1084 A MONAGRAPH OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPONGES, 



Tins Subordo is nearly identical with the Homocoela of PolejaefF 

 (1) but comprises some species, which according to Pol ejaeff would 

 be considered Heterocoela. 



FAMILY. ASCONID^E. Claus (2). 

 Sac-shaped Homocoela often forming colonies without a thick 

 Mesoderm which the Canals perforate. The Asconida? are identical 

 with Haeckels (3) Ascones. Haeckel's genera are adopted pre- 

 liminarily. 



1. GENUS. ASCETTA. Haeckel (4). 



With predominant triradiate spicules some of which may possess 

 an incipient fourth ray, without acerate spicules. 



1. SPECIES. ASCETTA DICTYCTDES. Von Lendenfeld. 



ASCETTA PRIMORDIALIS var. DICTYOIDES. E. Haeckel (5). 

 Triradiate spicules regulai', rays conic or semi spindle-shaped, 

 pointed. Spicules forming several layers. Rays 8 to 16 times as 

 long as thick with simple gastral cavity. 

 Locality : Australia. (Haeckel.) 



2. SPECIES. ASCETTA POTERIUM. Yon Lendenfeld. 

 ASCETTA PRIMORDIALIS var. POTERIUM. E. Haeckel (6). 

 CLATHRINA POTERIUM. Ridley (7). 

 LEUCOSOLENIA POTERIUM. Polejaeff (8). 

 Triradiate spicules regular with straight, conic or semi-spindle- 

 shaped rays in several layers. The dermal spicules clumsy with 



(1.) N. PoUjaeff. Report on the Calcarea. The Zoology of the Voyage 

 of H.M.S. Challenger. Part XXIV., p. 35, 



The new species described here have been partly obtained by the author 

 himself, and were partly furnished by the Colonial Museums. I am parti- 

 cularly indebted to Mr. E P. Ramsay for some highly interesting specimens 

 from the Australian Museum in Sydney. 



{2) C. Claus. Grundziige der Zoologic Vierte Auflage. BandI.,Seite 221. 



(3.) E. Haeckel. Die Kalksehwamme. Eine Monographic Band II., 

 Seite 11. 



(4.) E. Haeckel. L.c. Band II., Seite 14. 



(.->.) E. Haeckel. L.c. Band II., Seite 17-23 ; Band III., Taf, V., fig. 1. 



(6.) E. Haeckel. L.c. Band II., Seite 17 ; Band III., Taf. II., figs. 8-9, 

 Taf. V, fig. If— li. 



(7.) Stuart O. Ridley. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 

 1881, p. 133. 



(8.) N. Potijaefi. L.c, p. 35 ; Taf. III., figs. 1-2. 



