SPONGES — WHITELEGGB. 479 



DESMACIDON FRUTICOSA, Montagu, sp. 



(Plate xliv., fig. U.) 



Stations 44, 48, 53. 



Spongia fruticosa, Montagu, Mem. Wern. Soc. Edinb., ii., 1818, 

 p. 112, pi. xiv., figs. 3, 4. 



Halichondria fruticosa, Johnson, British Sponges, 1842, p. 103. 

 Desmacidion fruticosa, Bowerbank, Mon. British Spongidse, i., 

 1864, p. 200. 



Desmacidon fruticosa, Ridley and Dendy, Chall. Rep., Zool., xx., 

 1887, p. 104, pi. xxiii., figs. 10, 10a, 106, 10c, lOc^, pi. xxx., 

 fig. 1. 



The figured specimen measures over 200 mm. in height and is 

 about 140 mm. in diameter. The branches are very numerous, 

 and every branch on the frontal aspect presents a deep, well 

 marked groove extending from base to summit. The grooves are 

 from 5 to 10 mm. in width and about the same in depth ; 

 their inner surfaces are pretty fairly sprinkled with pores, 

 generally about 2 or 3 mm. in diameter, but often larger. Ridley 

 and Dendy* appear to be doubtful as to the nature of the grooves 

 and wonder whether " these grooves are natural or whether they 

 have been caused by the sponge growing up against some cylin- 

 drical branching organisms." 



Judging from the specimen, the grooves in life were covered 

 by a perforated membrane, as in many other deeply grooved 

 sponges. 



DESMACIDON CONULISSIMA, sp. nov. 



(Plate xliv., fig. 16.) 



Station 53. 



Sponge usually consisting of a more or less fused mass of 

 angular branches ; each branch exhibits numerous elongate, 

 shallow depressions. The latter are bounded by acute ridges, 

 which are longitudinally disposed and terminate in one or more 

 slender conuli from 5 to 10 mm. in height ; occasionally the 

 conuli are much divided at the apices. The specimen figured is 

 a waterworn example, and exhibits fewer conuli than many 

 other examples obtained at Coogee, Maroubra and Long Bay. 



Ridley and Dendy — Chall. Rep., Zool., xx., 1887, p. 



104. 



