Dimensions.—Length of the shell 0.24, breadth 0.16; breadth of the spines 0.002.
Habitat.—Mediterranean (Messina), surface.
Family XLIII. Hexalaspida, n. fam. (Pl. [139]).
Definition.—Acantharia with a simple discoidal or lenticular lattice-shell, composed of the branched apophyses of twenty radial spines meeting in the centre and disposed according to the Müllerian law of Icosacantha. Six larger spines in the hydrotomical plane, prominent on the margin of the circular or elliptical biconvex lens. Fourteen other spines much smaller or rudimentary. Central capsule biconvex lenticular, enclosed in the fenestrated shell.
The family Hexalaspida represents a new small, but very interesting group of Acanthophracta, which differs from all others in the lentelliptical or triaxial form of the lenticular lattice-shell, the margin of which bears six larger spines placed in the hydrotomical plane (compare above, p. [719]). They may therefore be characterised shortly as "Acanthophracta lentelliptica," with three different dimensive axes and six larger marginal spines. A closer comparison with the other Acantharia leaves no doubt that the Hexalaspida must be derived from the Belonaspida by stronger development of six radial spines placed in the hydrotomical plane, namely, two equatorial and four associated polar spines; whilst the six spines of the geotomical plane (perpendicular to the former) are much smaller; the eight tropical spines are intermediate in size between the former and the latter.
The geometrical fundamental form of the Hexalaspida (of the central capsule as well as of the enclosing shell) is therefore lentelliptical, with three different dimensive axes, and they exhibit among the Acantharia a relation to the spherical Dorataspida and the ellipsoidal Belonaspida similar to that which the lentelliptical Larcoidea exhibit to the spherical Sphæroidea and the ellipsoidal Prunoidea among the Sphærellaria (compare above, p. [599]). The largest of the three dimensive axes (which are perpendicular to one another) is here the hydrotomical axis, the shortest, on the contrary, the geotomical axis; the intermediate in size being the spineless axis. The development of the whole body is strongest in the hydrotomical meridian plane, in which the six principal spines are placed; it is weakest in the geotomical plane, in which the six smallest spines are placed; the eight tropical spines are intermediate in size between the others. This peculiar development is illustrated by the figures of Pl. [139], where the four equatorial spines are everywhere marked by c, the eight tropical spines by b and d, the eight polar spines by a and e.
Rarely the six hydrotomical or principal spines are of equal size, and thus the margin of the shell may be quite circular or regularly hexagonal (Pl. [139], figs. 1-3); the two equatorial spines of the hydrotomical plane are usually larger than its four polar spines, and thus the margin of the shell becomes more or less elliptical (Pl. [139], figs. 4-7). Usually (almost constantly) these six larger spines are more or less compressed, triangular, often very broad and flat; their two edges lie in the hydrotomical plane. Their two flat surfaces are often furrowed, with longitudinal ribs or crests converging towards the simple apex of the spines.
The fourteen smaller spines are regularly disposed according to the Müllerian law of Icosacantha on both convex sides of the lenticular shell; they are not only smaller than the six principal spines, but often also of different form, much thinner and shorter, sometimes needle-shaped. In the genera Hexonaspis and Hexacolpus (Pl. [139], figs. 1, 2) only their inner part (inside of the shell) is developed, whilst their outer part is quite rudimentary and not prominent on the surface. Therefore these genera appear to possess only six marginal spines externally.
The Lenticular Shell itself offers in the Hexalaspida great difficulties in the way of accurate study, as its wall is constantly very thick and dark, often quite opaque and non-transparent. However, prolonged accurate researches have convinced me that its structure is essentially the same as in the Belonaspida and especially in the genera Dictyaspis and Coleaspis. As in these latter the twenty plates of the shell bear high crests or combs on the outer surface, and by these funnel-shaped dimples are separated. The network of these crests is more or less regular (Pl. [139], figs. 1-7). Around the base of each radial spine the shell is usually elevated in the form of a conical or cylindrical sheath; the crests are prolonged into the sheaths as longitudinal ribs, parallel to the spine or convergent towards its apex. Whilst in Hexalaspis and Hexonaspis these basal sheaths are not at all or but little prominent (Pl. [139], fig. 2; Pl. [140], fig. 16), in Hexaconus and Hexacolpus they envelop the basal half (or even more) of the spines, and very often the circular or elliptical free distal edge of the sheath is elegantly denticulated or serrated (Pl. [139], figs. 1, 3-7; pl. 140, figs. 9-16).
The Pores of the shell exhibit in the Hexalaspida the same shape as in the majority of the Belonaspida. Each spine bears only two broad opposite apophyses, the fork-branches of which unite to form a polygonal shield with two pores. The number of parmal pores is constantly (?) forty, as each plate possesses only two primary aspinal pores; there are no secondary or coronal pores. The numerous (between fifty and one hundred, rarely more) smaller pores between the forty parmal pores are probably always sutural pores; however, their number and position is very difficult to determine, on account of the high protecting crests; the majority of the funnel-shaped dimples between the latter seem to be blind, not perforated. Sometimes all the dimples, except the twenty spinal ones, seem to be blind and the sutural pores appear to have disappeared completely, so that there remain only twenty aspinal pores (Pl. [139], fig. 4).