**Kuroshio Current Coast**

**Takashi Maoka 1, Naoshige Akimoto 2, Miyuki Tsushima 3, Sadao Komemushi 4, Takuma Mezaki 5, Fumihito Iwase 5, Yoshimitsu Takahashi 6, Naomi Sameshima 6, Miho Mori 6, and Yoshikazu Sakagami 6,\*** 

	- Kyoto 606-0805, Japan; E-Mail: maoka@mbox.kyoto-inet.or.jp

*Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; E-Mail: nmakimoto@leto.eonet.ne.jp* 


3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka 558-8585, Japan; E-Mail: volvo.s80.clsssic386@gmail.com 

5 Kuroshio Biological Research Foundation, Nishidomari-560, Ootsuki-cho, Kochi 788-0333, Japan; 

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E-Mails: mezaki@kuroshio.or.jp (T.M.); iwase@kuroshio.or.jp (F.I.)
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*6 Faculty of Agriculture, Kinki University, Nakamachi 3327-204, Nara-shi 631-8505, Nara, Japan;* 

*E-Mails: srdkt24134@hera.eonet.ne.jp (Y.T.); ato10min@yahoo.co.jp (N.S.); mori@nara.kindai.ac.jp (M.M.)* 

\* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: sakagami@nara.kindai.ac.jp; Tel.: +81-742-43-7154; Fax: +81-742-43-1593. 

*Received: 30 June 2011; in revised form: 31 July 2011 / Accepted: 8 August 2011 / Published: 22 August 2011* 

**Abstract:** Carotenoids of the corals *Acropora japonica*, *A. secale*, and *A. hyacinthus*, the tridacnid clam *Tridacna squamosa*, the crown-of-thorns starfish *Acanthaster planci*, and the small sea snail *Drupella fragum* were investigated. The corals and the tridacnid clam are filter feeders and are  associated with symbiotic zooxanthellae. Peridinin and pyrrhoxanthin, which originated from symbiotic zooxanthellae, were found to be major carotenoids in corals and the tridacnid clam. The crown-of-thorns starfish and the sea snail *D. fragum* are carnivorous and mainly feed on corals. Peridinin-3-acyl esters were major carotenoids in the sea snail *D. fragum*. On the other hand, ketocarotenoids such as 7,8-didehydroastaxanthin and astaxanthin were major carotenoids in the crown-of-thorns starfish. Carotenoids found in these marine animals closely reflected not only their metabolism but also their food chains. 

**Keywords:** carotenoid; marine invertebrates; food chain; metabolism 
