| Contents Notes |
Introduction. pp. 1. Morphological features and definitions. pp. 4. Family Spongillidae. pp. 5. Literature cited. pp. 161-174. Index. pp. 175-184. Racek seems to have authored much of this work after the death of J. T. Penney and undertook a study and review of Penny's huge collection of material and unpublished data at the recommendation of B. Theodore Cole of the University of South Carolina. In view of the voluminous material available, Racek found it imperative to revise all true gemmule-producing species rather than elaborate Penny's outlined account of the Meyeninae and as a result of the study, demonstrated the fallacy of a subdivision of the family Spongillidae by using gemmosclere characteristics. This paper, is therefore the result of two independent studies. J. T. Penney was responsible for the accumulation of a worldwide collection of almost all known genera and species, prepared thousands of slides as well as an elaborate cataloging system, and had begun to outline a thorough revision of the subfamily Meyeninae as the first phase of hsi planned publication. A. A. Racek reexamined Penny's collection, as well as additional material from Australia, Europe and eastern Asia, reviewed the entire collection of freshwater sponges in the Smithsonian Institution, restored Gray's taxonomic system, established three new neotypes, one new species, and three new genera, and finally prepared the present report. |
