DENDY NON-CALCAREOUS SPONGES 101 



West Australia (Hentschel) ; Gulf of Mannar, Praslin Reef, Egmont Reef and 

 Salomon, Indian Ocean (Dendy) ; Xmas Island (Kirkpatrick). 



Register Numbers, Localities, &c. II. 9, off Poshetra, 7 January, '06. ; XXVI. 

 8 a, b, Adatra Reefs, 25 December, '05. 



6. Tuberella aaptos (Schmidt). 



(For Literature and Synonymy, vide Topsent [1900]). 



There is one very typical specimen of this curious sponge in the collection. 

 It is irregularly tuberous, elongated, with an uneven surface beset here and there 

 with small papillae, some of which have each a small vent. The texture is 

 compact but fairly compressible, the colour in alcohol (after formalin) brown. 

 Length of specimen about 60 mm., greatest breadth 32 mm., greatest thickness 

 21 mm. 



The main skeleton consists of loose bundles of large strongyloxea radiating 

 towards the surface, with scattered spicules between. The dermal skeleton consists 

 of dense brushes of small styli with outwardly directed apices. The large strongyl- 

 oxea measure about 1-1 by 0-034 mm. ; the small styli about 0-26 by 0-0086 mm. 



This specimen agrees very closely in all respects with the description and 

 figures given by Topsent, whose views as to the correct generic name and 

 synonymy I accept provisionally. It seems possible, however, that Gray's generic 

 name Aaptos [1867] may have to be revived, and also that Keller's Tuberella 

 tethyoides [1880] may, after all, be a distinct species. 



Previously known Distribution. Mediterranean (Schmidt, Lendenfeld, Topsent) ; 

 Gulf of Mexico (Topsent) ; S.W. Australia (Hentschel) ; Aru Islands (Hentschel). 



Register Number, Locality, &c. VI., S. of Chindi Reef, 6-10 fins., 18.12.05. 



7. Chondrilla australiensis Carter. 



Chondrilla australiensis Carter [1873]. 

 Chondrilla australiensis Lendenfeld [1886]. 

 Chondrilla australiensis Lindgren [1898]. 

 Chondrilla australiensis Dendy [1905]. 

 Chondrilla australiensis Hentschel [1909 and 1912]. 

 Chondrilla australiensis Dendy [1916]. 



Several pieces of considerable size, representing one or more flat, spreading crusts, 

 were obtained from Adatra Reef. They appear to have been originally preserved 

 in formalin, but are now in alcohol, and exhibit the usual light brown colour 

 of the species. 



Previously known Distribution. Port Jackson, E. Coast of Australia (Carter, Lenden- 

 feld) ; Sharks Bay, S.W. Australia (Hentschel) ; Coast of Cochin China (Lindgren) ; 

 Ceylon, Cargados Carajos, Amirante, Seychelles (Dendy) ; Aru Islands (Hentschel). 



