DENDY NON-CALCAREOUS SPONGES 139 



54. Darwinella australiensis Carter. 



Darwinella australiensis Carter [1885]. 



Darwinella australiensis Lendenfeld [1889]. 



Darwinella australiensis Topsent [1905]. 



Darwinella australiensis Hentschel [1912]. 



There are in the collection the remains of two or three specimens of this sponge, 

 which has thickly encrusted some of the large polychsete worm-tubes before mentioned. 

 Unfortunately the specimens were preserved in formalin and are very badly macerated. 

 There can, however, be little doubt about the identification. 



The surface, where preserved, is strongly conulose, the colour (in alcohol after for- 

 malin) is dull red. The largest specimen is about 25 mm. in maximum thickness 

 (the height of the largest skeletal trees). 



The skeleton is composed of elegant little trees of pale amber-coloured horny fibre, 

 growing up vertically and side by side from a thin basal layer of spongin. The trees 

 are well branched, but anastomosis between the branches takes place only rarely. 



The horny spicules seem to be much less numerous than in Australian specimens. 

 They are triradiate, with long, slender, gradually sharp-pointed rays. They all seem 

 to lie freely in the soft tissues. I have measured the rays up to about 0-85 mm. in 

 length. I have observed in some of the older fibres apparently the same parasitic 

 fungus (?) as I described [1905] in the case of Darwinella simplex, Topsent, from Ceylon. 

 It now appears to me very doubtful whether that species is distinguishable from 

 D. australiensis. 



Previously known Distribution. Victoria, Australia (Carter, Lendenfeld) ; Arafura 

 Sea (Hentschel). 



Register Number, Locality, &c. XXV. 2, Kiu, littoral at low water, 24.12.05. 



55. Spongelia fragilis var. ramosa (Schulze). 



Spongelia pallescens subspecies fragilis var. ramosa Schulze [1879]. 

 Spongelia fragilis var. irregularis (pars) Lendenfeld [1889]. 

 Spongelia fragilis var. ramosa Dendy [1905]. 

 ? Spongelia fragilis var. claihrata Hentschel [1912]. 



There are several specimens of this sponge in the collection. I pointed out in 

 my Ceylon Report that the species, at any rate, is probably cosmopolitan, if not the 

 variety. 



Previously known Distribution of Variety. Adriatic (Schulze) ; Ceylon (Lendenfeld, 

 Dendy) ; ? Aru Islands (Hentschel). 



Register Numbers, Localities, &c. XII., XXXII. 3, off Beyt ; XXV. 5, Kiu, littoral. 



