<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Column, thin‐layer and reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of the following carotenoids in the thalli of 7 lichen species representatives of the <jats:italic>Protousnea</jats:italic> (Parmeliaceae) endemic genus from South America: α‐carotene, β‐carotene, retrodehydro‐β‐carotene, α‐cryptoxanthin, β‐cryptoxanthin, lycopene‐5,6‐epoxide, lutein, 3′‐epilutein, zeaxanthin, antheraxanthin, cryptoflavin, loroxanthin, capsochrome, neoxanthin, violaxanthin, 3‐hydroxyechinenone, adonixanthin, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, rhodoxanthin, citranaxanthin and torularhodin methyl ester.<jats:p>The total content of carotenoids ranged from 32.45 <jats:italic>(Protousnea dusenii)</jats:italic> to 48.21 μg g<jats:sup>–1</jats:sup> dry weight <jats:italic>(Protousnea teretiuscula)</jats:italic>. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)