508 " THETIS " SCIENTIFIC RESULTS. 



PHAKELLIA MULTIFORMIS, sp. nov. 



(Plate xlvi., fig. 41.) 



Station 44, 46, 47, 48, 50. 



Sponge varying from spatulate to flabellate or half to complete 

 cup-shape ; in the latter form the cup is always higher than 

 broad. The figured example is 20U mm. high, 120 mm. in 

 diameter and from 3 to 5 mm. in thickness. All the specimens 

 (about 20) have a more or less distinct peduncle, which is usually 

 about 10 mm. or more in diameter, and from 10 to 4U mm. in 

 length. 



The surface is harsh to the touch, and abundantly supplied 

 with small pores about 0-3 mm. in diameter and from 0*2 to 0"4 

 apart. Both inner and outer surfaces ax-e alike and destitute of 

 oscula. The marginal area is thin, and presents a series of 

 minute ridges ; these are 0-3 in diameter, about 25 apart, and 

 extending on each surface for a distance of 3 or 4 mm. 



Texture hard, tough, and somewhat elastic ; colour yellowish- 

 white. 



Skeleton composed of a series of stoutish bundles of spicules 

 from 3 to 4 mm. in diameter ; they exhibit little or no spongin. 

 The primary fibres are rather indefinite, but the secondaries are 

 well defined. They are about 0-1 or 0'15 mm. in diameter 

 and 2 to 0"25 mm. apart. They are given off mostly at right 

 angles and terminate at the surface in tufts of radiating spicules. 



Megascleres : — (1) Curved or slightly bent styli ; size 0"2 to 

 25 by 0*02 mm. (2) Curved oxea, tapering at the ends to not 

 very acute points; size 0*15 to 0-25 by 0-018 to 0-02 mm. This 

 species is allied to PhakeUia villosa, Carter, and Fhakellia crassa, 

 Carter, but it differs from both in its spicular characters. 



AXINELLA, Schmidt. 



AXINELLA SYMBIOTICA, sp. nov. 



(Plate xlvi., fig. 33.) 



Stations 34, 53. 



Sponge more or less flabellate, with a series of irregular ter- 

 minal branches, some of which are coalescent at a short distance 

 from their origin. The example figured measures 180 mm. in 

 height and about the same in breadth. The branches' vary from 

 5 to 20 mm. in width and are usually 5 mm. in thickness. The 

 surface is generally beautifully reticulate, having here and there 

 a few smooth patches, due to a grey incrustation. The rest of 



