CIS-CANTHAXANTHIN AND ALL-TRANS-CANTHAXANTHIN LEVELS IN FAIRY SHRIMPS

The carotenoid composition of cysts of seven species of fairy shrimps (Anostraca) was studied using high-performance liquid chromatography. Canthaxanthin was detected as the major pigment, but an important and often predominant fraction of it occurred in the cis-configuration, wh ich is consistent with previous findings in Artemia cysts, Cis-canthax anthin rapidly disappeared in nauplii of Thamnocephalus platyurus thro ugh conversion to all-trans-canthaxanthin and was preferably localized in the abdominal section carrying the genital segment of females, unl ike in mature male animals, In contrast, the intense orange-red colour of the thoracopods and the cercopods in both sexes was only due to al l-trans-canthaxanthin.