Axinellida order

Over half of the compounds reported for lithistid sponges were isolated from Theonella (family Theonellidae). Theonella species have been reported to contain a wide variety of cyclic and linear peptides and polyketides, as well as 3-alkyl piperidine derivatives nearly identical to those reported from the order Haplosclerida.58 There is also a single report of cyano- and isothiocyano-sesquiter-penes similar to those isolated from Axinellidae (order Halichondrida).42 Bewley et al. performed a cellular localization study on Theonella swinhoei in which several types of microorganisms were separated from the sponge cells. Chemical analysis of the extracts from the separated cells indicated that the bicyclic peptide theopalauamide was found exclusively in filamentous bacteria while the polyketide swinholide A was localized to a mixed population of unicellular bacteria.59... 

Unlike A-nor steroids, which occur mainly in the family Axinellidae, sterols with polymethylated side chains are present in most orders, espedally Haplosderida and Ver-ongida, but also Astrophorida, Spirophorida, Halichondrida and Dictyoceratida (see below). 

The nitrogenous sesqui- and diterpenes are common in the order Axinellida, but they have also been found among Astrophorida. These are sesquiterpenoids, nor-sesquiter-penes and diterpenes associated with various types of nitrogen-containing molecules, and they may constitute a particular category of meroterpenes. 

In the classification of Bergquist (1978), order Halichondrida comprises the two families Halichondriidae and Hymenia-cidonidae, in that of Hooper (2000) it has four - Axinellidae, Desmoxyidae, DictyoneHidae and Halichondriidae - and in Systema Porifera, it has five - the four present in Hooper s scheme and the newfamily Bubariidae. As we have already... 

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