Subfamily Staurostylida, Haeckel, Prodromus, 1881, pp. 449, 450

Definition.—Staurosphærida with one single spherical lattice-shell.

Genus 60. Staurosphæra, Haeckel, 1881, Prodromus, p. 450.

Definition.—Staurosphærida with a single lattice-sphere and four crossed equal spines.

The genus Staurosphæra may be regarded as the common ancestral form of this subfamily, since it represents their most simple and primitive form. From the surface of the simple lattice-sphere, enclosing the central capsule, arise four equal, simple, radial spines, opposite in pairs in two diameters, perpendicular one to another. Staurosphæra may be derived phylogenetically either from Cenosphæra by production of the four spines, or from Hexastylus by reduction of two opposite spines.

Subgenus 1. Staurosphærantha, Haeckel.

Definition.—Pores regular, all of nearly equal size and similar form; surface smooth.

1. Staurosphæra cruciata, n. sp.

Shell thin walled, smooth, with regular, hexagonal pores, four times as broad as the bars; ten to twelve on the quadrant. Four crossed radial spines three-sided pyramidal, as long as the diameter of the shell, as broad at the base as one pore (very similar to Hexastylus phænaxonius, Pl. , fig. 3, but with only four spines).

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.12, of the pores 0.008, bars 0.002.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 271, depth 2425 fathoms.

2. Staurosphæra christiana, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular, hexagonally framed pores, three times as broad as the bars; six to eight on the quadrant. Four crossed spines six-sided pyramidal, as long as the radius, as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.13, pores 0.012, bars 0.004.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 268, depth 2900 fathoms.

3. Staurosphæra johannis, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular pores, four times as broad as the bars; five to six on the quadrant. Four spines six-sided pyramidal, half as long as the radius, as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.15, pores 0.02, bars 0.005.

Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 241, depth 2300 fathoms.

4. Staurosphæra pauli, n. sp.

Shell very thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular, double-edged pores, four times as broad as the bars; eight to ten on the quadrant. Four spines conical, as long as the radius, as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.15, pores 0.016, bars 0.004.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 265, depth 2900 fathoms.

5. Staurosphæra petri, n. sp.

Shell thin walled, smooth, with regular, circular pores, three times as broad as the bars; twenty to twenty-two on the quadrant. Four spines conical, half as long as the radius, as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.22, pores 0.006, bars 0.002.

Habitat.—South Atlantic, Station 325, depth 2650 fathoms; also fossil in Barbados.

6. Staurosphæra jacobi, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular pores, twice as broad as the bars; eleven to twelve on the quadrant. Four spines cylindrical, three times as long as the radius, three times as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.1, pores 0.006, bars 0.003.

Habitat.—North Atlantic, Station 353, depth 2965 fathoms.

7. Staurosphæra simonis, n. sp.

Haliomma with four spines, Bury, 1862, Polycystins of Barbados, pl. iv. fig. 4.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular pores, of the same breadth as the bars; eight to ten on the quadrant. Four spines cylindrical, twice as long as the radius, five times as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the sphere 0.1, pores and bars 0.003.

Habitat.—Fossil in Barbados.

Subgenus 2. Staurosphærella, Haeckel.

Definition.—Pores regular, all of nearly equal size and similar form; surface covered with by-spines or accessory thorns.

8. Staurosphæra philippi, n. sp. (Pl. , fig. 6).

Shell thin walled, covered with bristle-shaped by-spines, as long as the radius. Pores regular, circular, twice as broad as the bars; six to eight on the quadrant. Four main spines cylindrical, five to ten times as long as the radius, as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.08, pores 0.006, bars 0.003.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 272, surface.

9. Staurosphæra andreæ, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, with regular, circular, hexagonally framed pores, three times as broad as the bars; nine to ten on the quadrant. From each hexagon-corner arises a bristle-shaped by-spine, half as long as the radius. Four main spines three-sided pyramidal, with spirally contorted edges, as long as the radius (very similar to Hexastylus solonis, Pl. , fig. 11, but with only four spines).

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.16, pores 0.01, bars 0.003.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 265, depth 2900 fathoms.

10. Staurosphæra thomæ.

Shell thick walled, with regular, circular pores, twice as broad as the bars; twelve to fourteen on the quadrant; surface covered with short conical by-spines. Four main spines conical, twice as long as the radius, twice as broad as one mesh.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the sphere 0.2, pores 0.012, bars 0.006.

Habitat.—South Atlantic, Station 332, depth, 2200 fathoms.

Subgenus 3. Staurosphærissa, Haeckel.

Definition.—Pores irregular, of different size or form; surface smooth.

11. Staurosphæra judæ, n. sp.

Shell thin walled, smooth, with irregular, polygonal pores, twice to four times as broad as the bars; six to ten on the quadrant. Four main spines three-sided pyramidal, as long as the radius.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the sphere 0.15, pores 0.006 to 0.012, bars 0.003.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 273, depth, 2350 fathoms.

12. Staurosphæra crassa, Dunikowski.

Staurosphæra crassa, 1882, Denkschr. d. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Wien, Bd. xlv. p. 27, Taf. v. figs. 52-55.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with irregular, roundish pores, scarcely broader than the bars; eight to ten on the quadrant. Four spines three-sided pyramidal, nearly as long as the shell diameter.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the sphere 0.19, pores and bars 0.015.

