This study investigated major pigment patterns of 8 cyanoprokaryota, 2 rhodophytes and 2 cryptomonads isolated from freshwater ecosystems. Analysis was done by means of HPLC. The method, historically adapted to marine phytoplankton, was modified to accommodate limnic algae. Quantitative results obtained in this study can be used for phytoplankton quantification techniques based on pigment patterns. Compared to marine strains, the studied freshwater cyanoprokaryote strains reveal a more complex pigment pattern, including myxoxanthophyll, canthaxanthin and echinenone. Cryptophyta possess the two acetylenic class-specific marker compounds allo- and monadoxanthin, crocoxanthin was not detectable. Rhodophytes show a simple pigment pattern similar to marine species. Previous reports as to the existence of chlorophyll-d could not be confirmed (historical reports probably refer to an artefact of preparation). Besides methodological considerations, the phenomenon of complementary chromatic adaptation is discussed briefly.