THE CAROTENOIDS OF FOUR BLUE‐GREEN ALGAE1

Abstract

The carotenoids of 4 species of blue-green algae, Anabaena variabilis, Phormidium persicinum, P. ectocarpi, and P. fragile, were investigated. In each, [beta] -carotene was a major pigment and the only carotene detected. The xanthophylls present in A. variabilis were echinenone, canthaxanthin, and myxo-xanthophyll. Each of the Phormidium species contained zeaxanthin as the major xanthophyll. In each, this was accompanied by trace amounts of echinenone and isocryptoxanthin. In addition, 2 new xanthophylls, spectrally resembling [beta] -carotene, were found in P. persicinum and P. ectocarpi, while another, with a spectrum similar to that of myxoxanthophyll, was found in P. fragile.