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464 COLLECTIONS FROM M ELA N E S IA .
LEUCOPHLOEUS.
Carter, Ann. 8," Mag. N. II. 1883, xii. p. 323.
92. Leucophlceus fenestratus. ( P late X L II. fig. s.)
Massive, siibcrect, terminating above in thin edges, on each side
of which open wide pouch-like vent-cavities, which also open to tho
surface laterally hy rounded apertures. Surface minutely undulating,
but glabrous. Texture in spirit rather, tough, compressible, so ft;
colour dull greyish brown. Main skeleton composed of irregular, very
loose tracts of spicules, 3 to 10 spicules broad, extending in various
directions and lying at various angles; the dermis is supported
hy some closely set subvertical tracts of similar character lying
between the subcortical crypts. Dermal skeletou composed ot very
loose and irregular tracts or aggregated masses of _ spicules intere
crossing so as to form an almost continuous sheet, m the intervals
of which are placed the pores. Sarcode pale brown, suhtransparent.
Spicule smooth straight, or almost straight cacuate, tapering gradually
from centre to moderately sharp point, and from centre
graduaUy to well-rounded undUated base, which has, however, only
about half the diameter of the centre of the s h a ft; size of spicule
'5 to -8 by -019 to -022 millim.
Hab. Port Darwin, 8^12 fm s.; bottom sand and mud. _
The height of the single specimen is 38 millim., greatest diameter
(at base) 20 millim.; it forms an irregular, elongated pyramid, with
the apex flattened out and somewhat twisted. In size and shape
of the spicules the species resembles Hymeniacidon crustula, Bowerhank
(Mon. Brit. Spong. ii. p. 185), from the British Seas, which is,
however, massive or mammillated and, owing to the inferior diameter
(•012 millim.) of the spicule, shows the slenderness of the basal end
much less distinctly. I t is nearly related to L . massalis. Carter
(I. c.), from W. Australia, but is darker in colour, is less distinctly
p^nicillate, and has the spicule rather larger.
Leucophloeus fenestratus, var. (P late X L III. fig. g-)
A dry, upright, flattened specimen, which has grown around a
Hydroid hush, appears closely allied to the above species. I t appears
to liave formed part of a long wall-like mass, 70 millim. (2^ inches)
high and 15-20 millim. thick. Like it, it is surmounted by pyramidal
processes, and is traversed from the upper surface downwards
by large cloacal spaces. Colour white, with a tinge of green. The
spicules differ from those of the typical form in measuring
•9 by ‘032 millim.: as, however, a small series of specimens of this
species from the western part of the Indian Ocean ^ (see P a rt I I .
of this work) includes within itself as great a variation iu this
respect as is shown by these two Australian specimens,_ I do uot
assign distinct varietal names to these two, at first sight, very
distinct Australian specimens.
Hab. Arafura Sea, 32-36 fms.; bottom sand, mud, and shells.
m
SPO N G IID A . 465
SUBERITIDÆ.
Suberitida, Carter, Ann. ^ Mag. H. H. 1875, xvi. p. 133.
Xo strikingly new form occurs in this group. I t is remarkable
th a t from so large an Australian collection Tethya is altogether
absent, though Dr. Bowerbank long since showed th a t it is well
established in these seas.
93. Suberites carnosus.
Halichondria carnosa, Johnston, Brit. Spong. p. 146, pi. xiii. figs.
7 & 8.
Two specimens undistinguishahle from British specimens of this
common species. Mr. Carter has recorded its occurrence at Kerguelen
Island (Phil. Trans, clxviii. p. 287). The present specimens
are greenish white iu spirit and irregularly lobate in shape;
one appears to have been attached by the base, the others to
have been quite unattached. The spicules have a suhoval head,
the free end projecting slightly beyond the actual enlargement
of the head, and measure -28 to -57 by -0063 millim. (the spicules
of the Johnstonian type measure -45 by -0063 miUim., and
have a similarly formed head). The arrangement of the skeleton-
fascicles is also closely similar, the greater distance between them
in the present specimens being probably due to the more natural
conditions retained hy preservation in spirit.
Hab. Port Jackson, 0 -5 fms.
Distrihution. British Islands (Bowerhank).
94. Suberites epiphytum.
Alcyonium epiphytum, Lamarck, Mém. Mus. Hist. Nat. i. p. 163.
Lamarck’s species, as I have ascertained from the original specimen
iu the Museum at the Jardiu des Plantes, is a Suberites coating
a fucus with a thin lamina of sponge (in which are imbedded a
number of spinulate spicules whose heads rest for the most part
almost directly on the supporting fucus, while their poiuts project
freely to the exterior). There is uo flesh-spicule. The spinulate
skeleton-spicule is generally curved, and gradually tapers to a sharp
p o in t; the head is transversely elongated, the side at which it is
attached to the shaft being flat, and the free end curved, but more
gradually than the lateral parts (in fact the shape is nearly that of
the head of the spicule of Qaulospongia, Kent, which Mr. Carter has
graphically compared to a door-handle) ; the head is not unfrequently
surmounted by a slight prominence (marking the aborted
second ray, if the spinulate spicule is to he regarded as a uniaxial,
hiradiate spicule, with one ray aborted). In the type specimen
there is some dark granular matter between the spicules. The
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