294 



"ENDEAVOUR" SCIENTIFIC EESULTS. 



are either tornotely pointed (tornostyles) or strongylotely 

 rounded off (amphistrongyles) ; and, in this connection, it is 

 rather remarkable that whereas in four of the specimens these 

 spicules are almost exclusively amphistrong^yles, in the fifth 

 they are almost exclusively tornostyles. The name "tyiota" 

 used by VVhitelegge in reference to the auxiliary spicules is 

 quite inapplicable, since in no instance do they show any indi- 

 cation of a terminal enlargement, except occasionally at the 

 basal extremity ; the distal extremity of the tornostyles is 

 N'ariously modified in the same way as in E. reticulata 

 (Fig. 66). 



All the specimens are attached, as Whitelegge mentions, to 

 the branches of gorgonaceans, hydrocorallines, or bryozoans, 

 and also grow over and around these branches so as to en- 

 close them. The sponge is without definite shape, but always 

 assumes a more or less rounded contour. The largest speci- 

 men, which happens to be of compressed form, measures 

 no mm. in height, 75 mm. in breadth, and 25 mm. in thick- 

 ness. 



hoc- — Coast of New South Wales, off W'ollongong, 55-56 

 fms. ("Thetis"). 



ECHINOCHALINA INTERMEDIA, ]Vhitelegge. 



(Fig. 69). 



1901. Thalassodendron viniinaJis (err., non Lendenfeld, 1888), 



Whitelegge, Rec. Austr. Mus., iv., 2, 1901, p. 87. 



1902. Echinoclaihria intermedia, Whitelegge, Op. cit., iv., 5, 



1902, p. 214. 



Sponge sessile, uf clathrate structure and erect massive 

 form; composed of reticidating, erect and transverse, 

 flattened traheculce of various size, 5 to jo mm. long, 4 

 to 2.0 mm. wide, and 2 to 4 mm. thick. Skeleton an 

 irregular reticidation of fibres which are comparatively 

 poor in spongin and a>e mostly provided ivith a stout, 

 often fairly dense, multispicular axial strand of [auxiliary) 

 cylindrical tornostyles and (scarce) amphistrongyles ; the 

 connecting fibres sometimes contain few or no spicules. 

 The fibres are echinated, at all angles of inclination, by 

 comparatively few conical smooth (principal) styli. Aux- 

 iliary spicules are scattered inter stitially in moderate 

 abundance, together with a few principal spicules. Mega- 

 scleres, sizes of: — (/.) Principal, 80 to 150 \i in length, 

 9 // /n maximum diameter; (ii.) auxiliary, 140 to 185 }i in 

 length, 4 n in maximum diameter. Microscleres absent. 



