Dimensions.—Diameter of the spongy shell 0.75, of its central cavity 0.15, of the central cube 0.02; length of the spines 0.9 to 1.2, breadth 0.02.
Habitat.—Tropical Pacific, Station 225, surface.
Genus 120. Spongosphæra,[1] Ehrenberg, 1847, Monatsber. d. k. preuss. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 54.
Definition.—Astrosphærida with two concentric latticed medullary shells, connected by radial beams; the outer is immediately enveloped by the spongy framework, and bears numerous radial spines.
The genus Spongosphæra (in the definition here restricted) differs from Spongopila in the double medullary shell, which in the latter is simple; it exhibits to the latter the same relation that Spongodictyon among the Liosphærida bears to Spongoplegma. The outer medullary shell of Spongosphæra is immediately enveloped by the spongy wicker-work, which everywhere pierces the wall of the central capsule.
1. Spongosphæra streptacantha, Haeckel.
Spongy shell of polyhedric, irregular outline, the framework being prolonged sheath-like into the eight to twelve radial spines, which are quite irregularly distributed, very large, three-sided prismatic, with three serrated, spirally contorted edges; their length is twice to four times as great as the diameter of the spongy body; they arise with thinner bases from the outer medullary shell, which is three times as broad as the inner, both having roundish pores, twice to four times as broad as the bars; surface without radial by-spines.
Dimensions.—Diameter of the spongy shell 0.2 to 0.6, outer medullary shell 0.04 to 0.06, inner 0.012 to 0.016.
Habitat.—Cosmopolitan; common in all warmer seas, surface.
2. Spongosphæra polyacantha, J. Müller.
Spongy shell spherical, with ten to twenty large radial spines, which arise with thinner bases from the medullary shell, and are prominent on the surface at different lengths; they are three-sided prismatic (not four-sided), with three leaf-shaped straight edges. Whilst the spongy framework is much looser than in the preceding species, both medullary shells have nearly the same shape.
Dimensions.—Diameter of the spongy shell 0.2 to 0.5, outer medullary shell 0.04 to 0.06, inner 0.012 to 0.016.
Habitat.—Mediterranean (Nice); Atlantic, Station 353, surface.
- ↑ Spongosphæra = Spongy sphere; σπόγγος, σφαῖρα.
