OCR Text |
Show 1881.] THE SURVEY OF H.M.S. 'ALERT.' 131 in space by the natural barriers (wide and deep seas) which serve to break up such groups as the marine Mollusca and Crustacea into a very great number of comparatively distinct faunae. In this collection, all the species but one have been assigned to genera already known from the North Atlantic, and three of the four already described species which occur in it were previously known as West-Indian forms, while the species most nearly related to the new species are chiefly Atlantic. When the Pacific sponges are as well known as those of the Atlantic, we may expect, looking at the geographical relations between this district and the Pacific, to find a considerable though probably much slighter resemblance between them and the Magellan forms. No detailed descriptions have been hitherto published of any New-Zealand sponges; so that such descriptions will be received with much attention when they appear, considering the intimate relations which the Vertebrate and Invertebrate faunae of that district bear to that of the one at present under consideration, as far as they have been investigated. But indications are not wanting of a close connexion between the sponges of the two localities. The results arrived at by comparison of the species found here with allied forms from other parts of the world may be conveniently arranged thus:- 1 Species already known. Present locality. Hircinia hispida, Lamk. 1Cladochalina armigera. Sdt., var. pergamen-tacea. Reniera fortior, Sdt.? Schmidtia aulopora, Sdt., var. S.W. Chili. Off E. Brazil. St. of Magellan. S.W. Chili. Originally described as Spongia hispida, Lamk. C. armigera, Sdt. R. fortior, Sdt. S. aulopora, Sdt. Original locality. "Southern Seas." Florida and Antilles. Antilles. W . Indies and Florida. New species. Aplysina? regidaris. , 1 Chalina coppingeri. Siphonochalina fortis. Phakellia cgregia. Ciocalypta calva. Esperia magellanica. Alebion proximum. Hymedesmia polita. Trachytedania spinata. Tedania tenuicapitata. 1 Vioa carteri. Species undetermined. AnwrphincB sp. Locality. St. of Magellan. Off E. Brazil. S.W. Chili. St. of Magellan. St. of Magellan. St, of Magellan. St. of Magellan. St. of Magellan. S.W. Chili. S.W. Chili. Off S.E. Brazil. St. of Magellan. Nearest described allies. Not determined. C. gradient a, Bowk. S. bullata, Sdt. Axinella cinnamomea, Sdt. C. leei, Bowk. E. nodosa, Sdt. Halichondria patter-soni, Bowk. Microciona tuberosa, Bowk. Atlantic Tedanice. T. suctoria, Sdt. Cliona subulate/, Sollas. ? Locality. Britain. West Indies. Mediterranean. Britain. Adriatic. Britain. Straits of Malacca Atlantic. Iceland. Hab.? 1 These species cannot be reckoned as belonging to the Magellanic fauna. 9* |