﻿.2i8 -ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



Microscleres. — 



These are of one kind only, viz., long very slender, hair-like 

 sinuous spicules of indefinite form, which are undoubtedly 

 modified toxa. They are scattered singly and are moderately 

 abundant, and may attain a length of (at least) 260 ]i. 



Loc. — East coast of Flinders Island, Bass Strait 

 ("Endeavour"). 



Clathria KiHEXS, LcuiUni fclcl . 

 (Plate xxxii., Hg. i, and fig. 45.) 



1888. Thalassodoidron nihois, \ar. Lliint (pars), Lendenfeld, 

 Cat. Sponges Austr. Mus., 1888, p. 223. 



TJialassodendron nilnnis, \ar. lauicllo (pars), Lendcn- 

 feld. Lor. cit. 



.1901. Chiihi'ia nibois (pars), W'hitelegge, Rec. Austr. Mus., 

 iv., 2, pp. 85, 86, pi. xi., lig. 13. 



{Thalassodcndvon vubcns), Whitelegge, Loc. cit., p. 86. 



Sponge profusely vamose, stipitatc, hranching poly- 

 tomously ivith anastomosis. Branches cylindrical except 

 at nodes. '' Asterisks^^ {of radiately-disposed grooves), 

 sometimes associated each ivith a conical process, occur 

 •at intervals over the otherivise even surface. Dermal 

 membrane very thin, indistinct; containing scattered 

 horizontally -lying {auxiliary) spicules. Main skeleton an 

 irregular reticulation of ivell-dev eloped horny fibres, all 

 of which contain slender axial spicules {principal styli). 

 those in the main fibres arranged in a fairly compact thin 

 core. Principal styli of stouter proportions than those 

 within the fibres, occur sporadically as echinating spicides 

 and are scattered inter stitially along with a few {auxiliary) 

 tylostyli. Accessory {echinating and scattered) acantho- 

 styles are somewhat scarce, and spicules occur {although 

 rather rarely) zvhich are intermediate in form between 

 them and the principal styli. Megascleres : — (/.) Principal 

 styli {proper), straight, smooth, subfusiform, rarely 165 

 X 10 ji: {ii.) accessory acanthostyli {proper), small- 

 spined, rarely 80 x 6 ]i; {Hi.) auxiliary subtylostyli, lyo x 

 3.5 p. Microscleres : — (/.) Scarce isochelce palmatce, 8- 

 12 ]i long ; {ii.) slender toxa of characteristic form, 160 to 

 ^60 p long. 



