98 SimONELLA, HOPLOCHALINA. 



Siphonella communis^ Lendenfeld. 



Siphonella communis, R. v. Lendeufeld, " Die Chalineen des australischen Ge- 

 bietes," Zoologische Jahrbiiclier (Spengel), Band ii. Seite 809 (1887). 



Erect tubes, 200 millim. long and 30 millim. wide, with uneven, undulating 

 surface, which, however, does not bear such high protuberances as that of the 

 other species. The terminal praeosculum is 16 millim. wide. 



The sl-eleton consists of a network with meshes 0-3 millim. wide and fibres 

 0-04 millim. thick. Spicules are found in the main fibres only, where they 

 are fairly abundant ; they are chiefly oxea, 0*046 millim. long and 0-0013 

 millim. thick. 



Geogbaphtcal Distribution. — East coast of A.ustralia : Port Jackson, 

 N. S. W. {Lendenfeld). 



Group HOPLOCHALININ.ffi:. 



Massive or digitate Chalininae, with exceedingly large, 

 obliquely situated spicules, the ends of which project beyond 

 the surface of the fibres, so that the latter appear very rough, 

 uneven, and in some cases spiny. 



Genus HOPLOCHALINA. 

 Digitate Hoplochalininas with high conuli. 



The species of this genus are imitated by the Aplysillidae. 



HoplochaHna dendrilla, Lendenfeld. 



Hoplochalina dendrilla, E. v. Lendenfeld, " Die Chalineen des australischen 

 Gebietes," Zoologische Jabrbiicher (Spengel), Band ii. Seite 823 (1887). 



Digitate, branched sponges, with abundant, sharp-pointed conuli, 3 millim. 

 high and 8 millim. apart. The sponge attains a height of 400 millim. The 

 digitate branches are 15-30 millim. thick, and generally appear inflated below 

 the distal, terminally rounded, end. 



The skeleton consists of fibres which ramify in a dendritic manner, and 

 the final branches of which are on an average 0*2 millim. thick. The 

 spicules are very large, and situated obliquely, so as partly to protrude beyond 

 the surface of the fibres ; they are oxea, 0-5 millim. long and 0*013 millim. 



