There is little to be said as regards the distribution of the sponges,
hydroids, and polyzoa of fresh water in other parts of India. It may be
noted, however, that the species known from the Punjab are all widely
distributed Palæarctic forms, and that the genus _Stolella_ is
apparently confined to the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Two species of sponge
are peculiar to Lower Burma, one of them (_Corvospongilla burmanica_)
representing the geographical alliance already discussed as regards the
Malabar Zone, the other (_Tubella vesparioides_) closely related to a
Malaysian species (_T. vesparium_ from Borneo) and perhaps representing
the northern limit of the Malaysian element well known in the fauna of
Lower Burma. Of the sponges and polyzoa of Ceylon we know as yet too
little to make it profitable to discuss their affinities. All that have
as yet been discovered occur also in Peninsular India; nor do they
afford any evidence of a connection with the Malabar Zone.
The question of the geographical range of the sponges, hydroids, and
polyzoa of brackish water may be considered briefly, for it is of
importance in considering that of those which are confined to fresh
water. Some of these species from brackish water (e. g., _Membranipora
lacroixii_) are identical with others (e. g., _Victorella bengalensis_
and _Bowerbankia caudata_ subsp. _bengalensis_) closely related to
European forms. Others again (e. g., _Loxosomatoides colonialis_ and
_Sagartia schilleriana_) are known as yet from the Ganges delta only. In
our ignorance of the Indian representatives of the groups to which they
belong, it is impossible to assert that their distribution is actually
so restricted as it seems.
SOME SPECIAL LOCALITIES.
In order to avoid constant repetition as regards the conditions that
prevail at the places most frequently mentioned in this volume, a few
details as regards them may be conveniently stated here.
_Lower Bengal._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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