X. AXXANDALE. D. Si/. KKESHWATER SroXGK FROM NEW CriXEA. 



FRESmYATER SPONGE FROM NEW GUINEA 



N. ANNANDALE, D. Se. 



rintendent, Indian Muséum, Calct 



Ephydatia ramsayi (Haswell). 



Spongii/a ramsayi, Haswell, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. VII, p. 210 (1883); Meyenia fluviatilis 

 var. ramsayi. v. Lendenfeld, Zool. Jahrbûcher II, p. 92, pi. VI, figs. 6 — 10 (1887); Ephydatia 

 ramsayi, Weltner, Archiv. f. Naturgesch. 1895 (1), pp. 127, 135; id. in Semon's Zool. 

 Forschungsreisen in Australien, vol. V, p. 5 (1900). 



Prof. Max Weber has been kind enough to send me for examination spécimens of an 

 Ephydatia I hâve no doubt specifically identical with the form described by von LEXDENFELD ') 

 as Meyenia fluviatilis var. ramsayi in 1887 and since regarded as a separate species by 

 WELTNER. Thèse sponges coat some Paludina ( Vivipard) shells taken, with the living animal 

 in them, in a small stream at Sekanto near Humboldt Bay by the Dutch New Guinea 

 Expédition on May 30*1 1903. 



As the spécimens differ in one or two minor points from the ones examined by von 

 LEXDEXFELD and WELTNER, it may be as well to describe them in some little détail. 



The sponge forms a thin layer on the shells and is of a brownish colour in spirit. 

 The surface is not in good condition but appears to hâve been smooth. The skeleton is 

 feebly cohérent and apparently contains no spongin. The primary and secondary skeleton 

 fibres are barely distinguishable. 



The skeleton spicules measure on an average 0.243 mm. by 0.0126 mm. They are 

 sharply pointed at both ends, straight or feebly curved and nearly smooth. Under a low 

 power of the microscope, indeed, they appear quite smooth, but when examined with a 

 high power they are seen to hâve a minute irregularity of outline, the projections on which 

 as a rule are hardly sufficiently definite to be called spines. Some of them are angularly 

 bent near one end and a few hâve a latéral branch joining the spicule at right angles: both 

 thèse forms must, however, be regarded as abnormalities and neither is common. Some few 

 spicules show traces of an atténuation of the middle part; but this feature is not so well 



1} Haswell'» original description is not définitive, but the type spécimens were re-examined by von Lendenfeld, 

 who figured the spicules. 



