AET. 4 



SPONGES OF CALIFORNIA de LAUBENFELS 



77 



Z>hA 



o: 



to 5/i by 200/x. First microscleres, arcuate chelas (fig. 42, F) ; 

 length, 28/x to 33/^. Second microscleres, contort sigmas (fig. 42, £') ; 

 length, 32;a to 40/t. 



Remarks. — Many species of Lis sodend oryx have been described as 

 of MyxUla^ and man}^ differ from one another but slightly. Two 

 Myxillas, properly to be transferred to Lissodendorijx^ described by 

 Lambe from the west coast of Canada, particularly merit comparison 

 to noxiosa. The first is lacunosa (1892, p. 70), which differs from 

 noxlosa in having hastate dermal spicules twice the thickness of those 



in the California species: it 



has styles very .similar but 

 with practically no spination, 

 somewhat larger chelas, and 

 smaller sigmas. The second 

 is p^ma (1894, p. 122), which 

 has dermal spicules shaped like 

 those of noxiosa^ but twice as 

 thick, and styles about twice 

 as large (up to 19/i by 366/x), 

 and with no spines at all. Its 

 chelas and sigmas are each 

 much larger than in noxiosa^ 

 but quite noteworthy for their 

 similarity in shape. 



The styles of iwxiosa are peculiar in having a few large spines, 

 there being usually either smooth styles, or styles with many small 

 spines, or many large ones. The most striking characteristic, how- 

 ever, is the strong, offensive odor of noxiosa. I am familiar w^ith 

 one other Lissodendoryx in the living condition (a West Indian 

 form) : that has a pungent odor, seemingly the same. In view of 

 the supposed close relationship of Lissodendoryx with Myx'dla^ it is 

 interesting to note that none of the Myxillas I have known in the 

 living state had this odor. The odor may not be proper, however, 

 as in 1929 I found two specimens of this species that lacked it. 



LISSODENDORYX REX de Laubenfels 

 Lissodendoryx rex de Laubenfels, 1930, p. 27. 



IIolotype.—V.S.l^.M. No. 21512; B.M. No. 29.8.22.63. 



Type locality. — This sponge was growing on the macerated skele- 

 ton of a dictyonine sponge collected in Monterey Bay, Calif., depth 

 700 meters, by E. F. Kicketts, on May 9, 1929. 



Description. — Shape, massive. Size, 2 cm high, 3 cm in diameter. 

 Consistency, fragile. Color in life and when dry, drab. Oscules, 

 not evident. The exhalent openings presumably were toward the 



Figure 4::. — Lissodendoryx noxiosa de Lauben- 

 fels, X300. F, row of chelas, one at right 

 nearly in end view 



