. On the anatomy and physiology of the Spongiadae.
Part I. On the spicula. Roy. Soc. (London) Phil. Trans. 148: 279-332.

. 1874. A monograph of the British Spongiadae. Vol. 3: 367 p.
Ray Soc., London.

Burton, Maurice. 1929. Porifera. Part II. Antarctic sponges. Brit. Antarctic
(“Terra Nova’) Exped., 1910. Nat. Hist. Rpt. Zool. 6: 393-458.

. 1930. Norwegian sponges from the Norman collection. Zool.
Soc. London Proc. 1930: 487-546.

. 1934. Sponges. Sci. Rpt. Great Barrier Reef Exped., 1928-29.
4: 513-621.

. 1936. Notes on sponges from South Africa, with descriptions
of new species. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser. 10, 17: 141-147.

Carter, H. J. 1882. Some sponges from the West Indies and Acapulco in
the Liverpool Free Museum described, with general and classificatory
remarks. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser. 5, 9: 266-301; 346-368.

. 1886. Descriptions of sponges from the neighbourhood of Port
Phillip Heads, South Australia, continued. Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser. 5,
17: 40-53.

de Laubenfels, M. W. 1936. A discussion of the sponge fauna of the Dry
Tortugas in particular and the West Indies in general, with material
for a revision of the families and orders of the Porifera. Carneg. Instn
Wash. Publ. 467. 225 p. (Pap. Tortugas Lab. 30).

. 1950. The Porifera of the Bermuda Archipelago. Zool. Soc.
London Trans. 27: 1-154.
. 1953. Sponges from the Gulf of Mexico. Bull. Mar. Sci. Gulf
Carib. 2: 511-557.
1953a. A guide to the sponges of Eastern North America.
32 p. Univ. Miami Press, Miami, Fla.

24 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No:.2Eis

Dendy, Arthur. 1922. Report on the Sigmatotetraxonida collected by
H. M. S. “Sealark” in the Indian Ocean. Linn. Soc. London Trans.,
DNase. Zool 8) Ge lo4 ap:

Duchassaing de Fonbressin, P. and Giovanni Michelotti. 1864. Spongiaires
de la mer caraibe. Natuurk. Verh. hollandsche Wetensch. Haarlem.,
Sem 2) 22) l24ep:

Gray, J. E. 1867. Notes on the arrangement of sponges, with the descrip-
tion of some new genera. Zool. Soc. London Proc. 1867: 492-558.
Gross, Jerome, Z. Sokal and M. Rougvie. 1956. Structural and chemical
studies on the connective tissue of marine sponges. J. Histochem.

Cytochem. 4: 227-246.

Hallmann, E. F. 1916. A revision of the genera with microscleres included,
or provisionally included, in the family Axinellidae; with descriptions
of some Australian species. Part II. Linn. Soc. N. S. W., Proc. 41:
495-552.

Hartman, W. D. 1958. Natural history of the marine sponges of southern
New England. Peabody Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 12. 155 p.

Hechtel, G. J. 1965. A systematic study of the Demospongiae of Port Royal,
Jamaica. Peabody Mus. Nat. Hist. Bull. 20. 103 p.

Hentschel, Ernst. 1912. Kiesel- und Hornschwamme der Aru- und Kei-
Inseln. Abhandl. Senckenberg. naturforsch. Gesellsch. 34: 295-448.
———_—.. 1923-25. Parazoa, p. 307-418. In Willy Kiikenthal [ed.] Hand-
buch der Zoologie 1. W. de Gruyter and Co., Berlin and Leipzig.
Lundbeck, Will. 1902. Porifera. (Part I.) Homorrhaphidae and Heteror-

raphidae. Danish Ingolf-Exped. 6 (1): 108 p.

Topsent, Emile. 1889. Quelques spongiaires du Banc de Campéche et de la
Pointe-a-Pitre. Soc. zool. France Mém. 2: 30-52.

—————. 1894. Application de la taxonomie actuelle a une collection de
spongiaires du Banc de Campéche et de la Guadeloupe deécrite
precédemment. Soc. zool. France Mém. 7: 27-36.

. 1913. Spongiaires provenant des campagnes scientifiques de la
Princesse-Alice dans des Mers du Nord (1898-1899-1906-1907.) Rés.
Camp. sci. Albert Ie° Monaco 45: 67 p.

1928. Spongiaires de lAtlantique et de la Méditerranée,
provenant des croisieres du Prince Albert Ie de Monaco. Rés. Camp.
sci. Albert Ie° Monaco 74: 367 p.

Tuzet, Odette. 1932. Recherches sur l’histologie des éponges: Reniera
elegans et R. simulans. Arch. Zool. exp. gén. 74: 169-192.

Vosmaer, G. C. J. 1887. Spongien. /n H. G. Bronn [ed.] Die Klassen und
Ordnungen des Thierreichs, Bd. 2. 496 p. C. F. Winter’sche Verlags-
handlung, Leipzig and Heidelberg.

Wilson, H. V. 1902. The sponges collected in Porto Rico in 1899 by the
U. S. Fish Commission Steamer Fish Hawk. U. S. Fish Comm. Bull.
for 1900, 2: 375-411.

