24 



E. ARNESEN. 



[REP. OF THE .MICHAEL SARS" NORTH 



Ciocalypta weltneri sp. n. 



PI. II, fig. 7 & pi. V, fig. 1. 



St. 37. 3 specimens in spirit, 2 dried. 



There is little doubt that the specimens preserved in 

 alcohol and those in the dried state, in spite of slight 

 divergences to be mentioned later, belong to the same 

 species. 



They have all a circular or oval cushion-like base, 

 from which fingerlike, cavernous or hollow processes stand 

 upwards, in external appearance thus resembling C. penni- 

 cillus Bwhk. (4 vol. Ill, pi. XIII, fig. 2—4) and C. tyleri 

 Bwbk. (4, pi. IV, fig. 9 — 12). The dried specimens, much 

 abraded and the fingers pressed down into the cushion, 

 are very like C. tyleri, which also is figured in the dried 

 state. Those in alcohol having retained their dermal mem- 

 brane show a more even surface, though minutely granular. 

 The dried specimens measure at the base respectively 8 

 cm. X 7 cm. and 8 cm. X 4 cm.; and they are both about 

 2 — -3 cm. in height. The spirit specimens are all 

 about 4 cm. X 4 cm. with a height of 2 — 3 cm. The 

 fingerlike processes are 2 — 5 cm. in lenght and 0.4 — 1 

 cm. in breath (in the middle). They show a tendency 

 to coaslesce; in one of the spirit specimens with 

 especially broad fingers, two of them have coalesced 

 throughout their whole length. The surface is rough to 

 the touch and the consistency rather tough, with large 

 subdermal cavities (the dried specimens are friable). 



Skeleton. The skeleton of the basal cushion con- 

 sists of a confused and dense reticulation of strong verti- 

 cally running fibres, connected with horizontally ill-defined 

 secondary fibres or isolated spicules. This structure 

 continues upwards into the fingers, where strong reticulated 



strands run up in the centre or in the walls. From these 

 strands dense tufts of spicules diverge at right or some- 

 what acute angles towards and into the dermal membrane. 

 The dermal membrane is further provided with a dense, 

 rather regular network of spicules of the same kind as 

 in the main skeleton. In the dried specimens, where 

 only patches of the membrane are left, the network has 

 not been observed, but only isolated spicules. 



Spicules: The main form of spicules both in the 

 outer and central parts are fusiform oxea, usually bent 

 and evenly pointed, but sometimes with the one end less 

 tapering than the other. Length 0.800—1.400 mm. by 

 0.037 — 0.055 mm. in thickness. Intermingled with the 

 oxea are styli or subtylostyli, about 0.700 mm. long 

 by 0.037 mm. thick, and occasionally thick strongyla, 

 measuring 0.300—0.800 mm. by 0.037—0.055. 



Remark. There can hardly be any doubt that the 

 above described sponges belong to the genus Ciocalypta 

 Bwbk., but it has not been possible to identify them with 

 any described species. As already mentioned, they have 

 a close resemblance to C. pennicillus Bwbk. and C. tyleri 

 Bwbk., but having both styli (subtylostyli) and oxea, they 

 can not be referred to either of them. This form is the 

 only one, except the British pennicillus, recorded from 

 the eastern Atlantic. The others having been recorded 

 from off the mouth of Rio de la Plata, the Philippines 

 Islands (21, p. 174— 175) and the Australian coast (33, p. 

 74—76, 7, p. 240, 4, p. 21). 



Locality. Between Gran Canada and Cape Bojador 

 (Lat. 26° 6' N, long 14° 33' W). Depth 39 m. Bottom 

 shingle. Temperature 15.63° C. 



