PETROSIA PULITZERI N-SP (PORIFERA, DEMOSPONGIAE) FROM MEDITERRANEAN CAVES

Petrosia pulitzeri n. sp. (Demospongiae, Petrosiidae) is described fro m three specimens collected from totally submerged marine caves from t he Island of Crete and the Gulf of Naples. They are massive or encrust ing, white or yellowish in conditions of reduced light, and stony hard in consistency. They show a skeleton formed by stout tracts of closel y packed spicules (mostly strongyles) with a peripheral mesh condensat ion. The new species is close to Petrosia ficiformis, but shows spicul ar and skeletal differences.