. 1925. Silicious and horny sponges collected by the U. S. Fish-
eries Steamer “Albatross” during the Philippine Expedition, 1907-10.
Us. Nat Mus) Bull 005 251(4)is 273-532.

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA IE)

TABLE 2. SPICULE DIMENSIONS

Spicule Length: Length: Width: Width: Number
Category Range Mean Range Mean Measured

Amphimedon nolitangere D. & M. Holotype. St. Thomas, Virgin Is. MZT.

Strongyles 226-348 u 316+5ph 6.1-9.2u T2=O DE 30
Microxeas 104-124u IWe=yn 1.8-2.2u 2.005% 10
Raphides 82-110" O5== ey 0.8-1.0u — 20
Sigmas 18-224 20+0.5u 1.4-1.64 == 10
Commas Tp — 0.8u — 2

Fibularia massa Carter. Holotype. Long Cay Is., N. P., Bahamas. CLM No. 108.

Strongyles 229-348u 329+3u 6.1-17.1u 14.0+0.5u 20
Microxeas 125-142u Seen 32-2 4:1=0.1u 20
Raphides 102-124u 11S5+1pz 1.0u — 20
Sigmas 16-20u 17+0.5u 1.2-1.34 — 10
Commas 5-84 — 0.7-0.9u — 5)

Neofibularia n. nolitangere (D. & M.) East of Loggerhead Key, Dry Tortugas,
Florida. 17 meters. USNM No. 22414.

Strongyles 207-3114 283+6u 3.1-6.14 4.8+0.2u 20
Microxeas 104-1204 jblesilesyr 2.0-2.6u DED =O ali 10
Raphides 98-1144 106+2u 0.8-1.2u 1.0+0.05u 10
Sigmas 16-20u 18+0.5u 1.2-1.34 1.3+0.02u 10
Commas Th — 0.84 — 3

Neofibularia n. nolitangere (D. & M.) Collecting data as above. USNM No. 22590

Strongyles 256-342u 296+5u 3.1-7.3u 5.4+0.2u 20
Microxeas 113-1194 115+0.6u 2.0-2.8u 2.4+0.1u 10
Raphides 90-1104 102+2u 0.6-1.0u 0.8+0.05u 10
Sigmas 17-244 20+0.6u 1.3-1.4u 1.4+0.02u 10
Commas 8u — 0.84 — 1

Neofibularia n. nolitangere (D. & M.) West of Cape Romano, Florida. 14 meters.
USNM No. 23399.

Strongyles 256-329u 300+4u 4.9-12.2u 7.9+0.4u 20
Microxeas 98-121u 108+2u 2.0-2.9u 2.5+0.06u 20
Raphides 87-99u 92 == Se 1.0 = 10
Sigmas 14-22u 18+0.6u 0.9-1.3u 1.2+0.05u 10

Commas Su — 0.84 — 3

26 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

TABLE 2. SPICULE DIMENSIONS (continued )

Spicule- Length: Length: Width: Width: Number |
Category Range Mean Range Mean Measured —
.

Neofibularia n. nolitangere (D. & M.) Maiden Cay, Jamaica. <3 meters.
YPM No. 51179:

Strongyles 167-3614 311+8z 4.4-15.84 8.0+£0.5u 30 |

Microxeas 108-132 1212 2.0-3.0u 2.6+0.1z 10 |
Raphides 88-1084 98+1yu 1.0-1.2u — 20 .
Sigmas 16-24u 19+0.5u 1.4-2.0u — 10 :
Commas 6u. — 0.6u — 1 :

Neofibularia nolitangere oxeata subsp. noy. Holotype. Bahia de Cartagena, Colombia.
4 meters. YPM No. 7604.

Oxeas 348-43 3u 393+4u 8.5-24.4u 18.6+0.5u 40
Microxeas 134-1504 1411.54 3.0-4.0u 370% te: 10
Raphides 100-1264 ilSyee oye 2.0u = 20
Sigmas 18-204 19+0.3u 1.3-1.6u — 10
Commas 9-124 — 0.7-0.9u — 5

Neofibularia nolitangere oxeata subsp. noy. Off Cape Lookout, N. C. 46-74 meters.
YPM No. 1186.

Oxeas 348-427 37 74a 8.5-18.3 4 13:3==0272 20
Microxeas 124-1404 134-2152 3.0-5.0u AL S=t0). ie 20
Raphides 102-122 MS ==2 a 1.0-1.6u 1.3+0.05u 10
Sigmas 20-23 21+0.3 1.0-1.4u 1e3==O ate 10
Commas 8-9u — 0.5-0.7u — 3S

Neofibularia mordens sp. nov. Holotype. Willunga Reef, South Australia.
9.2 meters. YPM No. 5092

Styles 262-348 u 320+3u 7.9-13.4u ie6==Osln 40
Microxeas (1) 108-144u (2822p 1.0-1.84 1.6+0.05u 20
Microxeas (II) 88-100u 95+1u 1.0-1.4u 1e2== Oli 10
Sigmas (1) 11-22 14+0.5u 1.1-1.84 1.4+0.05u 20
Sigmas (II) 28-44u 39+ 1u 2.0-3.6u 2.8+0.1z 20
Sigmas (III) 70-97 u S2== 1S 2.2-4.0u 3-2-2052 30

Neofibularia mordens sp. noy. Paratype. Locality as above. 12.3 meters.
YPM No. 7688.

