THE SPONGES. 43 



ASCONEMATIDAE F. E. Schulze. 



Caulophacus E. E. Schulze. 



1887. Caulophacus F. E. Schulze, 1887, p. 124. 



1897. Caulophacus " 1897, p. 6. 



1903. Caulophacus Y. E. Sch., Ijima, 1903, pp. 85, 112. 



Caulophacus schulzei, sp. nov. 



Plate 4, Figs. 1, 3, 5-10; Plate 5, Figs. 1-6, 8-10. 



Diagnosis. Body of the usual character, and gray-brown in color. Dermal and gastral 

 pinules are hexacts, which differ only in that the dermalia are slightly shorter and stouter 

 than the gastralia. The usual spinose discohexacts and discohexasters are present. In 

 the smooth discohexaster the terminals are commonly 5-10 iu number, arranged in a 

 whorl, and considerably longer than the principals. 



Station S382, 10 specimens; Station 3399, 4 specimens. 



The body (Fig. 3, Plate 4) varies from a disc shape to a distinctly 

 calyculate shape, and has a diameter varying from 22 mm. to 50 mm., 

 with a thickness, taken midway between the attachment of the stalk and 

 the edge, of 3 to 6 mm. The thickness diminishes toward the edge, 

 which is sharp. The dermal surface of the body — that to which the stalk 

 is attached — is in several specimens distinctly convex, in other specimens 

 flat or slightly concave. The opposite, or gastral surface, is in general 

 slightly concave, but in some of the specimens it is slightly convex. In 

 all cases the stalks are broken off near the body. There can be no doubt, 

 however, that five of the six stalks that were in the same jars with the 

 sponge bodies, belong to them. This is demonstrated by the agreement 

 in spiculation, and in diameter and appearance, between the upper end 

 of the detached stalk and the lower end of the fragment that is united 

 with the body. 



The stalk is more or less curved, slender, the diameter in the middle 

 region ranging from 2 to 3 mm. ; about cylindrical, but enlarging above 

 and below. Below, the stalk makes an angle with its narrow, elongated 

 base, the precise shape of which varies, although the surface of attachment 

 is in all cases flattened. In the natural condition the base is evidently 

 attached to the root spicules of Hf/alonema, round which it grows. Frag- 

 ments of some of the Hyalomma spicules remain, perforating the base in 

 the direction of its long axis, also the parallel impressions left by others 

 of these spicules on the attaching surface of the base. 



