Clathrus ruber of the mature fruit bodies have been identified as carotenes, predominantly lycopene and "beta"-carotene—the same compounds responsible for the red and orange colors of tomatoes and carrots, respectively. Lycopene is also the main pigment in the closely related fungus "Clathrus archeri", while "beta"-carotene is the predominant pigment in the Phallaceae species "Mutinus caninus", "M. ravenelii", and "M. elegans". Clathrus ruber Clathrus ruber is a species of fungus in the stinkhorn family, and the type species of the genus "Clathrus". It is commonly known as the latticed stinkhorn, the basket stinkhorn, or the red cage, alluding to the striking fruit bodies
Pigment Pigment A pigment is a material that changes the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective absorption. This physical process differs from fluorescence, phosphorescence, and other forms of luminescence, in which a material emits light. Most materials selectively absorb certain wavelengths of light. Materials that humans have chosen and developed for use as pigments usually have special properties that make them useful for coloring other materials. A pigment must have a high tinting strength relative to the materials it colors. It must be stable in solid form at ambient temperatures. For industrial applications, as well as