STUDIES ON THE PIGMENTS OF MARINE ANIMALS -VIII. CAROTENOIDS OF SOME SHELLFISHES-

Abstract

The foot, gonad and flesh of shellfishes, showing a red, orange and yellow colour, contain some carotenoid pigments. In the gonads and coats of Pectunculus glycymeris, glycymerin was found by FABRE and LEDERER (1934). LEDERER also discovered pectenoxanthin from the gonads of Pecten maximus (LEDERER, 1934). Mytyloxanthin and zeaxanthin were isolated from the orange coloured flesh of Mytilus californianus by ScHEER (1940). Red flesh of Tugali gigas contains astaxanthin and a new carotenoid (NISHIBORI, 1957). Carotenoid pigments in the red-orange foot of Anadara broughtoni (Japanese name, Akagai), Anadara subcrenata (Japanese name, Sarubo), and in the redorange ovaries of Pecten yessoensis (Japanese name, Hotategai) have been examined and the principal carotenoids in each species were isolated in the crystalline form.