1102 A MONOGRAPH OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPONGES, 



either straight or more frequently slightly curved, usually 

 inwards, twice as thick as basal ray ; length inconstant, varying 

 from 0-025 mm. to 012 mm. 



Locality: Station 163, April 7, 1874; latitude 36° 56' S., 

 longitude 150° 30' E., depth 120 fathoms; off Twofold Bay, 

 Australia. (Challenger. ) 



10. GENUS. SYCORTUSA. Von Lendenfeld. 



Uteinae with minute acerate spicules in the cortex. Identical 

 with Haeckel's (1) Subgenus Sycortusa. 



20. SPECIES. SYCORTUSA LAEVIGATA. Von Lendenfeld. 

 SYCORTIS LAEVIGATA. Haeckel (2.) 



Cylindrical radial-tubes irregularly prismatic, coalesce with tLeir 

 sides. No distal cones. Dermal surface and gastral surface 

 smooth. Acerate spicules very small in dense masses felted in the 

 dermal surface and forming a kind of cement, which covers the 

 whole Sponge. Here we find regularly disposed sagittal triradiate 

 spicules with straight rays, the basal ray which points to the 

 aboral pole, of which is three times as long as the lateral rays. 

 Tubar triradiate spicules sagittal, with straight rays ; the mesial 

 angle much larger than the paired ones. The basal ray two to 

 three times as large as the lateral ones. Most of the gastral 

 triradiate spicules irregular, with strongly curved unequal rays 

 and very varying angles without any order closely packed in the 

 gastral surface. All triradiate spicules of the skeleton of the 

 same thickness, six times as thick as the minute acerate spicules 

 of the de: mal surface. 



Colour : In spirit, white. 



Locality: South Coast of Australia (St. Vincent's Gulf, 

 Schomburgh.) 



(1.) E. Jfaeckel. Die Kalkschwiunme. Eine Monographic Band II., 

 Seite 278. 

 (2.) E. llaeckd. L.c. Seite 2S5. Taf. 49, 



