ABT. 12 



HEXACTIlSrELLID SPONGES OKADA 



47 



The small circular nodule from which the very short principals arise 

 is not formed as in most cases, the onychasters merely intersecting 

 at the center. 



Uncinates show the usual features common to members of the 

 present genus. They measure 2.5 mm in length and S/x broad at the 

 center. 



EURETE SCHMmXII F. E. Schulze 



Eurcte schmidtii F. E. Schulze, Rep. Voy. Challenger, vol. 21, p. 293, pi. 78, 

 figs. 1-6, 1887. 



Of E. schviidtii there are four nearly complete small colonies and 

 single small fragments, which are somewhat macerated and injured 

 at the extremities of the tubes. They were obtained from two sta- 

 tions not far apart near the entrance to Enoura, Suruga Gulf 

 (Table 13). 



Table 13. — Record of specimens of Eurete schmidtii 



The outer configuration of our specimens closely resembles that of 

 the type specimens. Unfortunately the basal portion supporting the 

 entire colony, described for a Japanese specimen by F. E. Schulze in 

 his Challenger report, is entirely absent here. On some of the 

 specimens there were numerous small Actiniae irregularly scattered 

 about as already recorded for the present and other species by 

 other authors. 



Besides the common typical oxyhexaster of this species two other 

 kinds of spicules are found intermingled with the former; the one 

 is nearly similar to that occurring in the Challenger type, being 

 somewhat different in the number of terminals and in the manner 

 of their curvature. Of less frequent occurrence is the other kind 

 of oxyhexaster of nearly the same size, which differs from the first 

 in having a distinct central knob and widely divergent terminals, 

 which are not curved outwardly at the ends. Of more frequent 

 occurrence are the medium-sized oxyhexasters with simple principal 

 rays of medium length, and with 2 to 3 outwardly bent or nearly 

 straight medium-sized terminals, as in the type specimens. The ter- 

 minal rays are usually twice as long as the principals of the same 

 spicule. The oxyhexaster in question is entirely similar to that oc- 

 curring in Periphragella elisae Marshall. {Challenger ReD.. d1. 81. 

 fig. 5.) 



