306 A MONOGRAPH OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPONGES, 



27. GENUS APHRODITE. (1) NOVUM GENUS. 



Auleninse of Nardorus shape without secundary diaphragm 

 lamellae in the vestibule-space with a terminal Pseudosculum, Small 

 conuli scattered all over the surface. No dermal lamella developed. 

 The skeleton consists of radiating main fibres chai-ged with foreign 

 bodies and tangental connecting fibres, which have an eighth of the 

 diameter of the main fibres, and are destitute of foreign bodies. 



63. SPECIES. 



APHRODITE NARDORUS, NOVA SPECIES. 



Shape and Size. 



The only specimen of this sponge seen by me is pyriform and 

 pedunculate. 



It reaches a height of 150 mm. The peduncle is cylindrical 

 and circular on transverse section, perfectly straight and upright, 

 of uniform thickness throughout, and 80 mm. long. It measures 

 9 mm. in thickness. On the summit of it the sponge expands in 

 the shape of a sphere to a width of 30 mm., and tapers towards 

 the upper end, which is crowned by the large, circular pseudosculum, 

 which measures 9 mm. in diameter. (Plate XXXV., fig. 34.) 



It represents to a great extent the figure given by Haeckel (2) 

 of his Ascilla Gracilis Nardorus. Only the network is more dense 

 and the surface conulated. 



Color. 



In spii'its light yellow, greyish in the interior. 



Surface. 



There is as mentioned above in the diagnosis of the species, no 

 dermal lamella, and so the interior structure is open to view from 

 without. The Pseudopores are very irregular, elongate, pointed at 

 each end and longitudinally disposed. All the exposed sui'faces 



(1) Aphrodite='A/3soStTj;. The Ideal of Beauty arisen from the waves. 



(2) E. Haeckel. Die Kalkschwamme ; eine Monografie. Band 3. Tafel 



