BY E. F. HALLMANN. 371 



Tedania rubra. (Text-tig. 12). 



Introductory. — Altiiougii the specimen which I describe here- 

 under, is far from satisfactorily agreeing with tlie original descrip- 

 tion, yet, as it is labelled in Lendenfeld's handwriting witli the 

 name ("Truncatella renieroides"), given in the key-list as the MS. 

 equivalent of T. rubra, and as it actually is a Tedania, the balance 

 of evidence undoubtedly points to its being a genuine example of 

 the species, and justifies the conclusion that the original description 

 is inaccurate. The latter states, among other things, that oscula 

 are present, which measure 2 to 3 mm. in width; tliat the fibres 

 consist (only) of spicules; and that the spicules are styli measuring 

 on the average 200 x 6/x, tylota, oxea, and irregularly curved, hair- 

 like spicules. In the specimen, on the other hand, there are no evi- 

 dent oscula (though scattered over the exterior, there is a number 

 of small oscula-like openings, due to the presence of operculate cir- 

 ripedes close beneath the surface) ; the fibres are composed of spi- 

 cules cemented and usually also ensheathed by spongin; oxea are 

 entirely absent; the styli measure at most 205 x 6/x; the "tylota" 

 have spined, and scarcely at all expanded, extremities; and the 

 hair-like spicules (spinulous rap hides) are almost invariably 

 straight. As an indication of the limited importance attachable 

 to these discrepancies, it may be remarked, firstly, that those in 

 connection with the spiculation are almost exactly the same as 

 have been found to occur in the case of Tedania ruhicunda, and, 

 secondly, that the actual mistake of describing, as oscula, holes 

 caused by symbiotic cirripedes, was made by Lendenfeld in the 

 case of Cliona lutea and of Spirastrella ramulosa. 



The megascleres(and, at first sight, also the raphides)of T. rubra 

 resemble so very closely those of T. digit ata var. rubicunda, that 

 had I examined no more than preparations of their spicules, I 

 should certainly have pronounced the two sponges to be specifically 

 identical; in view of its well-developed spongin-fibre, however, the 

 like of which apparently has not been met with in any other of the 

 numerous known forms of T. digitata, it seems necessary that T. 

 rubra should be ranked as an independent variety. 



