Aquamarine　blue　pigment　(ABP)　from　the　shells　of　abalone　(Haliotis　discus　hannai　Ino)　was　extracted　using　a　precipitation　adsorption　method　and　further　purified　via　semi-preparative　HPLC.　The　ABP　with　molecular　weight　of　582.8　was　identified　as　a　polyenic　compound　by　NMR.　The　colour　value　of　ABP　was　E(1cm)(1%)　612　nm　=　534.3.　ABP　can　dissolve　in　water,　ethanol,　methanol,　acetic　acid　and　DMSO　but　was　scarcely　soluble　in　chloroform,　aether,　acetone,　petroleum　ether　and　cyclohexane.　ABP　was　relatively　stable　between　25　and　100　degrees　C,　from　pH　2　to　pH　12,　under　UV-light　and　indoor　natural　light.　However,　it　was　bleached　by　H(2)O(2)　and　Na(2)SO(3)　and　even　unstable　under　sunlight.　The　stability　of　ABP　was　slightly　influenced　by　metal　ions　(Ca,　Cu(2+),　Fe(2+)　and　so　on)　and　food　addictives　(sodium　chloride,　sugar,　starch　and　so　on).　This　is　the　first　report　on　the　characterisation　of　pigment　obtained　from　Haliotis　discus　hannai　Ino.　(C)　2011　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.