AbstractColumn and thin‐layer chromatography revealed the presence of the following carotenoids in the thalli of 32 lichen species from the Pamiro‐Alai and Thien‐Shan [Tadzhikistan and Kirgizistan]: torulene, β‐carotene, α‐carotene, β‐carotene, rubixanthin, β‐cryptoxanthin, lutein, 3′‐epilutein, zeaxanthin, diatoxanthin, lycophyll, β‐carotene monoepoxide, lutein epoxide, antheraxanthin, aurochrome, auroxanthin, mutatochrome, mutatoxanthin, violaxanthin, flavoxanthin, luteoxanthin, cryptoflavin, neoxanthin, canthaxanthin, astaxanthin, capsochrome, β‐apo‐2′‐carotenal, 3‐hydroxy‐β‐apo‐10′‐carotenal and apo‐12′‐violaxanthal.The total content of carotenoids ranged from 7.67 [Lecanora frustulosafrom Thien‐Shan, Kuraminski ridge] to 166.83 μg g−1