ECHINONEMA. — CLATHEIA. 



221 



Echinonema rubra, u. sp. 



Large, erect, digitate or dendritic, sometimes flabelliform or irregularly 

 frondose' sponges, attaining a height of 300 millim. The processes or branches 

 are cyhndrical and distally rounded. The sponge is in the living state of a 

 bright scarlet colour, which is sometimes retained by spirit-specimens. The 

 surface is irregularly grooved. 



The skeleton consists of fibres 0-07 millim. thick, which form a pretty wide- 

 meshed network. These fibres are cored by bundles of slightly curved styli 

 0-2 miUim. long and 0-005 millim. thick, and pretty densely echinated by very 

 spiny, somewhat cyhndrical styli, 07 millim. long and 0-009 millim. thick. 

 The thickness of the cortical layer of spougin, free from longitudinal spicules, 

 in the fibres is a very conspicuous feature of this species. 



Geogeaphical DiSTRiBUTioN.-East coast of Australia: Port Jackson, 

 N. S, W. (Lendenfeld). 



Genus CLATHRIA. 

 Desmacidonidee with a skeleton composed of bundles of spicules 

 invested by spongin from wliich spined styli protrude. 



Clathria macropora, n. sp. 



Irregular, massive, lobose sponges, attaining a height of 200 millim. The 

 sponge appears more or less upright, higher than broad. The surface is rather 

 irregular, undulating or grooved. The oscula are very conspicuous, and 

 scattered over the whole of the surface ; they are on an average 5 miUim. 

 wide and fairly abundant. 



The sl-eleton consists of a network of mostly longitudinally disposed fibres 

 0-13 millim. thick, which contain an axial bundle 0-07 millim. thick of slender 

 oxea and styU, the former being more numerous. These spicules are 014 miUm. 

 long and 0-004 millim. thick. The fibres are echinated by exceedmgly spiny 

 styh which have a length of 0-09-0-012 millim. The spines are recurved, 

 and confined to the lower two thirds of the spicules. The spined styh are at 

 the base 0-01 milHm. thick. 



■ Geogeaphical DiSTBiBUTiON.-East coast of Australia: Port Stephens, 

 N. S. W. (Ramsarj). New Zealand : Nelson Bay (Canterbury Museum, Ohrut- 

 church, N. Z., coll.). 



