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THE TANGANYIKA PROBLEM. 
Spongilla /orica/a and most of the Lubomirskia, while in 
Spongilla tanganyikce they are straight. However, there is 
among the Lubomirskinae a variety o i Lubomirskincc inter- 
media, described by Dybowski as var. a, in which the 
spicules are spiny and almost straight. The spines are 
evenly distributed, and in many cases the ends of the 
spicules present the amphistrongylote character. Another 
feature of Lubomirskia intermedia agreeing with Spongilla 
tanganyikce is that the microscleres are smooth and almost 
equal to the megascleres in length. In Lubomirskia bracili- 
fera and Lubomirska papyracea the spicules are Amphi- 
strongylote, though in the former the spines are arrayed at 
the ends of the spicules, in contrast with those of Spongilla 
tanganyikce , but to a certain extent agreeing with those of 
Spongilla bohmii , while in the latter the spines are evenly 
distributed over the shaft of the spicule, in contrast with 
those of Spongilla bohmii , but similar to those of Spongilla 
tanganyikce. 
From these points of comparison it seems that Spongilla 
tanganyikce , as well as Spongilla bohmii, must be closely 
related to the Lubomirskinae. Had it not been for the 
presence of the gemmule in the small piece of Spongilla 
tanganyikce, I should certainly have placed it among the 
Lubomirskinae. On the other hand, were the gemmules to 
be found in any species of the Lubomirskinae, the Tanganyika 
form would have to be removed from that sub-family as at 
present defined. Consequently, I venture to suggest that 
the sub-family Lubomirskinae should be abolished and the 
species contained in it placed under the Spongillinae, which 
then could be arranged into a number of genera according 
to the character of their megascleres. 
