^i- REVISION OF THE AXINELLID^, iii., 



dilation near one extremity. R. typica appears to me, on the 

 other hand, not to depart in any important respect, except in 

 the absence of spined microxea, fi-om Desmoxya (formerly 

 Higginsia) lunata Carter. 



I hesitate, however, to refer the two species to separate genera, 

 inasmuch as their only differences are such as are not yet recog- 

 nised as possessing generic value. 



With reference to the possible Tedaniine affinities of R. pallida, 

 it is interesting to note that the only other two Australian species 

 which have been ascribed to the genus Rhaphisia, actually do 

 belong to the Tedaniinaj. This fact I have already made known 

 regarding one of them — Rhaphisia anonyma Carter, — in a pre- 

 vious communication(13); and fur the reception of the species I 

 proposed a new genus, Hemitedania. The other, Rhaphisia 

 ramosa Whitelegge(59), I now find to possess a somewhat similar 

 spiculation, — ccjnsisting of oxea (of a single kind) and spinulous 

 onychetje (of three kinds); but in skeletal structure it differs from 

 //. anonyma very considerably.* The species appears to me one 

 which will necessitate the erection of a new genus for its accom- 

 modation, but provisionally it may be referred to Hemitedania. 



Furthermore, of the seven specimens recorded by Dendy as 

 examples of R. jiaUida, two are not correctly identified as such, 

 Ijut again are representatives of a Tedaniine species. In this 

 latter, the microscleres are of three kinds, — nearly similar in 

 form to those of Remitedauia(l) anonyma (excepting that the 

 styliform ones are very much slenderer and somewhat differently 

 shaped at their basal extremity); but the megascleres are cylin- 



* The species is sorely in need of re-descripti(jn, especially with respect 

 to its skeletal structure; and the inforniati(jn regarding the spicular char- 

 acters is also misleading. The oxea vary from 220 to .570//, in length and 

 up to 14/x in stoutness; the onycheta? of two kinds are similar in form to 

 those of //. a)ionyina{iZ. Text-fig. 20), exhibiting a conspicuous bead-like 

 dilatation close to the blunter extremity, and measuring respectively loO to 

 185 by r.l/x and 4-") to 75 by (.»"75/a in size; and tlie onychet;B of the third 

 kind have the form of subfusiform styli with an abruptly truncated basal 

 extremity provided with a central nuicro and a circumferential whorl of 

 minute spines, and measure 95 to 125/x in length by 3'5/x in maximum 

 stoutness. 



