Carotenoids in the thalli of lichen species from central Europe

Column and thin-layer chromatography revealed the presence of the following carotenoids in the thalli 70 lichen species (87 specimens) from Central Eu rope: alpha -carotene, beta -carotene, beta -cryptoxanthin, lutein, 3'-epil utein, zeaxanthin, 4'-hydroxyechinenone, alpha -doradexanthin, canthaxanthi n, astaxanthin, Lutein epoxide, antheraxanthin, violaxanthin, mutatoxanthin , luteoxanthin. phoenicoxanthin, auroxanthin, neoxanthin, diatoxanthin, bet a -carotene monoepoxide, mutatochrome, aurochrome, cryptoflavin, heteroxant hin, rhodoxanthin, capsochrome, apo-6'-lycopenal, bixin and beta -citraurin . The total content of carotenoids ranged from 1.53 in (Caloplaca citrina) to 161.04 mug g(-1) dry wt in (Parmeliopsis ambigua).