Which marine carotenoid is abundant in brown seaweed, macroalgae and diatoms?

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Accepted Answer

Step 1: Identify typical pigments — brown seaweeds, macroalgae and diatoms are dominated by xanthophylls rather than the red or orange carotenoids found in other organisms.

Step 2: Match options to habitats:
- $	ext{Fucoxanthin}$: a xanthophyll abundant in brown algae and diatoms (major pigment in brown seaweed and many macroalgae).
- Astaxanthin: a red keto-carotenoid common in crustaceans and some microalgae (e.g., Haematococcus), not characteristic of brown seaweeds.
- Neoxanthin: found mainly in green plants and some green algae.
- $\beta$-cryptoxanthin: a provitamin A carotenoid common in fruits and some plants.

Step 3: Conclusion — the pigment most abundant in brown seaweed, macroalgae and diatoms is fucoxanthin.

FINAL_ANSWER: a

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