126 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



for want of a better one in which to put it ; it is not unlikely that it may form the type 

 of a new genus. 



Mr. Carter ' has described a sponge which appears to be related to our Amjohi- 

 lectus ceratosus. His Suberites jistidatus (the claims of which to the generic name 

 Suherites are of the very faintest description, being, according to the author, " its 

 cavernous and cork-like consistence ") possesses tylote megasclera with mierospined ends, 

 and palmate, isochelate microsclera ; as regards the presence or absence of horny fibre 

 and the arrangement of the skeleton nothing is said. This sponge is also said to possess 

 "long tubular extensions of different sizes," which "are prolonged from large vents." 

 There can be little doubt that the species are distinct, despite the very similar 

 spiculation. 



Locality. — Off Port Jackson ; depth, 7 fathoms. Three specimens. 



Amphilecttis i^Hosus, Ridley and Dendy (PI. XIX. figs. 5, 5', 5a, &c.; PI. XXV. 

 fig- 3). 



1886. AmpJiiledus jnlosus, Ridley and Dendy, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xviii. 



p. 350. 



There are in the collection two specimens which we unite under the above name. 

 As the smaller is a poor, dried-up specimen our description will be taken from the larger, 

 which is in good condition. 



Sponge (PL XXV. fig. 3) lobate, consisting of a short, stout peduncle, about 13 

 mm. in diameter, expanding above into a single broad, thick lobe about 63 mm. broad 

 and 19 mm. thick; total height of sponge, 81 mm. Colour in spirit dark chocolate- 

 brown." Texture very coarse and hairy, but rather compact. Surface pilose and shaggy, 

 beset with tufts of large, projecting spicules ; furrowed by deep longitudinal grooves which 

 are not hairy like the rest of the surface. Dermal membrane distinct only in the 

 grooves ; deeply pigmented like all the rest of the sponge. Oscula small, scattered, 

 partly in the grooves. 



Skeleton. — In the dermal membrane, where this can be distinguished, are found a few 

 irregularly strewn tylota, together with a few large styli, and very long, thin oxea. The 

 main skeleton is irregular in the extreme ; coarse, loose and very iU-defiued bands of 

 spiculo-fibre run towards the surface, where they terminate in the shaggy tufts of spicules ; 

 these represent the primary lines and they are crossed in all directions by loosely 

 scattered spicules. There is very little horny uniting substance. In the peduncle 

 the skeleton becomes much more dense, but is still very indefinite. 



Spicules. — (a) Megasclera; (1) Tylota, with long, straight, slender shaft and fairly 

 well developed heads, usually flattened and slightly and minutely spined at the ends ; size 



* Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. ix. p. 53. 



2 Possibly stained by other specimens in the same bottle. 



