Carotenoids in terrestrial, epilithic and epiphytic lichens from Venezuelan Andes

Abstract

Abstract Column and thin‐layer chromatography revealed the presence of the following carotenoids in the thalli of 125 lichen species from Venezuelan Andes: α‐carotene, β‐carotene, β‐cryptoxanthin, lutein, 3′‐epilutein, zeaxanthin, echinenone, 3′‐hydroxyechinenone, α‐doradexanthin, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, lutein epoxide, antheraxanthin, violaxanthin, flavoxanthin, mutatoxanthin, luteoxanthin, auroxanthin, diatoxanthin, neoxanthin, sintaxanthin (new to lichens). fucoxanthinol, capsochrome, apo‐6′‐lycopenal, β‐apo‐2′‐carotenal, β‐apo‐10′‐carotenal, apo‐12′‐violaxanthal, paracentrone and rhodoxanthin. The total content of carotenoids ranged from 5.5 ( Heterodermia corallophora ) to 243.3 μg g −1 dry weight ( Teloschistes flavicans ).