SILICIOUS AND HORNY SPONGES WILSON. 355 



Suborder Sigmatophora. 



Siymatophora Sollas, 1SSS. 

 With tetraxonid megascleres; microscleres when present are sig- 

 mas; without desmas. 



Family SAMIDAE 



Samidae Sollas, 1S87. 



In addition to the Tetillidae the suborder includes Family Sami- 

 dae, Sollas, 1887, 1888, represented by Samus Gray, 1867, in which 

 the characteristic megascleres are amphitriaenes (Sollas, 1888, p. 

 cxxvi). 



Lendenfeld has, 1906, deleted his family Tethyopsillidae. Her- 

 nandez, 1914 (p. 21), proposes a new family, Ectyonillidae, for Ec- 

 tyo?iilla, new genus, Cantabrina, new genus, and other (described) 

 genera. 



Family TETILLIDAE. 



Tetillidae Sollas, 1S86, 1888. — Plus Tethyopsillidae part, Lendenfeld, 1903. 

 Tethydae Lendenfeld, 1906. 



The characteristic megascleres are protriaenes, which may be 

 very slender, arranged radially. The skeleton in general is usually 

 strongly radiate. 



The family includes the following genera : Tetilla, Craniella, 

 (Tethya), Paratetilla, Amphitethya, Cinachyra, Fangophilina. 



Genus TETILLA O. Schmidt (1868). 



Tetilla O. Schmidt, 1868, p. 10 plus Chrotella Sollas, 1888, p. cxxv. 

 Tetilla O. Schmidt plus Cinachyra Sollas part plus Tethyopsilla Lenden- 



fkld part, Lendenfeld, 1903, pp. 16, 26, 30. 

 TethijH Lamarck part plus Cinachyra Sollas part, Lendenfeld, 1906, pp. 



69, 138. 



Typically the ectosome is not a distinct layer but shades off into 

 the choanosome; pores and oscula scattered, not located in special 

 depressions. In some species, however, the ectosome is to some ex- 

 tent histologically differentiated and partially assumes the character 

 of a fibrous cortex, thus constituting an approach to Craniella. And 

 in some species there are special depressions (probably efferent as 

 well as afferent) on the smooth floor of which are numerous small 

 apertures (subgenus Cinachyrella). There is no cortical skeleton of 

 radial megascleres. The microscleres have been lost in some species. 



Lendenfeld, 1906, merges Tetilla in Craniella (Tethya) and hence 

 changes the family name to Tethydae. As has been elsewhere said 



