Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T06:00:33.797Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Carotenoid pigments in sabella penicillus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 May 2009

Welton L. Lee
Affiliation:
Bedford College, University of London
Barbara M. Gilchrist
Affiliation:
Bedford College, University of London
R. Phillips Dales
Affiliation:
Bedford College, University of London

Extract

The pigments of the polychaete Sabella penicillus L. were reinvestigated. In addition to zeaxanthin and traces of lutein, a series of carotenoids which may represent steps in the formation of canthaxanthin have been found. These are β-carotene, isocryptoxanthin, echinenone, 4-hydroxy-4′-keto β-carotene and canthaxanthin. No astaxanthin was found. In two other sabellids, Myxicola infundibulum (Renier) and Megalomma vesiculosum (Montagu), astaxanthin was confirmed as the major pigment and the presence of echinenone was established. Attention was drawn to the similarity of the pigments of Sabella penicillus with those of other invertebrates and it has been suggested that in invertebrates a common pathway for the formation of canthaxanthin may exist.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 1967

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Dales, R. P., 1962. The nature of the pigments in the crowns of sabellid and serpulid polychaetes. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., Vol. 42, pp. 259–74.Google Scholar
Fox, D. L. & Hopkins, T. S., 1966. Comparative metabolicfractionation of carotenoids in three flamingo species. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Vol. 17, pp. 841–56.Google Scholar
Karrer, P. & Leumann, E., 1951. Eschscholtzxanthinand anhydro-eschschcltzxanthin. Helv. chim. Acta, Vol. 34, pp. 445–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Krinsky, N. I. & Goldsmith, T. H., 1960. The carotenoids of the flagellated alga, Euglena gracilis. Archs Biochem. Biophys., Vol. 91, pp. 271–9.Google Scholar
Lee, W. L., 1966 a. Pigmentation of the marine isopod Idothea montereyensis. Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Vol. 18, pp. 1736.Google Scholar
Lee, W. L., 1966 b. Pigmentation of the marine isopod Idothea granulosa (Rathke). Comp. Biochem. Physiol., Vol. 19, pp. 1327.Google Scholar