20 



i 



[January, 1907 



Ephydatia indica, sp. nov. (Figr. 4.) 



^nosis 



Sponge encrusting, flat, flimj, thin, matting together the 

 roots of floating plants, almost colourless even in a bright light ; 

 the surface smooth ; pores and oscula scattered, inconspicuous ; 

 external membrane delicate. Skeleton spicules subcylindrical, 

 rounded at the extremities, somewhat irrecrular in outline, often 



. > 



Fig. 4. Ephydatia indica. 



Spicules, X about 350. 



thicker at one end than at the other, smooth or sparsely spined, 

 ^^—^5 times as long as broad. (Irregularly shaped aniphloxi 



' •/ — 'i^^^V/ «^^4.^^ J.At^_/- 



coherent fasciae. Ko flesh 



occur among them occasionally.) Skeleton of Very loose arid irre- 

 gular texture, formed of feeblj ' . - •' . 



spicules. Birotulates with a long, stout shaft covered, espe- 

 cially towards the ends, with straight, slender spines, which are 

 mostly set at right angles to the main axis; rotulse somewliat 

 teebly developed consisting of circles of similar spines; one 

 rotula often shghtly larger than the other ; diameter of rotula) 

 not gi^eatly exceeding that of the shaft, which is about 10 times 

 as long as broad. Gemmules small, spherical, scattered in the 

 interior ot the Sponge, each surrounded by a thick layer of 

 rmbedd id 'fl^'^'i!' ^\7^i«^ ^ «i°gle layer of birotuktes is 

 mTnence ""^"^''"^^^^ ' *^^ «^^g^^ ^P^^ture on a conical pro- 



Average diameter of gemmule 



Remark 



>■> 



5? 



5» 



, , ^ ... 013 



length of skeleton spicule 0258 



M ,» birotulate spicule 0-065 



diameter of rotulse 



mm 



s. 



0-00875 



?9 



J? 



5> 



This Sponge is perhaps related 



Meyenia craterifi 





