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Two sponges of the genus Hyrtios have been found to contain new sesquiterpene/quinones identified by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Four new compounds with a 4,9-friedodrim-3-ene skeleton [hyrtiophenol (2), 5-epihyrtiophenol (3), 18-hydroxy-5-epihyrtiophenol (4), and 18-hydroxyhyrtiophenol (5)] were isolated from Hyrtios sp. (Seychelles Islands) along with isospongiaquinone (1). Moreover, the new compound 21-hydroxy-19-methoxyarenarone (8), which bears the 4, 9-friedodrim-4(15)-ene skeleton, was isolated from Hyrtios tubulatus (Curaçao) along with arenarol (6) and 5-epiilimaquinone (7). Assignment of the (13)C NMR signals of four types of 4, 9-friedodrimene skeletons found in sponges is presented.

Aurantosides D-F (4-6), new polyene tetramic acids comprising an N-trisaccharide unit, have been isolated from the marine sponge Siliquariaspongia japonica. Their structures were determined by spectral and chemical methods. A reinvestigation of NMR data of the previously isolated aurantosides A and B led to revision of the geometry of the terminal double bond. Aurantosides exhibit potent antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans.

An investigation of a specimen of the Caribbean sponge Aplysina insularis resulted in the isolation of fourteen bromoisoxazoline alkaloids (1 - 14), of which 14-oxo-aerophobin-2 (1)* is a novel derivative. Structure elucidation of the compounds have been established from spectral studies and data for 1 are reported. Constituents 2 to 6 and 11 to 14 have not been identified sofar in Aplysina insularis species. The presence of the known compounds 7 to 9 in Aplysina insularis indicates that their use for chemotaxonomical purposes is questionable.

Geodiamolides J-P (11-17) and R (19), eight new cyclic depsipetides, have been isolated from the marine sponge Cymbastela sp. collected in Papua New Guinea. The serine residue in geodiamolides L-P (13-17) and R (19) has not been previously found in this family of compounds.

Two new bromopyrroles and a new diterpene possessing a 9-methyladenium moiety have been isolated from the Papua New Guinean sponge Agelas nakamurai Hoshino.

Analysis of the Philippine marine sponge Xestospongia ashmorica afforded four new manzamine congeners 1-4 and four known compounds 5 and 7-9. Compound 1 is the 6-deoxy derivative of manzamine X, while 2-4 are the N-oxides of manzamine J (5), 3,4-dihydromanzamine A (6), and manzamine A (7), respectively. The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously established on the basis of NMR spectroscopic (1H, 13C, COSY, 1H-detected direct, and long-range 13C-1H correlations) and mass spectrometric (EI, FAB-MS, and electrospray ionization) data. Alkaloid N-oxide structures were confirmed by conversion to the corresponding tertiary bases by reduction with Zn/HCl. This is the first report of the occurrence of bioactive manzamine N-oxides in marine sponges. Compound 7 exhibited insecticidal activity toward neonate larvae of the polyphagous pest insect Spodoptera littoralis (with an ED50 of 35 ppm) when incorporated in artificial diet and offered to larvae in a chronic feeding bioassay. Compound 7 was also active against the Gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Cytotoxicity was studied in vitro using L1578y mouse lymphoma cells. From the alkaloids studied, the N-oxides 3 and 4 were the most active (ED50 = 1.6 micrograms/mL) followed by compound 7 (ED50 = 1.8 micrograms/mL).

Kalihinene-A [17] and kalihinene-B [18] two new toxic isocyano diterpenes have been isolated from a Seychelles specimen of the marine sponge Acanthella cavernosa. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of their spectral properties. The chemotaxonomic value of these secondary metabolites is discussed.

A C(14) acetylenic acid has been isolated as an antimicrobial principle from a marine sponge Oceanapia sp. Its structure was determined on the basis of spectral data.

Thirty-five years ago the foundation was laid for a classification of the Demonspongiae that in essence is still in use among virtually all neontologists. I am referring to Levi’s (1953) system based on reproductive characters. Unfortunately, when examined closely, this scheme of classification cannot endure a test of logical consistence. Especially the proposed subclass Tetractinomorpha is entirely based on a single primitive feature, viz. the absence of the viviparous reproduction. Furthermore, the synapomorphy for the major other subclass, Ceractinomorpha, the viviparous behavior, was insufficiently established, as would appear later when several ceractinomorph groups were found to be oviparous. The application of these characters induced Levi to search for and emphasize supporting characters, such as the axial condensation.

