The dramatic biogeographical variations in the secondary metabolites from Psammocinia aff. bulbosa have complicated our efforts to re-isolate the two most cytotoxic of its metabolites, (+)-psymberin and (+)-cyclocinamide A. Reported now are the results of a new study that demonstrates our ability to repeatedly isolate these two compounds through targeted collection efforts. Additional study of the new sample of (+)-cyclocinamide A has enabled finalizing its biological activity and absolute stereochemistry as 4S, 7S, 11S, 14S.In the early 1990s we began a campaign to survey the chemical ecology of Psammocinia aff. bulbosa communities from Papua New Guinea. It is now clear that a side-by-side chemical and taxonomic examination is obligatory to differentiate among populations of Psammocinia (Dictyoceratida, Irciniidae), Cacospongia (Dictyoceratida, Thorectidae), or Ircinia (Dictyoceratida, Irciniidae) 1 having very similar morphologies. Recognizing this critical step made it possible to engage in a meaningful synopsis of the chemical variations observed for a small library of P. aff. bulbosa specimens. Reported now are the final results of a project whose goals were to: (a) obtain fresh sponge specimens containing both psymberin and cyclocinamide A in order to facilitate on-going molecular genetics studies on their biosynthetic pathways, 2 (b) complete the full absolute chirality assignment for cyclocinamide A, 3,4 and (c) accumulate additional biological activity data for cyclocinamide A. 3 Outlined in Table 1 are an astonishing variety of biosynthetic products that we have observed to date from six distinct collections whose voucher material has each been identified as Psammocinia aff. bulbosa. The major constituents of specimens I -V range from sesterterpenes (variabilin 5 ), polyketides (preswinholide A 6 and swinholide A 6,7 ), a cyano-sponge cyclic hexapeptide (psymbamide A 7 ), a halogenated hexapeptide (cyclocinamide A 3 ), to a NRPS-PKS mixed biogenetic derived compound (psymberin 8 ). By contrast, meroterpenes (cacospongin B 9 and chromarol D 9 ) usually observed from sponges of Cacospongia-genus were isolated from sample VI. Though samples V and VI were obtained from adjacent sites, the chemical profiles of their major constituents clearly showed the biosynthetic machinery of these two sponge collections was distinct. These plus the other dramatic biogeographical *To whom correspondence should be addressed. phil@chemistry.ucsc.edu, Tel: (831) 459-2603. Fax: (831) Table 1 complicated our efforts to re-isolate the two most structurally unique of these metabolites, psymberin and cyclocinamide A.Before proceeding, it is important to briefly review the historical record highlighted in Figure 1 pertaining to absolute stereochemical assignments for psymberin and cyclocinamide A. The 5S, 8S, 9S, 11R, 13R, 15S, 16R, 17R structure we originally proposed for (+)-psymberin 8 (1a) was reaffirmed from two independent total syntheses of 1c. 10,11 The synthetic products also provided the basis for the 4S ...