496 IX. CAROTENOIDS AND VITAMINS A 



(Salmo salar),^^^'^^^ and of the Pacific sockeye salmon {Oncorhyncus 

 nerka).^^^ /3-Carotene has been demonstrated in the muscle of the salmon 

 {Salmo solar) by Euler and co-workers.^^'* The oarfish or scythe fish 

 {Regalecus glesne) deposits astaxanthin in the liver. The lump-sucker 

 {Cyclopterus lum-pus) yields a red liver oil containing astaxanthin, and ap- 

 pears to mobilize this carotenoid in the tissues and skin during the spawn- 

 ing season.^^^ The red skin, the mucus of the gills and mouth, the iris, and 

 the sclera of the marine dorado or gold mackerel {Beryx decadachjlus) con- 

 tain rich stores of astaxanthin. -''•^^^ Other fishes which contain astaxan- 

 thin include the common goldfish {Carassias auratus),^^ some but not all 

 varieties of European freshwater perch {Perca fluviatilis) ,^^ the rosefish 

 (Sebastes marinus),'^^ the seadevil fish, angler, or goose fish {Lophius pis- 

 catorius), where it occurs with taraxanthin in the liver-oil. ^*^ It is found 

 in the flesh of the mountain and the sea races of the freshwater brown trout 

 {Salmo trutta),^" and, with a-carotene, in the orange liver oil of the sunfish 

 {Orthagoriscus mola)}^^ The taraxanthin in the liver of L. piscaiorius is in 

 combination with a protein. ^^^'^^^ Although the eyes of most of the fishes 

 contain some carotenoid, in only one, namely the marine dorado {Beryx 

 decadactylus) , w&s astaxanthin found in this organ; in this species it occurs 

 in the iris and sclera, but not in the retina.^^'' 



Taraxanthin, or a taraxanthin-like compound is the second carotenoid 

 which has been found to have a limited distribution in fishes. The Cali- 

 fornia killifish {Fundulus parvipinnis Girard) contains appreciable con- 

 centrations of this carotenoid.^"^'^^^ This fish was fed on the following: 

 opaleye or greenfish {Girella nigricans) ; California halibut {Paralichthys 

 {macidosus) calif ornicus) ; "Garibaldi," orange-red marine goldfish {Hypsy- 

 pops rubicundus) ; and the shiner, or sea-perch {Cymatog aster aggregata) . 



^" A. Emmerie, M. van Eekelen, B. Josephy, and L. Wolff, Ada Brevia Neerland. 

 Physiol. Pharmacol. Microbiol, 4, 139-141 (1934). 



^1^ H. V. Euler, H. Hellstrom, and M. Malmberg, Si'en.sk. Kern. Tiihkr., 45, 151-152 

 (1933). 



S15 B. E. Bailey, J. Biol. Board Can., 3, 469-472 (1937). 



^•^ S. Schmidt-Nielsen, N. A. S0rensen, and B. Tnimpv, Kgl. Norske Videnskab. Sels- 

 kabs. Forh., 5, No. 29, 114-117; SO, 118-121 (1932). 



"' N. A. S0iensen and J. Stene, Kgl. Norske Videnskab. Selskabs. Skrifter, 1938-1939, 

 No. 8, 1-14, No. 9, 1-9. 



"8 N. A. S0rensen, Kgl. Norske Videnskab. Selskabs. Forh., 6, No. 40, 154-156 (1933). 



819 N. A. S0rensen, Kgl. Norske Videnskab. Sehkabs. Skrifter, 1934, No. 1, 1-14. 



520 E. Lederer, Compt. rend. soc. bioL, 118, 542-543 (1935). 



"1 F. B. Sumner and D. L. Fox, J. Exptl. Zool, 66, 263-299 (1933); 71, 101-123 

 (1935). 



"2 F. B. Sumner and D. L. Fox, Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., U.S., 21, 330-340 (1935); D. L. 

 Fox, Ibid., 22, 50-54 (1930). 