A representative of the genus Hemiasterella Carter, 1879 was found for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea during sampling in the shallow waters of the northern Aegean Sea. The new species, H. aristoteliana, is compared with Atlantic Hemiasterella elongata Topsent, 1928. The status of the family Hemiasterellidae is discussed.

Four new purine analogues (nigricines 1 – 4) have been isolated from the Indonesian marine sponge Petrosia nigricans. The structures were elucidated by extensive 2D-NMR spectroscopic experiments and mass spectrometry.

An investigation of the sponge Suberea mollis collected at the Egyptian Red Sea coast afforded a new cytotoxic and antimicrobial dibrominated phenol, subereaphenol A (1), together with the previously reported compounds 2-(3′,5′-dibromo-2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (2), dibromoverongiaquinol (3), bromochloroverongiaquinol (4), and 2-(3′,5′-dibromo-4′-ethoxy-1′-hydroxy-4′-methoxy-2′,5′-cyclohexadien-1-yl)acetamide (5). The structure of the compounds was determined by a combination of 1D and 2D NMR techniques and High-resolution mass spectral determinations. Complete and new NMR data for the known compounds has been reported. The cytotoxic and the antimicrobial activities of the compounds are reported.

A new niphatid demosponge, Amphimedon queenslandica sp.nov., is described from Heron and One Tree Islands, southern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. The new species is of particular significance as it is currently the subject of the first sponge genome project. The species is characterized within the globally distributed genus Amphimedon by its distinctive blue-green colour, and the combination of encrusting-lobate growth form, spongin-rich spiculofibres and feeble spicule size, The new species is compared and contrasted with known or suspected Amphimedon species of Australia and adjacent territories of Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Indonesia.

The combination Raspailia (Raspaxilla) elegans sensu Boury-Esnault, 1973 is precoccupied by Raspailia elegans Lendenfeld,1887 (Porifera, Poecilosclerida, Raspailiidae). A new name for this Brazilian shallow-water species is proposed, Raspailia (Raspaxilla) bouryesnaultae n.n., and the species is redescribed based on a skeleton slide from the holotype and additional material freshly collected from the coast of Santa Catarina state. The distribution is now expanded to encompass the area from 22º to 27°S, in southeastern Brazil. © 2006 Magnolia Press

Mycale micracanthoxea nov. spec. is described from the Oosterschelde area (SW part of The Netherlands). The Dutch specimens were previously identified as Mycale contareni , but comparison with live French specimens of this species revealed specific differences. The new species is unique in the genus Mycale because of the presence of tiny (7 to 8.5 μm) acanthoxea. The new species is compared with the Mycale species known to occur in the eastern North Atlantic, and its distribution is described.

Recent collecting of sponges in the Bergen area yielded a new species of Antho, showing similarity to the Californian Jia jia DE LAUBENFELS, 1930, and some other interesting clathriid sponges. The genus Jia DE LAUBENFELS, 1930 is here synonymized with Antho GRAY, 1867. The name ‘croca’ is proposed for the unusual J-shaped spicule type found in the Californian species and in the new Norwegian species. Clathria etenichela (ALANDER, 1942) and C. armata (BOWERBANK, 1866) are recorded new to the Norwegian fauna. The Norwegian clathriids are discussed and some nomenclatorial changes are proposed. A key to the Norwegian clathriids concludes the paper.

This short faunistic note contains a report on the species of Scyphozoa, Hydromedusae, Siphonophora and Ctenophora that were collected by OWS “Cirrus” and “Cumulus”, R.V. “Tridens” and HMS “Snellius” in the North Atlantic Ocean between 22° N and 66° N. In all, 61 species have been captured. New records for Calycopsis typa Fewkes, 1882, Cunina duplicata Maas, 1893, Sibogita geometrica Maas, 1905 ssp. occidentalis Kramp, 1959, Apolemia uvaria (Lesueur, 1811), Thalassophyes crystallina Moser, 1925 and Crystallophyes amygdalina Moser, 1925, are given.

Snellius-II sponge collecting yielded 355 species (together about 1300 specimens). An illustrated simplified key to the more common reef forms is presented using only field characters. A preliminary taxonomic review of the Indonesian sponge fauna is given based on an analysis of material collected during the Snellius-II Expedition, of older material of the Siboga Expedition (so far largely unpublished), and of data in the literature (most recent dating from before 1935). The Indonesian sponge fauna, which is provisionally estimated to comprise 830 nominal species (obvious synonyms not counted) is compared to the fauna of relatively well-studied areas elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region and to the West Indian sponge fauna, using numbers of species of each of 188 genera occurring in more than one of the areas concerned. Based on published reports the Australian tropical sponge fauna appears to be dissimilar to that of Indonesia.

