306 
M. K. A. Zittel on Fossil Monactinellidce. 
cliya is distinguished from Opetionella solely by the presence 
of the smaller bacillar spicules in the outer layer, and by the 
arrangement of the larger spicules around several nuclei. 
I regard as the typical species of the genus Opetionella , 
0. radians , Zitt., from the Cuvieri- Planer of the Wind- 
miihlenberg, near Salzgitter. A great number of fragments 
of a second, smaller, lamellar, and quite irregularly shaped 
species ( O.jurassica , Zitt.), in which the spicules are always 
converted into brown ironstone, have been sent to me by 
Inspector Klemm from the /wp-ma-limestones of Geislingen 
in Wiirttemberg. 
The same state of preservation is also exhibited by some 
funnel-shaped bodies, entirely composed of bacillar spicules 
pointed at both ends, from the same locality, which, in ex¬ 
ternal appearance, possess a certain resemblance to Sporado- 
pyle obliqua. I refer these provisionally to Opetionella , and 
name them 0. Klein mi, in honour of their discoverer. 
SCOLIOKII APHIS, Zitt. 
Sponge massive, nodular, or crust-like, very irregular, some¬ 
times full of holes, and composed of majandrieally contorted 
lamirne ; surface undulated, or with wart-like elevations sepa¬ 
rated by curved and anastomosing depressions. 
The whole mass of the sponge-body consists of undulated, 
simple, cylindrical spicules, obtuse at the ends, and rendered 
rugged throughout their whole length by collar-like swellings. 
With these are mixed a small quantity of simple bacillar 
spicules, pointed at one end, somewhat thickened at the other. 
In both forms of spicules the axial canal may be very well 
observed; it is rather wide, traverses the wdiole spicule, and 
opens freely at its ends. No oscula or water-canals are pre¬ 
served in the fossil skeletons. 
Of this remarkable genus I know two species from the 
Upper Cretaceous of North Germany. Among the living 
Suberitidse there exists no form with vermiform and rugged 
spicules. I have found very similar spicules in an unde¬ 
scribed living form of Lithistid belonging to the genus Coral- 
listes ; and Bowerbank (Monogr. Brit. Sponges, i. pi. i. fig. 14) 
figures a “ nodulated-cylindrico-vermiculate ” spicule from 
the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of 2070 fathoms, which differs 
from those of our fossil genus only by its slenderer form. 
The sponge from which this spicule of Bowerbank’s was 
derived seems not to have been yet discovered. O. Schmidt 
also has found similar spicules in an Ancorinid genus (Cra- 
niella tethyoides , Schmidt, Atlant. Spong. p. 66, pi. vi. 
fig. 9). 
