NO. 1 DICKINSON : SPONGES OF GULF OF CALIFORNIA 27 



Order HaLICHONDRINA Vosmaer 



Family Axinellidae Ridley and Dendy 



Genus AXINELLA Schmidt 



Axinella mexicana de Laubenfels 



Plate 45, Fig, 90 ; Plate 46, Figs. 91, 92 



Axinella mexicana de Laubenfels, 1935, p. 6. 



Diagnosis. — The Hancock specimen of this sponge is 4 cm by 3 cm 

 by 3 cm, very hispid, and woody in consistency. Pores 800 /n and oscules 

 5 mm in diameter are abundant. In alcohol the color is light, almost white. 

 Great plumose tracts are evident in the endosome even to the naked eye. 



The principal spicules are oxeas 20 /x by 300 /* to 28 /^ by 500 /x, 

 averaging 25 /i, by 465 jx. Styles 25 /a by 400 /x and less are also found. 

 Both types are almost always sharply bent. There are no microscleres. 



Holotype. — American Museum of Natural History. 



Type locality. — Lower California. 



Distribution. — Lower California and Gulf of California. 



Material examined. — 

 Sta. 560-36 Isla Partida 3-9-36 140 m 



Remarks. — The fact that the oxeas exceed the styles in average length 

 is rather unusual. 



The Gulf specimens of this sponge do not differ in any particular 

 from specimens originally described. 



Genus DRAGMAGIDON Kallmann 



Dragmacidon opisclera de Laubenfels 



Plate 47, Fig. 93, 94 ; Plate 48, Fig. 95 



Dragmacidon opisclera de Laubenfels, 1935, p. 7. 



Diagnosis. — Specimens of this sponge are drab in alcohol, cartilaginous 

 in consistency, and only slightly hispid. The chief spicules are styles 22 fi 

 by 400 IX. to 35 /j, by 700 /x or larger. The oxeas have about the same range 

 but average shorter. Very thin, sinuous spicules are also present, ^ /x to 

 2 IX thick and sometimes as long as 500 fx. The trichodragma modification 

 is found in some specimens. All spicules are bent. 



Holotype. — ^American Museum of Natural History. 



Type locality. — Lower California. 



Distribution. — Lower California and the Gulf of California. 



Material examined. — 

 Sta. 542-36 Puerto Refugio 3- 4-36 50 m 



Sta. 556-36 Isla Partida 3- 8-36 60 m 



Sta. 557-36 Isla Partida 3- 8-36 90 m 



Sta. 750-37 Outer Gorda Bank 4- 4-37 10 m 



Sta. 1081-40 Isla Partida 2- 5-40 75 fms 



