REPORT ON THE MONAXONIDA. 207 



Suberites ramulosus, Ridley and Dendy. 



1886. Suberites mmuloaa, Ridley and Dendy, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xviii. 



p. 487. 



Sponge stipitate, stalk slender, often crooked, simple or branched ; ending below, 

 in perfect specimens, in spreading rootlets, and expanding above into a pear-shaped 

 head (none of the five specimens present exhibit more than one head, though two show 

 branching of the stem, but there can be little doubt that several heads may be present, 

 as described in the variety below, of which a much more perfect series of specimens 

 is to hand). Size variable ; the largest specimen has a stem 44 mm. long by about 

 r5 mm. thick, and a head about 13 mm. long by 8 mm. broad. Texture rather soft 

 and spongy, surface hispid. Oscula; a single one at the summit of each head, surrounded 

 by a slight spicular fringe. 



Skeleton. — Very irregular ; a dense central axis of longitudinally placed, large 

 tylostylote spicules in the stem, and in the head longitudinal tracts of similar spicules, 

 with loose brushes of smaller ones whose points project l)eyond the surface and give rise 

 to the hispidity ; (compare the description of the skeleton in the variety given below, 

 where it seems to be much more definitely arranged). 



Spicules. — Megasclera; (1) large, straight, stout, fusiform tylostyli, with well-developed 

 subglobular heads and (usually) blunt apices ; size about 1'8 by 0"063 mm. (in the stem 

 they may be a little longer and slenderer). (2) Much smaller and slenderer, long, 

 straight, usually sharply pointed tylostyli, with well-marked, nearly globular heads ; these 

 spicules form the brushes at the surface of the sponge ; their size is very variable, they 

 commonly measure about TO by 0028 mm., but it would not be difficult to pick out a 

 series connecting them with the larger kind. In the stem the spicules are frequently 

 very crooked, calling to mind those of some Axinellida^. 



The chief point of interest in this species, apart from the branching of the stem, lies 

 in its relation to a well-marked variety of the same fr(3m a neighbouring station, which 

 is fully described below ; the comparison of these two forms shows how little reliance 

 can be placed on slight differences in the form of the megasclera, that is, whether 

 "stylote," " strongylote," or "tylostylote," for purposes of classification. We have 

 chosen to consider the form described above as the type, because its spicules, in the 

 presence of well-developed heads, agree with those of more typical species of Suberites, 

 while the larger spicules of the variety differ from them in this respect. The species is 

 further of exceptional interest owing to the manner in which the external form simulates 

 that of Stylocordyla. 



LocalitT/.— Station 207, January 16, 1875 ; lat. 12° 21' N., long. 122° 15' E.; 

 Philippine Islands; depth, 700 fathoms; bottom, blue mud; bottom temperature, 5V6. 

 Five specimens. 



