Genome barcoding has recently taken off as a method of comprehensively looking into the molecular phylogeny of sponge taxa (Nichols, 2005; Cardenas et al., 2011). There is still much work to be completed and published in this area, and as yet, is still in its infancy with regards to sponge classification (discussed through
nucleotide sequences).
Conversely bioactive isomalabaricane triterpenes are emerging as possible chemotaxonomic markers for
Rhabdastrella globostellata (Kennedy, 2000; Tasdemir et al., 2002; Clement et al., 2006). Their properties are discussed under
molecular biology.