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branches, and the entire surface of smaller branches uneven and
covered with small deep vents, about -5 millim. in diameter and -5 to
1 millim. apart. Texture of sponge in dry state and in spirit firm,
the peripheral portions and the reticulation generally elastic, somewhat
compressible and fiexible, like cork ; the main stems in dry
state hard, woody ; reticulation and lesser branches /ather brittle.
Surface between pits composed of an incrustation, which is whitish
when dry, dull umber to pinkish in s p ir it; colour of subjacent tissue
pale brown iu dry state, pinkish and suhtransparent in spirit. _
Main skeleton irregular, consisting of a close reticulation of
primary and secondary fibres, which arc curved, and form rounded
meshes from -18 to -25 millim. wide ; primaries -044 to -07 milhm.,
secondaries about -035 millim. in diameter. Dermal /keleton
formed of similar, rather narrower meshes ; fibres -053 to -07 millim.
in diameter.
Spicules (1) Smooth acuate, tapering gradually to sharp points
and also to base, which is slightly narrower than middle of shaft ;
size -2 by -015 millim. : in axis of fibres and projecting from ends of
primaries. (2) Subspinulate acuate, slightly curved, tapering gradually
to sharp p o in t; head formed by a slight constriction ju s t above
base, which is microspined ; size -34 by -015 millim. : in axis of
and projecting from ends of primary fibres. (3) Smooth, straight,
slender spinulate, with oval head slightly stouter than shaft, tapering
gradually to sharp point; size -25 by 'OOS millim. to -15 by
•0063 millim. ; in the sarcode, especially at the surface (probably
young forms of No. 2). (4) Spined acuate, with slight constriction
ju st above base, spined all over with small, sharp, straight spines ;
size -Oil by -0063 : scattered, echinating the different fibres at
rio-ht or acute angles. (5) Equianchorate, navicular, with slender
sh”aft and slightly elongate palms with truncate proximal margins,
as seen from in f ront ; -017 millim. long : abundant in sarcode.
Hab. Albany Island, north coast of Australia, 3 to 8 fms. ;
bottom sand and mnd.
A verj’ fine dry specimen, 455 millim. ( 1 8 | inches) by 450
millim. (18 inches) in extreme height and diameter respectively,
together with a portion in spirit of Avhat must have been also a large
specimen, represent this species. The remarkable external characters
are not accompanied by any thing striking in the spiculation ;
indeed this is remarkable, if for any thing, for its simplicity, the
equianchorate being the only flesh-spicule present. I have great
pleasure in associating with what is perhaps the finest new sponge
of this collection, and the finest known species of its genus, the
name of the indefatigable and successful collector who ohtained it.
77. Clathria re inw a rd ti, var. suhcylindrica.
Clathria reinwardti, Vosm., Notes Roy. Mus. Netherl. ii. p. 152.
I have little doubt of the identity with Yosmaer’s species of a
sponge which occurs abundantly in Torres Straits. The general
external resemblance to Axinella cannahina is very striking and the
447
specimens recall strongly, from their habit and size, the figure of this
species given by F /p e r (Pflanzenth. ii. pi. xlv.), with which Vosmaer’s
specimen was at hrst erroneously identified.
The following are the leading ¿oints iu the external characters •—
Ih e specimens are abundantly branched, the stems and branches
are either roughly cylindrical below (usually flattened a t the
ends), greatest diameter about 9 millim. in the cylindrical, 12 to
14 milhm in the compressed parts. Anastomosis frequent, produced
hy lateral adhesion of branches, sometimes forming broad
expansions of sponge-substance. Surface entirely broken up bv a
visually jagged rid ^ g ,
2 to 3 miUirn. high, often drawn up into prominent detached points.
Texture in dry state subelastic, firm, harsh to touch. Maximum
extent of largest specimen 180 millim. (7^ inches). Skeleton • indications
of horny matter in fibres slight and infrequent; fibres usually
wholly composed of the smooth skeleton-spicnle, about 8 spicules
broad and sparingly echinated by the spined cylindrical form
Spicules; I cannot find any spinulates, those which Vosmaer describes
are perhaps_ young forms of the smooth acuate ; nor do I find
9 M M cylindrical which he places within brackets.
( I) The skeleton smooth acuate, has a well-rounded head and tapers
gradually to a sharp p o in t; size -25 by -0127 to -28 hy -0095 millim.
M i l acuate, occasionally echinating, measures -22 bv
•UI2/ miliim.
U ) The spined echinating cylindrical tapers to the smaller bhint
end; the spines project directly outwards from the shaft and are
^llim^^'^^ clistributed over the whole spicules ; size -076 by -0063
(4) Equianchorate, -019 millim. long.
Colour, in dry state, grey or very pale brown.
Vosmaer’s description being short and merely preliminary, I have
frought It well to give the chief details (although I hope he will
himsell figure or further describe his species) to obviate any future
uncertainty as to the identity of the present form
Hab. Thursday Island, Prince of Wales Channel, Torres Straits,
o - / tms. ; common, ’
Distribution. Moluccas ( Vosmaer).
Vosmaer states th at his specimen is unbranched.
Clathria reinwardti, Vosmaer, var. palmata.
I t js not surprising to find Clathria exhibiting individual varia-
tmn in its external form of a character similar to th at which occurs in
the nearly allied genus Echinonema. As in th at genus the same
species may be either cylindrical or semipalmate, so here. In this
collection occur two specimens from one locality, which, though differing
greatly in form from each other, have the same colour, a
surface of siinilar character, and agree closely in spiculation.
he one arises from a stout, laterally compressed, short pedicle
and expands rapidly into a fan-shaped but rather thick expansion,’
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