﻿gtONGES.-HTALLMANN. 



^95 



The only available example of this 

 species is that which Whitelegge has 

 described. It is an incomplete dry 

 specimen in a very imperfect state of 

 preservation, and, as such, accords 

 fairly well with Whitelegge's descrip- 

 tion except in regard to spiculation. I 

 am unable, however, to confirm the 

 statement that numerous small oscula 

 are present, and regard the term 

 "honeycomb-like," used to describe the 

 external structure of the sponge, as 

 misleading, since it tends to call to mind 

 the cellular structure characteristic of 

 Echiuoclathria. In its present condi- 

 tion the specimen shows no semblance 

 of a dermal membrane, nor of any 

 specialised dermal layer. 



The original account of the spicular 

 characters, which is quite misleading, 

 must have been based upon some por- 

 tion of the specimen in which there were 

 fibres of another sponge. 



The locality of the specimen is un- 

 known. 



n 



Fig. 69 — Echino- 

 chalitta intermedia. 

 a Principal style, b 

 Auxiliary torno- 

 strongyle. 



Genus Clathriodexdrox, Lendoifeld. 



1888. Clathriodendron, Lendenfeld, Descr. Cat. Sponges 

 Austr. Mus., 1888, p. 215. 



The three species for the reception of which Lendenfeld 

 founded this genus, led him to propose for it the following 

 definition: — "Desmacidonidae with exceedingly large tylo- 

 stylote megasclera scattered in the ground substance. The 

 spongin-fibres of the supporting skeleton contain only a few 

 spicules. Echinating spicules spined styli." In the descrip- 

 tion of the species we learn further that the arrangement of the 

 fibres is reticular, and that microscleres are absent. The 

 character of the spicules suggests that Clathriodendyon may 

 be related to Kaspailia, and, indeed, in his recently described 

 K. paradoxa, a somewhat aberrant species of the latter, 

 HentscheU has found reasonable grounds for supposing the 

 two genera to be identical. It transpires, however, that ('. 

 arhuscula (the first-described of the three species, and, there- 

 fore, best entitled to rank as the genotype) whilst exhibiting 



1 Hentscliel— Die Fauna Sudwest-Australiens. Tetraxonida, ii., 1911, p. 383. 



