FORAMINIFERA OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN. 23 



REOPHAX SPICULIFER H. B. Brady. 



Reophax spiculifer H. B. Brady, Quart. Journ. Micr. Sci., vol. 19, 1879, p. 54, 

 pi. 4, figs. 10, 11; Rep. Voy. Challenger, Zoology, vol. 9, 1884, p. 295, pi. 31, 

 figs. 16, 17.— Egger, Abh. Bay. Akad. Wlss. Munchen, voL 18, 1893, p. 258, 

 pi. 4, fig. 19 (?). — Chapman, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 14. — Cushman, 

 Bull. 71, U.S.Nat. Mus., pt. 1, 1910, p. 92, figs. 132-133.— Chapman, Kept. 

 Sci. Invest., British Antarctic Exped., Geo]., vol. 2, pt. 3, 1918, p. 62, pi. 3, 

 fig. 16.— Cushman, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 56, 1919, p. 598. 



Description. — Test composed of a few chambers, each broadest at 

 the posterior end and gradually narrowing toward the apertural end, 

 wall thin, composed of a single layer of elongate sponge spicules, 

 placed side by side and lengthwise of the chamber, often projecting 

 backward beyond the posterior end of the chamber; aperture 

 circular. 



Length about 1 mm. 



DistriMition. — The onl}^ Atlantic records for this species are off 

 Sombrero Island, West Indies, 450 fathoms (823 meters). It is 

 known from the Pacific off Tahiti, 620 fathoms (1,134 meters); off 

 Kandavu, 255 (466 meters) and 610 (1,116 meters) fathoms; off 

 the Hawaiian Islands, 2,350 fathoms (4,298 meters); and in the 

 Southern Ocean, from off Kerguelen Island, 20-120 fathoms (37- 

 219 meters); and from Koss Sea, 460-655 fathoms (841-1,198 

 meters). It is rare at all the stations according to report. 



It is one of those species which has selective power of taking 

 sponge spicules from the other constituents of the bottom on which 

 it lives. 



REOPHAX ARMATUS Goes. 



Reophax armatus Goes, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 29, 1896, p. 29, pi. 1, fig. 1. — 

 Cushman, Bull. 71, U. S. Nat. Mus., pt. 1, 1910, p. 91, fig. 128. 



DescriiJtion. — "The growth of the test is nearly the same as that 

 of R. distans, but the segments are provided with 3-6 more or less 

 produced spines or tubes; sometimes it seems as if some of those 

 tubes were in connection with side chambers, so that a construction 

 somewhat like a Ramulina is originated. SheU wall thin, light 

 bro\vn, built up by finest sand and sponge spicules, often partly 

 covered with white dust; the surface is often sparingly prickly by 

 sponge needles. The scarcity of the supply has not allowed a closer 

 examination and analysis of this peculiar form." 



DistrihUion. — The record of this species for the Caribbean is 

 Albatross H2352, latitude, 22° 35' N.; longitude 84° 23' W., off the 

 southwestern coast of Cuba, depth 463 fathoms (847 meters). It 

 was evidently very rare, as noted by Goes. 



Millett has suggested ^ that this species of Goes may in reality be 

 a species of Aschcraonella and perhaps identical with Brady's original 

 A. catenata. The character of lateral tubular projections resembles 

 Aschemoiiella. There is no material available that will settle what 

 this form really is. 



1 Journ. Roy. Micr. Soc, 1899, p. 252. 