The classification of the Porifera is critically evaluated using cladistic principles. The (syn-)apomorphic characters and character states are established for 34 groups of Porifera which are generally accepted as monophyletic. These characters/states are compared with the currently accepted classification of Hartman (1982), resulting in the conclusion that there are many non-parsimonious homoplasies included. Two consecutive attempts to amend this are presented. The first consists of a self-constructed strictly cladistic classification characterized by the assumption of many assumed losses. The second is a computer-based analysis characterized by a neutral construction of a classification with the least number of assumed homoplasies.

A specimen of the sclerosponge Merlia lacking a basal skeleton of calcareous chambers (corresponding to the description of Merlia deficiens Vacelet, 1980) is reported from the underside of the coral Agaricia at a depth of 10 m on the reef of Curacao, Netherlands Antilles. Its spiculation is identical to Merlia normani Kirkpatrick, 1908 specimens with the basal skeleton, from which it is concluded that M. deficiens and M. normani are probably conspecific. The phylogenetic significance of a sclerosponge with an unstable calcareous skeleton is discussed and in accordance with Vacelet (in press) it is postulated that sclerosponges are polyphyletic. It is suggested that sclerosponge skeletons are an ancestral character for a large part of the Demospongiae. The relationships of Demospongiae and Calcarea are discussed in the same light.

Three new species of Demospongiae from coral reefs of the Archipiélago de Los Roques National Park (Venezuelan Caribbean) and Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles) are described, viz. Eurypon laughlini n. sp., Topsentia roquensis n. sp., and Epipolasis reiswigi n. sp. The new species and the genera to which they have been assigned are discussed, as a result of which the genus Fasubera De Laubenfels, 1936, is synonymized with Eurypon Gray, 1867, and the genus Epipolasis is redefined based on characters of its typespecies. Extensive ecological data are provided for each species.

Eight nominal species referable to Hemigellius have been described from the north-eastern Atlantic area, but only two of them are well-established, viz. Hemigellius arcoferus (Vosmaer) and H. pumiceus (Fristedt). The remaining species are either synonyms of these two, or insufficiently documented.

The reproductive periods of sponge species from the SW of The Netherlands were determined. Morphological characteristics of the larvae of the recently described Haliclona xena and Mycale micracanthoxea are given. More detailed information is included on the previously described larvae of Halichondria panicea, Halichondria bowerbanki, Hymeniacidon perlevis, Haliclona oculata, Haliclona rosea, Acervochalina loosanoffi and Dysidea fragilis. Morphological changes in sponge larvae during their free life are described. Furthermore an overview of known larval descriptions is included along with a discussion of the taxonomic value of larval features.

A method of age determination, new in birds, is described. The method has been derived from similar methods commonly used to determine age of fishes, amphibians, reptilians, and mammals. It consists of demonstrating, by preparation of transverse transparent sections, the presence of annual deposits in the periosteal zone (= zone of outer circumferential lamellae) of bone. Evidence is presented that the layered structures in the periosteal zone are indeed annual and thus related with age.

1. A detailed study was made of the subsequent stages in the colour change of the Stoat, Mustela erminea Linnaeus, 1758. 2. Starting and finishing date of both Autumn and Spring moult were determined, based on the examination of 300 pelts from the Netherlands. 3. An indication was found for the existence of a difference in finishing date of the Spring moult in male and female Stoats. The examinations showed that female Stoats complete their summercoat a good month earlier than males. 4. It appeared that there is a remarkable difference in number of completely white animals between warmer and colder parts in the Netherlands. The colder regions hold much more completely white animals. This indicates that temperature has an influence on whether Stoats turn completely white or have a variegated wintercoat.

A new pedunculate aplysinid sponge, Aplysina chiriquiensis, is described from shallow waters (1.5–35 m) in the Gulf of Chiriqui, western Panama, Eastern Pacific. The species chiriquiensis is a common component of coral reefs and soft coral reefs in that region. After examining the systematic status of related taxa we conclude that there are only two valid taxa of stalked Aplysina, A. bathyphila Maldonado and Young from the Caribbean, and our new species from the eastern Pacific. A. chiriquiens is a yellow to purplish, stalked and branching sponge with oscules arranged in one or more rows along the branches. The branches can be cylindrical with smooth tapering ends, or stubby and laterally compressed. A. chiriquiensis is the first Aplysina species described from Panama, and its distribution elsewhere in tropical and subtropical Eastern Pacific has yet to be evaluated.