ABT. 4 SPONGES OF CALIFORNIA de LAUBENFELS 25 



Genus GEODIA Lamarck 



GE0DL4. MESOTRIAENA Lendenfcid 



Vydonium miilleri Lambe (not Fleming), 1S92, p. 72; 1893, p. 36. 



Geodia mesotriaena Lendenfeld, 1910, p. 96. 



Geodia agassizii Lendenfeld, 1910, p. 113. 



Geodia niesotriaeneUa Lendenfeld, 1910, p. 151. 



Geodia hreviana Lendenfeld, 1910, p. 155. 



Geodia ovis Lendenfeld, 1910, p. 161. 



Holotype. — Here designated as U.S.N.M. No. 8410. 



Type locality. — Albatross Station 2942, off southern California, 41 

 meters. 



Occurrence. — Lendenfeld had 10 specimens from California, from 

 Albatross Stations 2894, 1909, 2942, 2958, 2975, 2978, 4417, 4551, and 

 3168; and 24 specimens from north of California, Stations 2886^ 

 2887, 3098, 4193, 4199, and 4228, ranging from Oregon to south- 

 eastern Alaska. I have four specimens from southern California, 

 all dredged by the University of Southern California at depths from 

 41 to 47 meters. The Albatross specimens were from 32 to 180 

 meters, except one from 369 meters. This species is also represented 

 in the British Museum (No. 29.9.30.11). 



Description. — Shape, massive; younger specimens subglobular^ 

 older ones spread laterally to form cakes. Size, up to at least 6 cm 

 thick, spreading laterally to at least 20 cm. Consistency, mediocre. 

 Color in life and when preserved, whitish externally, dirty yellow 

 internally, the exterior often discolored on account of outside influ- 

 ences. Oscules, chones. Pores, chones. Surface, superficially cov- 

 ered by a dense spicular plush, which may be broken off, but in that 

 case it is represented by broken ends of spicules. 



Ectosomal specialization, cortical; it is largely sterraster armor 

 and ranges from 200^^ to 1 mm thick. Endosomal structure, radiate, 

 Histological details: I have a slide showing spherical flagellate 

 chambers that are 16/a to 20/x in diameter. 



Spicules: {a) Large endosomal diacts, rarely styles or strongyles, 

 usually oxeas (fig. 10, II) ; size, 2()fx. to 112/x thick. Lengths are hard 

 to state as the longer ones are usually broken, but they reach at least 

 9 mm. The common size is about 0.05 by 2.5 mm. {b) Plagio- 

 triaenes or diaenes (fig. 10, J, K) of the same size range as the 

 oxeas mentioned above. These are placed with their cladomes just 

 below or actually within the cortex, the rhabds continuing on down, 

 directed toward the base or center of the sponge. (<?) Anatriaenes 

 of very great variation in size and abundance (fig. 10, Z>, E^ F, G). 

 In the same specimen their rhabd diameter may range from 2/a to 45/i. 

 They are commonly 5 to 10 mm in length, in extreme cases as much 

 as 22 mm long. They may be placed like the plagiotriaenes, or their 



