﻿SPOXGES. KALLMANN'. 



Clathnopsanima reticulaia, Lendenfeld.l 'I'he character of its 

 niicroscleres leaves scarcely any room to doubt that this species 

 IS lineally related to R. 'typicus; and the disposition of its 

 dermal spicules accordingly indicates that the reticulate ar- 

 rano-ement of the latter as described for R. typicus and R. 

 paiici spin lis is not to be regarded as an essential generic 

 ieature. Of the species whose descriptions indicate that they 

 belong to Rliaphidophlus rather than to Clatltnu, I have beeii 

 able to obtain information of the following in addition to those 

 herein described: — R. cnititius, Esper, R. filifcr, Ridlev and 

 Dendy, R. spbiijer, Lindgren, R. senaius, Thiele, R. tupscuti; 

 Thiele, R. erectus, Thiele, R. ccrviconiis, Thiele, R. coral- 

 liophilus, Thiele, Teiiacia dathniia, O. Schmidt, Clathna 

 juffosa, Wilson, Claflina acatitliocles, Hentschel, and possiblv 

 also ('. [Rhuphidophhis) Spiculosa, Dendy. 2 In the des- 

 cription of Clatliria acatit hack's the interstitial auxiliary 

 spicules have probably been confused with the principal 

 spicules owing- to their close resemblance to them. A number 

 of these species are scarcely to be reg-arded as more than 

 varieties. The peculiar Rhaphidophlus hispiiiosiis, White- 

 legge,3 is probably a Clathna of the C. caelata-C. daihraia 

 series ; unfortunately the type-specimen, which was very small, 

 appears to have been lost. 



1 Lendenfeld— Cat. Sponges Austr. Mus., 1888, p. 227. Thi.s species is 

 represented in the Australian Museum Collection by a number of speci- 

 mens, one of which, labelled as the type, is poorly preserved in alcohol. 

 The specimens appear to be incomplete, though they are sufficient to 

 show that the sponge is of ramose habit, but that frequent anastomosis 

 of the branches (which may attain a diameter of 10 mm. or more) often 

 results in the formation of a "reticulate mass." The main skeleton is a 

 loose irregular reticulation of mostly longitudinal fibres which are pro- 

 fusely strewn, rather than cored, with spicules, and for the most part 

 also with foreign bodies, and are eehinated by rather abundant acan- 

 thostyles. Spicules occur in the ground substance in fair abundance; 

 they comprise auxiliary subtylostyli, extremely long slender oxea ftoxa» 

 often occurring in loose dragmata. and numerous palmate isochelas of 

 two sizes, the smaller of which are chiefly contort. There is a well- 

 developed loosely attached dermal membrane; but, unfortunately, even 

 in the spirit specimen, only the merest damaged tatters of it remain. 

 so that it is impossible to speak with certainty concerning the arrange- 

 ment of the dermal skeleton. The special dermal spicules, so far as can 

 l)e judged, stand more or less vertically and appear to be gathered into 

 tufts and ill-defined tracts. The principal styli are characterised by a 

 basal tylosis which has a spinose or rugged surface, and is separated off" 

 from the rest of the spicule by a slight constriction ; they are straight 

 conical spicules varying in length from about 150 to 320 p. and attaining 

 a diameter of 12 jj. The auxiliary styli (and subtylostyli) are straight 

 spicules nearly always provided with a distinct spination on the extreme 

 basal end; those which occur interstitially reach a maximum size of 

 300-320 X 5-5.5 )j, whilst those which constitute the special dermal spicules 

 rarely if ever (apparently) exceed a size of 250 x 4 ji. The accessory 

 acanthostyles are conical spicules with fairly large recurved spines scat- 

 tered over their whole length; size 60-90 x 8 )i. The larger isochelse are 

 12 to 17.5 \i in length and are rarely contort, the smaller are 6 to 

 9.5 |j long and as a rule contort. The toxa are long and slender, straight 

 or curved spicules without any trace of the mid-flexure so characteristic 

 of toxa, and consequently resemble oxea; they occur singly and in 

 dragmata: the very largest of them are at least 700 x 3 u in size. 



2 Dendy— Ann. Mag'. Nat. Hist. (6). iii., 1829, p. 86. PI. iv., fig. 4. 



3 Whitelegge— Mem. Austr. Mus., iv., 10. 1907, )>. 503. 



