MEPS 270:83-102 (2004)  -  doi:10.3354/meps270083

ABSTRACT: The pigment compositions of 37 species (65 strains) of cultured haptophytes were analysed using improved HPLC methods. We distinguished 8 pigment types based on the distribution of 9 chlorophyll c (chl c) pigments and 5 fucoxanthin derivatives. All types contained chl c₂ and Mg-2,4-divinyl phaeoporphyrin a₅ monomethyl ester (MgDVP), fucoxanthin, diadinoxanthin and β,β-carotene. Pigment types were based on the following additional pigments: Type 1: chl c₁; Type 2: chl c₁ and chl c₂-Pavlova gyrans-type; Type 3: chl c₁ and chl c₂-monogalactosyl diacylglyceride ester (chl c₂-MGDG [18:4/14:0]); Type 4: chl c₁, chl c₃ and non-polar chl c₁-like; Type 5: chl c₁, chl c₃, chl c₂-MGDG [18:4/14:0] and 4-keto-fucoxanthin; Type 6: chl c₃, monovinyl chl c₃ (MV-chl c₃), chl c₂-MGDG [18:4/14:0], 19¹-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin and its 4-keto derivative, and traces of 19¹-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin; Type 7: similar to Type 6, minus MV-chl c₃ but with chl c₂-MGDG [14:0/14:0] added; Type 8: similar to Type 6, minus MV-chl c₃ but with significant 19¹-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin. Taxonomic associations ranged from single genera to multiple families - Type 1: Pavlovaceae, Isochrysidaceae and Pleurochrysidaceae; Type 2: Pavlovaceae; Type 3: Isochrysidaceae; Type 4: Prymnesium spp.; Type 5: Ochrosphaera spp.; Type 6: Nöelaerhabdaceae, notably Emiliania spp.; Type 7: Chrysochromulina spp.; Type 8: Phaeocystaceae, Prymnesiaceae and Isochrysidaceae. These pigment types showed a strong correlation with available phylogenetic trees, supporting a genetic basis for the pigment associations. The additional marker pigments offer oceanographers greater power for detecting haptophytes in mixed populations, while also distinguishing a greater proportion of them from diatoms.

KEY WORDS: Haptophyta · HPLC · Chlorophylls c · Fucoxanthins · Pigment types · Phylogeny · Oceanography