212 DE. HINDE AND ME. HOLMES OK SPONGE-EEMAIJS'S 



CJiondrocladia (e). — PI. X, fig. 37. Equianch orate (?) with 

 curved shaft, slightly expanded at either end, and constricted in 

 the middle ; at each end four stout incurved teeth are shown, with 

 a central falx or tubercle. Two of the teeth at each end are ap- 

 parently in advance of the others, they are connected together 

 by a siliceous membrane. Traces of other teeth can be seen by 

 focussing, but whether the full number at either end is 5 or 7 is 

 uncertain. Length of spicule "08 mm., of teeth '023 mm., width 

 across teeth -026 mm., thickness of shaft -Oil mm. The front 

 aspect of this spicule corresponds closely with that of the equi- 

 anchorate in CJiondrocladia virgata, Wyv. Thorns., as figured by 

 Mr. Carter (Ann. & Mag. N. H. s. 4, vol. siv. 1874, p. 217, pi. xiv. 

 fig. 21 h). Viewed on end the recent spicule has 7 teeth or claws 

 at each elid, but in front only four of these are visible. The fossil 

 spicule is larger and the shaft less expanded than in the type 

 forms of the recent species. 



Sipocillate Flesh- Spicule oflophon, Gray. 



loplion liyhridus, n. sp. — PI. X. fig. 44. Spicule with a short, 

 apparently straight shaft having three subpalmate teeth at one end 

 and a shallow cup-like base at the other. The lateral teeth of the 

 upper end are evenly curved, with slightly revert margins, blunted 

 ioferiorly. The anterior tooth projects apparently directly out- 

 wards, the tubercle at its base is sliglitly elevated above the curve 

 of the lateral teeth. The margins of the cup-like end of the 

 spicule are thickened or inverted and elevated at the sides, so as^ 

 nearly to meet the lateral teeth of the upper end. The shaft has 

 an axial canal which is slightly inflated at the upper end. Length 

 of spicule -023 mm., width across teeth -02 mm., thickness of 

 shaft "004 mm. This spicule is evidently of the same character 

 as the bipocilli spicules of loplion, Grray, as figured by Bower- 

 bank (Mon. Brit. Spong. vol. i. p. 248, pi. v. figs. 123-127) and 

 by Eidley and Dendy (Chall. Eep. vol. xx. pi. xvii, figs. 3, 9)^ 

 but it shows a nearer relation to the normal anchorate spicule 

 than the bipocilli of recent sponges of this genus. Eidley and 

 Dendy consider the bipocilli as much modified inequianch orate 

 spicules. Eecent spicules of this type are much smaller than the 

 present fossil, which clearly belongs to a new species and may be 

 designated loplion hyhridus. 



The skeletal spicules of loplion are acuates and tibiellas, not 



