lANTHELLA, 25 



lanthella homei, J. E. Gray, " Notes on lanthella, a new Genus of Keratose 



Sponges," Proceedings of the Zoological Society London, 1869, p. 51. 

 lanthella homei, F. E. Schulze, " Untersuchungen iiber den Bau und die 



Entwicklung der Spongien. — IV. Mittheilung. Die Eamilie der Aply- 



sinidse," Zeitschrift fiir wissenschaftliche Zoologie, Band xxx. Seite 485 



(1878). 

 Keratoj^hi/toH majtis &c., Hermann Boerhaave, Index alter plantarum horti 



Liigduni-Batavi, Leydae, 1720, Seite 6, partira. 

 Hete philijjpense &c., Jacob Petiver, Gazophylacii Naturae et artis decades 10, 



Londini, 1713, vol. i. p. 32, partim. 

 Spongia hasta, E. J. C, Esper, Die PHanzenthiere, 1791-1830, vol. ii. p. 25. 

 Sponr/ia basta, J. de Lamarck, Annales du Museum des Sciences JVaturelles, 



vol. XX. p. 442. 

 Spongia basta, Lamouroux, Histoire Naturelle des Corallaires flexibles, vol. ii. 



p. 57. 

 Spongia basta, P. S. Pallas, Elenchus Zoophytorum, 1766, p. 309. 

 ISpongia JlabeUiformis, J. de Lamarck, Histoire Natural des Animaux sans 



Vertebres, 2^ edition, 1832, vol. ii. p. 550, partim. 

 Spongia flabelliformis, C. von Linne, Hortus Cliffortianus, Amsterdam, 1737, 



p. 480, partim. 

 Spongia flabelliformis, C. von Linne, Systema Naturae, 12th edition, 1767, 



p. 1296, partim. 

 Spongia flabellifonnis etc., Eoyen, Prodromus, p. 522, no. 6, partim. 



This sponge appears as a thin ramified lamella, attached by a small base and 

 expanding above more or less in one plane, so as to form a flabellur structui'e, 

 which is composed of spirally twisted bands growing up from a small base ; 

 these are on an average 4 millim. thick, and ramify, forming irregular anas- 

 tomoses above. The sponge attains a height of 250 millim. and a breadth 

 of 150 millim. The surface is conulated; the conuli are small, sharp-pointed, 

 and about 3 millim. apart ; the inhalant pores are situated on one, and the 

 oscula on the other side exclusively; the latter are on an average 1 millim. 

 wide and scattered. 



The skeleton is composed of fine fibres, which form regular, rectangular, 

 elongate meshes. The sponge is pretty hard and elastic when dry, but very 

 flexible in spirit. The colour in spirit is reddish ; dry, blue-black. The dry 

 skeleton is black with a reddish tinge. 



Geogeaphical Distribution.— Australian Seas. North coast of Australia : 

 Torres Straits {Macleay), Port Darwin {^ Alert"). 



Indian Ocean {Gray). Mascarene Islands (' Alert ') 



Vertical DisTRiraxiON. — 13-20 metres {'Alert'). 