Styles 258-357u Si ljaasyn 4.4-13.1u 10.3+0.8u 50
Microxeas (1) 100-162” 143+2u 2.1-3.3u 2 8== Ole 30
Microxeas (II) 82-1124 96+3u 1.0-1.34 1:2==0: 052 10
Sigmas (1) 14-22 16+0.6u 1.0u a 20
Sigmas (II) 38-58. 46+1pu 1.2-3.0u = 20
Sigmas (IIT) 74-1044 89+2u 1.8-3.0u aa 20

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 25)

TABLE 2. SpICULE DIMENSIONS (continued )

Spicule Length: Length: Width: Width: Number
Category Range Mean Range Mean Measured

Neofibularia mordens sp. noy. Paratype. Troubridge Lighthouse, South
Australia. YPM No. 7689.

Styles 235-35 1u 308+4u 4,9-12.2u 8.6+0.2u 50
Microxeas (1) 114-1524 IBQeS2 nt 2.3-3.3u 2.6+0.05u 20
Microxeas (II) 82-102u 94+2u 0.9-1.2u 1.1+0.14 10
Sigmas (1) 12-22u lea) 7//u 1.0-1.2u oo 20
Sigmas (IL) 38-58u 45+2u 2.3-2.6u a= 20
Sigmas (III) 82-93 u 88+lpu 2.3-3.3u — 10

Fibularia ramosa Carter. Holotype. Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. CLM. No. 76.

Oxeas, styles 183-2494 218+3p 4.4-8.7u SOM 30
Sigmas 13-214 15+0.84 0.9-1.2u 1.0+0.044 10

Fibularia anchorata Carter. Holotype. Faimouth Harbor, Antigua. CLM.

Oxeas 124-176 161424 2.2-5.4u 4.0+0. 14 40
Isochelas 10-164 QS OES — 10
Sigmas (1) 14-16u — 1.Ou — 7
Sigmas (II) 26-34u 292-0 sie 1.2-1

4u — 10

Abbreviations
CLM — City of Liverpool Museums
MZT — Museo di Zoologia,Universita di Torino
USNM — United States National Museum
YPM — Peabody Museum of Natural History, Yale University

28 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No; 143

Plate I. Figure 1. Amphimedon [= Neofibularia| nolitangere D. & M.
St. Thomas, V. I. MZT. Holotype. X 0.6.

Figure 2. Fibularia massa Carter [= Neofibularia nolitangere. |
Long Cay Is., N. P., Bahamas. CLM No. 108. Holotype.
ales

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA

i876.

EAN A CELA

29

Now iis

Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM

30

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA Sil

Plate II. Figure 1. Neofibularia n. nolitangere. Vase-shaped individual
from Maiden Cay, Jamaica. YPM No. 5179. 7%.

Figure 2. Neofibularia nolitangere oxeata. Viewed obliquely
from above. Bahia de Cartagena, Colombia. YPM No. 7604.
Holotype. x.

Plate

Il.

Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

Figure 1. Neofibularia mordens. Photographed alive shortly
after collection. Note clusters of oscules. Willunga Reef,
South Australia. PYM No. 5092. Holotype. X ca. 1/3.

Ww

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 3)

No. 113

lla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM

Sti

Po

34

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA

Plate IV. Figure 1. Neofibularia

mordens. Photographed alive shortly
after collection. Oscular clusters are clearly shown. Willunga

Reef, South Australia. YPM No. 7688. Paratype. X ca.

Figure 2. Neofibularia

VY.

mordens. Same specimen as_ above,
photographed from opposite side. * ca. 4.

35

36 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No:

Plate V. Figure 1. Neofibularia mordens. Enlarged view of cut surface
after preservation, showing skeletal reticulation and excurrent
channels leading to surface. YPM No. 5092. Holotype. X 2.

Figure 2. Neofibularia mordens. Cut surface of living speci-
men showing a cluster of oscules opening into cavities at
base. YPM No. 5092. Holotype. X ca. 2.

WwW
~]

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA

ther
:

38 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA 39

Plate VI. Figure 1. Fibrospicular tracts of Neofibularia n. nolitangere.
Off Cape Romano, Florida. USNM No. 23399. X80.

Figure 2. Fibrospicular tracts of Neofibularia mordens. Wil-
lunga Reef, South Australia. YPM No. 5092 Holotype. X80.

40 Postilla YALE PEABODY MUSEUM No. 113

Plate VII. Figure 1. Fibularia {= Desmapsamma\| anchorata Carter. Hol-
otypic specimens. Falmouth Harbor, Antigua. CLM. 0.9.

Figure 2. Fibularia [= Gelliodes| ramosa Carter. Holotypic
specimens. Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. CLM No. 76. X%.

REVISION OF NEOFIBULARIA

aie aE ON
Ee NSS

Soe ee
SA PREPAC
ed eS