The Bryozoa of the Tortugas Islands, Florida. 207 



Schizoporella biaperta (Michelin). 



MiCHELiN, 1841-2, P- 330 (Mam biaperta). —Smvr, 1873, p. 46 {Hippothoa biaperta) 

 and p. 47 {Htppothoa divergens n. sp.).— Verrill, 18756, p. 41 {Hippothoa 

 biaperta); 1878, p. 305, 18796, p. 30, and 1880, p. 193 {Escharina biaperta) — 

 HiNCKS, 1880, p 258 {S. biaperta van divergens).— NomiAi^, 1909, p. -jo-t 

 (5. biaperta var. dtvergens).—LEWii^SEii, 1909, p. 323 (discusses and amends 

 genus). — OsBURN, 1912, p. 237. 



A few colonies of this species were taken at various depths from low 

 water to 22 fathoms. The appearance is characteristic and the specimens 

 compare very well with those from the Woods Hole region, but never reach 

 such a luxuriant development. 



Recorded by Smitt (under Hippothoa biaperta) from 9 to 60 fathoms, 

 and (under H. divergens new species) from 135 fathoms "forma typica/' 

 and 120 fathoms "forma laxa." 



Smitt 's "H. divergens" has been ranked by Hincks and Norman as a 

 variety of biaperta, and recorded by them from the British Isles and Madeira. 

 All specimens examined by the writer belong to the typical biaperta. 

 Schizoporella spongites (Pallas). 



Pallas, 1766, p. 45 (Eschara spongites).— Sum, 1873, p. 42 (Hippothoa spongites).— 

 VERRILL, 1900, p. 592 {Hippothoa or Schizoporella spongites).— LEVmsEiJ, 

 1909, p. 324 (full discussion of the species). 



One of the most characteristic species of the region ; abundant from low 

 water to 18 fathoms; incrusting shells, coral, rocks, and growing on the 

 surface of harder sponges; also on piles. The very large ooecia serve to 

 distinguish this species at a glance from any related forms. In life the color 

 varies from translucent white or yellow to bright brick-red. 



Recorded by Smitt from Pourtales's collections from 13 to 35 fathoms 

 and by Verrill (1. c.) from Bermuda. Levinsen (1. c.) records it from 

 St. Thom_as and St. John, West Indies, and from Malacca (with some 

 differences). 



Genus Escharina (part) Milne-Edwards, 1838. 

 Elscharina pesanseris (Smitt). 



Smitt, 1873, P- 42 {Hippothoa pes anseris). — Jelly, 1889, p. 141 {Mastigophora duter- 

 trei var. pesanseris). — Waters, 1909, p. 169 {Schizoporella pesanseris). — 

 Norman, 1909, p. 302.— Levinsen, 1909, p. 326 (discusses genus, amended, 

 and species fully). 



One small dead specimen, composed of about a dozen zooecia, was taken 

 at a depth of 8 fathoms. The vibracula characteristic of the species were 

 broken off. Ooecia present. 



Smitt described this species from "two small colonies growing on a 

 Nullipora, west of Tortugas" at 42 fathoms. It occurs also at Madeira 

 in 70 fathoms (Norman), the Island of Mauritius (Kirkpatrick), the Red 

 Sea (Waters), and Siam (Levinsen). 



