STEROLS FROM THE MARINE SPONGES ORINA-ARCOFERUS AND GEODIA-MEGASTRELLA

As part of our investigation of local marine natural products, we have examined a number of marine invertebrates inhabiting the cold waters off Newfoundland and Labrador (1). Warm water sponges have proved a rich source of various natural products including sesquiterpenes (2), sesterterpenes(3), purines (4) and steroids (5). Sponges of the Choristida and Haplosclerida orders have received relatively little attention (6). We report herein the isolation and identification of the terols isolated from the sulphur sponge Geodia megastrella (Class Desmospongiae, Order Choristida) collected froma depth of 400 fathoms off the Labrador coast (Hamilton Bank) and the glass sponge Orina arcoferus (Class Desmospongiae, Order Haplosclerida) from the same general area. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.