Two marine sponges of the genus Monanchora (Poecilosclerida, Crambeidae) ha
ve been found to contain new polycyclic guanidine alkaloids bearing the (5,
6,8b)-triazaperhydroacenaphthylene skeleton. Their structures have been det
ermined by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Dehydrobatzelladine C (1) has b
een isolated from M. arbuscula and crambescidins 359 (2) and 431 (3) from M
. unguiculata. The chemotaxonomic implications of these findings are discus
sed.