| OCR Text |
Show 506 MR. A. DENDY ON THE WEST-INDIAN CHALININ.E. [June 23, SPINOSELLA SORORIA, var. DILATATA. Differing from the typical form of the species in its more luxuriant and bushy habit, and in the much greater width of the larger tubes. Bahamas. SPINOSELLA SORORIA, var. FRUTICOSA. This variety also differs from the typical form in its bushy habit. The tubes are cylindrical aud somewhat narrow, their walls are thicker, and the venation on the inner surface is not strongly marked. SPINOSELLA SORORIA, var. ELONGATA. Differs from the typical form in having the tubes much elongated and rather narrow ; moreover they are cylindrical and of approximately the same width all the way up. The margin of the tubes is usually smooth, and the spines on the outer surface are almost entirely obsolete. The venation on the inner surface of the tubes is usually not discernible. SPINOSELLA PLICIFERA (? Lamarck, sp.), Duchassaing and Michelotti, sp. 1813. ISpongia plicifera, Lamarck, Ann. Mus. Hist. Nat. torn. xx. p. 435. 1864. Tuba plicifera, Duchassaing and Michelotti, Spong. Mer Caraibe, p. 53, pl. x. fig. 2. Bahamas. SPINOSELLA MAXIMA, sp. n. Sponge forming great irregular masses, composed of a number of tubes of various shapes and sizes, all united at the base and some united laterally at points of contact. Tubes usually wide, either funnel-shaped or constricted at the mouth, commonly the wider ones are compressed. Greatest height 45 cm., greatest breadth nearly 50 cm. Outer surface aculeated by very numerous blunt, spinous processes, of various lengths up to 1*25 cm. Margin of orifice extremely thin and papyraceous. Colour pale yellow. Texture firm and hard, but elastic. Main skeleton very irregular, consisting of a large-meshed reticulation of very stout fibres (0*12 millim. thick), and a smaller-meshed reticulation of fine fibres (0*013 millim. thick) which take their origin from the stout ones. Dermal skeleton a network of stout horny fibres, with comparatively small, rounded meshes. Spicules entirely absent in the typical examples. Nassau, Bahamas. There is also a slight variety which differs from the types in two respects-(1) the spinous processes are represented only by low warts and ridges, (2) there still exist within the fibre a very few vestigial oxea. Jamaica. |
