478 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Porifera. 



Calcareous Sponges of Okhamandal.* — Arthur Deudy reports on 

 a collection of Calcarea made by Mr. James Hornell at Okhamandal in 

 Kattiawar. He has found it necessary to describe as new one species 

 of Sycon (S. grantioides) and one of Leucandra {L. dwarJcsensis), 

 together with a variety of Leucandra donnani (var. tenuiradiata). 

 More interesting than these new forms, however, are the specimens of 

 Grantessa hastifera (Row) and Heteropia glomprosa (Bowerbank) which 

 enable the author to add a good deal to our knowledge of these little 

 known species. 



Non - calcareous Sponges from Okhamandal. f — Arthur Dendy 

 reports on a collection of non-calcareous sponges made by ^Ix. James 

 Hornell at Okhamandal in Kattiawar It includes fifty-eight species, 

 of which fifteen are new — of which TetiUa pi/ula, 2\ barodensis, Guitarra 

 indica, Psammochda eJegans (for which a new genus is proposed), 

 Polymastid gemmipara and Megalopasfas retiaria may be mentioned as 

 exceptionally interesting forms. The scarcity of true Horny Sponges 

 (Euceratosa) in the collection is remarkable. Tliere is no true bath 

 sponge, and, indeed, only one representative of the family Spougiidse, 

 viz. the common but useless Hippospongia dathrata. All the specimens 

 were from shallow water. A considerable number were growing on the 

 large branching parchment-like tubes of a species of Eunice (probal)ly 

 E. tuhifex) which seems to V)e extremely common. 



Sponges Parasitic on ClionidaB.| — Nelson Annandale discusses a 

 number of Tetraxonid Sponges which occur parasitically in the barrows 

 of Clionid?e. They include Coppatias investigatrix sp. n., a deep-sea 

 form ; and Rhahderemia proUfera sp. n. Some additional notes are 

 communicated on Indian Clionidte, including CUona Jcempi, sp. n. 



CUonidaj are liable to be attacked in their burrows by a large 

 number of small sponges belonging to several different families. The 

 majority of these invading species are known to exist also as ordinary 

 encrusting forms, but in a few instances (e.g. that of Coppatias 

 investigatrix) the sponge has possibly become a pure parasite. In most 

 cases the invader merely occupies the burrow of the Clionid, which it 

 thrusts liefore it, but in some instances it is possible that it actually 

 engulfs and digests the proper occupant. Different species of Olionidae 

 protect themselves against invasion in slightly different ways, but all 

 secrete a horny coat when the invader comes in contact with them. 

 The production of transverse diaphragms in the galleries of the 

 Clionidse is possibly a means of protection against invading sponges, 

 especially in the case of C. mucronata, in which these diaphragms are of 

 an unusually elaborate nature. The production and elaboration of 



* Report to G^overnment of Baroda on Marine Zoology of Okhamandal in 

 Kattiawar, pt. ii. (1915) pp. 79-91 (2 pis.). 



t Report to Government of Baroda on Marine Zoology of Okhamandal in 

 Kattiawar, pt. ii. (1916) pp. 93-146 (4 pis.). 



X Records Indian Museum, xi. (1915) pp. 457-78 (1 pi. and 5 figs.). 