Habitat.—Fossil in the Alpine Lias (Schafberg near Salzburg, Dunikowski).

13. Staurosphæra apostolorum, Haeckel.

? Cenosphæra megapora, Ehrenberg, 1875, Abhandl. d. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 66, Taf. iii. fig. 1.

? Cenosphæra micropora, Ehrenberg, 1875, Abhandl. d. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Berlin, p. 66, Taf. iii. fig. 2.

Shell thin walled, smooth, with large, irregular, roundish pores, twice to six times as broad as the bars; four to six on the quadrant. Four spines conical, very stout, about as long as the shell diameter, often more or less irregularly disposed.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the sphere 0.12 to 0.2, pores 0.01 to 0.03, bars 0.005.

Habitat.—Fossil in Barbados.

Subgenus 4. Staurosphæromma, Haeckel.

Definition.—Pores irregular, of different size or form; surface covered with by-spines or accessory thorns.

14. Staurosphæra bartholomæi, n. sp.

Shell thin walled, with irregular, polygonal pores, three times as broad as the bars; six to eight on the quadrant; surface covered with short bristle-shaped by-spines. Four main spines three-sided pyramidal, twice as long as the radius.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.14, pores 0.008 to 0.016, bars 0.003 to 0.005.

Habitat.—South Pacific, Station 285, depth 2375 fathoms.

15. Staurosphæra thaddæi, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, with irregular, roundish, polygonally framed pores, twice to three times as broad as the bars; five to seven on the quadrant; surface covered with bristle-shaped spines, half as long as the radius. Four main spines pyramidal, as long as the radius.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.12, pores 006 to 0.012, bars 0.004.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 266, depth 2750 fathoms; also fossil in Barbados.

16. Staurosphæra matthæi, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, with irregular, roundish pores, twice to five times as broad as the bars; ten to twelve on the quadrant; surface covered with short conical thorns or by-spines. Four main spines conical, as long as the radius.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.15, pores 0.004 to 0.01, bars 0.002.

Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 253, depth 3125 fathoms.

Genus 61. Staurostylus, Haeckel, 1881, Prodromus, p. 450.

Definition.—Staurosphærida with one single lattice-sphere and four crossed spines which are arranged in opposite pairs, one pair opposite being larger than the other.

The genus Staurostylus has been developed from Staurosphæra by differentiation of the four crossed spines in pairs; two opposite spines growing much more strongly than the other two.

1. Staurostylus græcus, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular, hexagonally framed pores, twice as broad as the bars; six to eight on the quadrant. Spines three-sided prismatic, pointed, as broad as one mesh; two opposite larger spines as long as the diameter of the shell, two smaller only as long as the radius.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.15, pores 0.01, bars 0.005; length of the major spines 0.16, minor 0.08.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 274, depth 2750 fathoms.

2. Staurostylus latinus, n. sp.

Shell thin walled, smooth, with regular, circular, double-edged pores, three times as broad as the bars; twelve to fourteen on the quadrant. Spines conical, twice as broad at the base as one mesh; two opposite larger spines as long as the radius of the shell, two smaller only one-third as long.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.24, pores 0.012, bars 0.004; length of the major spines 0.12, minor 0.04.

Habitat.—South Pacific, Station 295, depth 1500 fathoms.

3. Staurostylus germanicus, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, covered with bristle-shaped by-spines, half as long as the radius. Pores regular, circular, hexagonally framed, twice as broad as the bars; eight to ten on the quadrant. From each hexagon-corner arises one short by-spine. Four main spines three-sided pyramidal, as broad at the base as one mesh; two opposite larger spines one and a half times as long as the radius, two smaller two-thirds as long.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.16, pores 0.008, bars 0.004; length of the major spines 0.12, minor 0.08.

Habitat.—North Pacific, Station 244, depth 2900 fathoms.

Genus 62. Stylostaurus, 1881, Prodromus, p. 450.

Definition.—Staurosphærida with one single lattice-sphere and four crossed spines, one of which is much larger than the other three.

The genus Stylostaurus differs from the preceding in the extraordinary development of one of the four spines, which is much longer than the other three; these may be equal or different.

1. Stylostaurus caudatus, n. sp. (Pl. , fig. 7).

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular, hexagonally framed pores, twice as broad as the bars; five to six on the quadrant. Spines three-sided pyramidal, as broad at the base as one mesh; one of the spines longer than the shell diameter, the opposite spine nearly as long as the shell radius; both lateral spines scarcely one-third as long.

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.1, pores 0.01, bars 0.005; length of the major spine 0.14, of the opposite 0.04, of both lateral spines 0.012.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 266, depth 2750 fathoms.

2. Stylostaurus gladiatus, n. sp.

Shell thick walled, smooth, with regular, circular pores, three times as broad as the bars; nine to ten on the quadrant. Spines three-sided prismatic, as broad at the base as one mesh; one of the spines longer than the shell diameter, and much larger than the other three, which are nearly equal (half as long as the radius).

Dimensions.—Diameter of the shell 0.2, pores 0.015, bars 0.005; length of the major spine 0.25, of the three others 0.005.

Habitat.—Central Pacific, Station 271, depth 2425 fathoms.