There is currently renewed interest in the study of microorganisms as a source of structurally unique and pharmacologically active natural products. Actinomycetes, being the single most productive source of naturally occurring antibiotics, are a logical component of these studies, and success with this group will be enhanced by the inclusion of previously unknown taxa. Recent studies of marine-derived actinomycetes have revealed the widespread distribution of unique marine taxa residing in ocean sediments. Chemical studies of these strains, focusing on members of the new genus Salinospora, have led to a high rate of novel secondary metabolite discovery, including molecules with potent biological activity. Given the encouraging results from preliminary studies of these newly described marine bacteria, it seems clear that marine actinomycetes represent an important future resource for small-molecule drug discovery.