| OCR Text |
Show 1887.] MR. A. DENDY ON THE WEST-INDIAN CHALININ-E. 505 Genus SIPHONOCHALINA, Schmidt. S I P H O N O C H A L I N A SPICULOSA, sp. n. Sponge consisting of a number of long, smooth, upright cylindrical tubes, united together at the base a n also at points of contact. Height 27 cm., greatest width 21 cm. Diameter of tubes at top 3 cm. Colour (dry) light yellowish grey. Texture rather brittle. Main skeleton consisting of a network of coarse spiculo-fibre, composed of very numerous spicules with rather a small proportion of spongin. Primary and secondary fibres distinct, giving rise to more or less rectangular meshes. Diameter of primary fibres about 0*06 millim., of secondaries somewhat less ; both contain much foreign matter, grains of sand & c , imbedded amongst the spicules. The dermal skeleton (on the outer surface) is a polygonally meshed network of stout spiculo-fibre, 0*03 millim. in average diameter. Spicules slightly curved, sharp-pointed oxea; size 0*138 by 0*006 millim. Occurring in the fibres and scattered between. Turk's Island, Bahamas. SIPHONOCHALINA PROCUMBENS, Carter, sp. 1882. Patuloscula procumbens, Carter, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 5, vol. ix. p. 365. West Indies, Grenada. SIPHONOCHALINA CERATOSA, sp. n. Sponge consisting of a number of upright, cylindrical, thick-walled tubes, united together in an irregular basal mass, and also united laterally in places by the development of horizontal trabe-culse or by direct fusion. Total height 24 cm., breadth about 30 cm. Diameter of orifice of tubes averaging about 15-2 cm. Surface smooth but uneven. Colour clear, pale yellow. Texture firm but elastic. Main skeleton a regular, rectangularly and close-meshed reticulation of stout horny fibre. Primary fibres about 0053 millim. thick, secondaries but little less. Dermal skeleton (on the outer surface) a polygonally meshed reticulation of stout fibre, not distinguishable from the main. Spicules represented by mere traces of slender oxea, which appear to have been almost completely absorbed. Nassau, Bahamas. Genus SPINOSELLA, Vosmaer. 1864. Tuba, Duchassaing and Michelotti, &c. SPINOSELLA SORORIA, Duchassaing and Michelotti, sp. 1864. Tuba sororia, Duchassaing and Michelotti, Spong. Mer Caraibe, p. 46, pl. viii. fig. 1. 1870. Siphonochalina papyracea, Schmidt, Spong. Atlaut. Gebiet. p. 33. West Indies. |
