title: Status and perspective of sponge chemosystematics.
abstract: In addition to their pharmaceutical applications, sponges are an important source of compounds that are used to elucidate classification patterns and phylogenetic relationships. Here we present a review and outlook on chemosystematics in sponges in seven sections: Secondary metabolites in sponges; Further applications of bioactive compound research in sponges; Sponge chemotaxonomy; Pitfalls of sponge chemotaxonomy; The chemotaxonomic suitability of sponge compounds; Potential synapomorphic markers in sponges; and The future of sponge chemotaxonomy.
authors.affiliation: Zoological Museum, IBED, University of Amsterdam, 1090GT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. derpenb@gwdg.de
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erpenbeck
authors.forename: Rob W M
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: van Soest
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D002965:Classification / Q000379:methods; D008386:Marine Biology; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification*; D013559:Symbiosis