406 HYATT'S REVISION OF THE 



Aplysina eerophoba X:irdo? Isis. 1833-34. 



Aplysma a-rophoha Schmidt, Spongieu d. Adriat., p. 25, pi. 3, fig. 2, 1862, etc. 

 Aplysina cerop)]ioha Sclimidt, Spongien d. Atlant., p 30, 1870. 



Tiie types of this species, as determined by Schmidt, are in the Collection of the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology.^ These I have examined. They consist of two specimens, 

 which belong to two distinct genera. Schmidt probably identified them with Ap)lysina 

 cerophoha Nardo, a Mediteranean species, without examining the skeleton of more than one 

 specimen, which if not identical with, is doubtless very closely allied to, that species. The 

 difference is shown by a comparison of the two figures given bj' Schmidt, one of the Med- 

 iterranean or undoubted Aplysina mrophoha in the "Adriatischen Spongien," and one of the 

 Florida form in " Spongien Fauna d. xVtlantischen Gebietes." The former seems to have a 

 thinner wall to the fdjre and to be filled up with solid granular matter, whereas the latter 

 seems hollow, or only lined with a layer of granular matter. The former also seems to be 

 rounded while the latter is flattened. 



Schmidt nowhere describes the peculiar arrangement of the network or the variation in 

 size of the meshes near the surfiice as compared with the interior. This net-like web of the 

 fibres and the honeycomb-like arrangement of the walls formed by the web is as j^lainly 

 shown as in any other s^^ecies of the genus. The formation of the smaller meshes near the 

 surface is by no means so well marked as in other species, but it is developed on some parts 

 of the specimen. The size of the fibres, the size of the mesh and of the honeycomb -like 

 tubes is smaller than in Ajjlysina glganfea;^ the form of the specimens described by 

 Schmidt and the form of the single one examined by me was fistulose, the fistular craters 

 arising out of a solid basal mass. There were two fistular projections in a specimen about 

 two inches long in the Collection of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge. No 

 figures of the fibres in section have been given, but those given for the form of the fibres 

 in Aplysina gigantea are similar though much larger. 



Florida. Mus. Comp. Zool. 



Aplysina cellulosa. 



Spongia cellulosa Esper, Pllanzenthiere, vol. 3, p. 206, pi. 60. 



« 



The peculiar formation of this sponge, the coarseness of the fibres and the typical char- 

 acter of the comb-like cells are very well depicted in Esper, and also Ellis and Solander's 

 figures. A single specimen from an unknown locality is in the collection of the Peabody 

 Academy of Science at Salem. This is too closely similar in all respects to the figures to 

 leave any doubt of its identity, but it is somewhat curious that no one has yet been able 

 to cite the locality. The specimen has been much beach-worn and it can only be seen that 

 the fibres differ greatlj- in size on one side from those on the other.^ The internal fdling 

 of granular matter is abundant, and the fibi'es therefore opaque and yellowish along the 

 centre, with thick, dark, horny walls. 



' The specimens were Aplysina eerophoba NJo., and Dendro- °P1. 13, figs. 10 and 16. 



spongia crassa Hyatt, 'PI. 13, figs. 13, 17, 18. 



