The term carotene (also carotin, from the Latin carota, "carrot"Mosby's Medical, Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary, Fourth Edition, Mosby-Year Book 1994, p. 273) is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx, which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi). Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis.
The term carotene (also carotin from the Latin carota "carrot"Mosby's Medical Nursing and Allied Health Dictionary Fourth Edition Mosby-Year Book 1994 p 273) is used for many related unsaturated hydrocarbon substances having the formula C40Hx which are synthesized by plants but in general cannot be made by animals (with the exception of some aphids and spider mites which acquired the synthesizing genes from fungi) Carotenes are photosynthetic pigments important for photosynthesis