SPONGES 



I'l ;. SS. 



Transvi^rse section across an excurrent canal and surrounding choanosome of Cydonium 

 tosaster, Soil, e, excurrent canal ; /, flagellated chambers coiinnunicating with it by aphodal 

 i-anals ; t, an incurrent Kinal cut across ; s, a sterraster ; o, an oxea cut across. (Alter SoUas, 

 '• ' kalknger " Report, X 12i.) 



function, but also ver}^ frequently in 

 certain forms of microsclere, such 

 as the commonly occurring asters, 

 conform to types of structure not 

 represented among tlie megas- 

 cleres. In this respect we find a 

 marked contrast with the Hexac- 

 tinellida, where all the spicules, 

 even the asters, are variations of 

 the one fundamental triaxon type. 



Forms of the Spicules. — In the 

 first place, a distinction must be 

 drawn l^etween the simple (prim- 

 ary) spicules, on the one hand, 

 and the compound (secondary) 

 spicules or desmas, characteristic of 

 the sub- order Lithistida, on the 

 other hand. Since the desma is 

 itself founded, in most instances, 

 upon a primary s{)icule, we may 

 commence with the discussion of 

 the latter. 



All primary spicules in the 



morphological characters. Thus 

 0, 





Diplodal canal system in Corticium cnnde- 

 lahrum, O.S. c, excurrent canal ; the incur- 

 rent canal is .shown on the left-hand side, 

 near its commencement in the cortex. (After 

 K. E. Schulze, x200.) 



