Coloration in sea anemones—II. Comparative studies on the column carotenoid polymorphism for two species of Bunodosoma (anthozoa: actiniaria)

Abstract

1. 1. The carotenoids responsible for the column color of Bunodosoma cavernata were examined. 2. 2. Three color morphs derive their colors from various proportions of the three major carotenoid diesters of astaxanthin (2), 2′-norastaxanthin (4) and 2,2′-bisnorastaxanthin (5). 3. 3. The population of B. cavernata differs from both previously examined populations of B. granulifera in the mean percentages and frequency distributions of the major carotenoids. 4. 4. These differences in carotenoid proportions are interpreted as evidence of genetic differentiation between these species at the enzyme loci involved in the carotenoid biotransformation. 5. 5. It is suggested that actinioerythrin may be useful for chemosystematics at taxonomic levels higher than the species.