444 G. C. J. Vosmaer 



determine for the moment whether they must be placecl in the family of 

 the Aply&inidae or of the AjìhjsiUidae ; hut in the arrangement of the 

 skeletons Verojigia^ Janthella and Dendrospongia show more resem- 

 blance to one another and to Aplysina than to Darioinella. This genus 

 on the other band seems to be closely allied to Aphjsüla. In the family 

 of the Aplysinidae I place Aplysina and probably the three mentioned 

 above. In the AplysilUdae I will place Aply siila and Dendrilla. pro- 

 bably also Darwinella^. The family of the Spongelidae appears to be 

 characterised by the strong network of fibres, by the thin axis-substance 

 in the fibres, and by the great pouch-shaped ciliated Chambers. The 

 genus Spongelia itself has in the main fibres numerous particles of sand; 

 Velinea wants this. Thus we can make the follo wing tabular view: 

 fam. I. Aplysinidae. (s. str.) ciliated Chambers not verylarge, pear- 

 shaped. Ultimate ramifications of the exhalant and in- 

 halant canalsystem thin. Skeleton more or less regulär 

 network of anastomosing fibres. Walls of the fibres 

 thin; axis-substance thick; no sand. Groundsub- 

 stance granular. 

 Aplysina : probably also : Verotigia^ Dendrospongia^ Janthella. 

 fam. II. Aplysinidae. (= Aplysillinae v. Lendenf.) ciliated 

 Chambers large, pouch-shaped. Communication of in- 

 halant canals and lacunae with the Chambers by means 

 of numerous pores in the latter. Communication of 

 exhalant canals and lacunae with the Chambers by 

 means of one wide mouth. Fibres tree-like ramified, 

 not anastomosing. Axis of fibres rather thick: all 

 fibres without sand ; groundsubstance without granules. 

 A2)ly siila. Dendrilla; probably also Darioinella.' 



1 Merejkowski has asserted in bis »Etudes sur les Epouges de la Mer Blanche« 

 (Mém. Acad. Imp. Sc. St. Pétersbourg. VII. Sér. T. XXVI. No. 7; Separ. Copy 

 p. 43), that the name Aplysilla F. E. S. was to be changed in his Simplicella, for 

 reasons of priority. As a matter of fact we know the foUowiug. In 1877 Merej- 

 kowski presented a preliminary note to the Committee of the Society of Natura- 

 lists, St. Petersburg. The paper was accepted and should be printed in the same 

 year. But unfortunately »la fante de la typographie l'a empèchée de paraitre dans 

 le huitième volume« ; the result was that the paper appeared in 1878, the same year 

 in which Schulze's ^^ Aplysinidae« carne out. So both names date from 1878, and 

 Merejkowski can never be right in changing. We prefer Schulze's uame because 

 »Apìysillm is well described and figured, while of »Siìnplicellm there is hardly a 

 diagnose in the prelimary account ; besides his note is written in Russian, So it 

 foUows , as well as from the above mentioned facts , that Merejkowski's name 

 Danvinellidae cannot be used, but in stead of it AplysilUdae. 



