The lipochromes of sea anemones

Abstract

Actinioerythrin, m.p. 83[degree], the pigment of Actinia equina yields on carefully controlled hydrolysis deep violet crystals of violerythrin, m.p. 191-192[degree]; absorption max. in CS2 at 625, 576 and 540 m[mu]. The main lipochrome of Anemonia sulcata consists of a free xanthophyll, sul-catoxanthin, (C40H52A8 ?), m.p. 110-130[degree], having absorption bands in CS2 at 516, 482 and 450 m[mu]. The main pigment of Actinoloba dianthus consists of an ester, hy-drolyzing to an acid (violet-red prisms) m.p. 195-196[degree], showing a single absorption max. in CS2 at 495 m[mu]. Tealia felina contains 2 epiphasic pigments, one possibly identical with actinioerythrin, the other hydrolyzing to an acid, m.p. 205-208[degree] (abs. max. in CS2 500 m[mu]). The presence of other pigments is recorded spectroscopically.