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Not AvailableOur knowledge of the sponges of the Indian region is still in its infancy. The only area which has been studied somewhat extensively is the Gulf of Mannar by various spongologists like Carter (1880, 1881), Dendy (1905), Burton (1930, 1937) and Rao (1941). Besides these, some occasional reports are there about the sponges of Madras or of Gulf of Kutch ; but such infoirmation often is too fragmentary when the vast shore line of about 4800 km of India is taken into consideration. With the idea of studying the Indian sponges in a comprehensive manner, the present author took up this work in 1964. Collections from various parts of India by the author himself over the years have been supplemented by those forwarded by many other scientists from different parts of the country including Andamans and Laccadive Islands. The Mandapam region, however, has been surveyed in greater detail, with particular stress given to the Palk Bay, since the sponges of Palk Bay is poorly known.Not Availabl