BY P,. VON LENDENFELD, PH.D. 563 



RAPHYrJ S HIXONII. Nov. spec. 



. Sh/tk and Size. 



The smaller specimens are irregular, bulbous, witli several vents 

 on the upper convex surface. The large specimen (fig. 6), is 

 massive, expanded above and was attached to the sand of the 

 sea bottom by a fiat expanded base, measuring 300 mm. across. It 

 extends above very much. The upper surface is uneven, and hori- 

 zontal (fig. 6.) Seen from above the out-line appears very irregular 

 with lobate projections beyond a circular circumference. The 

 sponge measui-es about 600 mm. in width, and 350 mm. in height. 

 There are massive semi-spherical projections over the sides and 

 upper surface. The latter are particularly regular and well- 

 defined These protruberances extend 50 mm. over the depressions 

 between them and are 120 mm. wide. In the large specimen 

 there are nine such protruberances on the upper side. In the 

 centre of each a vent is situated. In the smaller specimens 

 these vents are scattered over the smooth and uniform surface of 

 the convex upper side. In the large specimen they are found in 

 the centres of the upper protruberances. 



These vents are not Oscula but only Pseudoscula. They lead 

 into short conic tubes, pseudogasters. 



In the large specimen (fig. 6), there are according to the 

 above, nine such Pseudoscular tubes 260 mm. long and at the 

 mouth 30 mm. wide. They are straight, but not regularly conic 

 as occasionally there are extensions half-way down, whereby their 

 diameter may be locally increased to 50 mm. All these tubes are 

 vertical and open on the upper, laterally expanded surface (fig. 

 6), on the summits of the protruberances. 



The sponge weighed when fresh, about 200 kilogramm. Now 

 that it has been dried, it weighs about 14 kilogx'amm. 



PtIGIDITY. ^ 



Alive in spirits and dry, the sponge is very hard, a pressure of 

 70 kilogramm in no way aflects a surface of 50 HH C. m. 



