﻿SPONGES.-HALLMANN. 



2gi 



r> 



n 



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sponge of rounded massive form, consisting of a honey- 

 comb-like reticulation of thin latyiellce ; lameUce interwoven 

 in a somewhat irregular manner, and at the surface in- 

 differently disposed. ''Cell-apertures,^^ 3 to ^ mm. in 

 diameter. Skeleton {of each 

 lamella) an irregular ''bi- 

 dimensionaV' reticulation of 

 main and connecting fibres. 

 Main fibres with a sparse core 

 of (auxiliary) subtylostrongyla ; 

 connecting fibres vacant: all 

 the fibres rather plentifully 

 echinated by (principal) styli. 

 Auxiliary megascleres are 

 rather abundantly scattered be- 

 tween the fibres. Megascleres : 

 — (/. ) Principal styli, sub-con- 

 ical, slightly fusiform, gen- 

 erally with a well-marked sub- 

 basal constriction, varying iu 

 length from about yo to no ]i 

 or slightly less, and attaining a 

 maximum diameter of 6 or j p ; 

 (ii.) auxiliary subtylostrongyla 

 or (occasionally) amphistron- 

 gyla varying in maximum 

 length in different specimens 

 from 200 to 220 }i. 



Several specimens which I identify 

 as E. glabra, agree in all essential 

 respects with Ridley and Dendy's 

 description save that the auxiliary 

 megascleres are not tylota, but sub- 

 tylostrongyla and simple strongyla, 

 the number of the latter being re- 

 latively very small. In this connec- 

 tion, however, the original descrip- 

 tion is almost undoubtedlv wrong, 

 since the spicule, as represented in 

 Ridley and Dendy's figure, shows 



an enlargement only at one extremity, the other being simply 

 rounded ofi like that of a strongyle. 



In the two specimens which I have examined, and in a 

 mounted section^ presented to the Australian Museum by 

 Prof. Dendy, the spicules agree in size ; the auxiliary vary in 



Fig 67 — E. glabra, a Prin- 

 cipal styles. b Auxiliary 

 tylostrongyle. 



1 This section is not, as Whitelegge (loc. cit.) supposed, a portion of the 

 type-specimen, but was cut from a specimen obtained in Port Phillip. 



