On the lipid biochemistry of polar copepods: compositional differences in the Antarctic calanoids Euchaeta antarctica and Euchirella rostromagna


Contact
gkattner [ at ] awi-bremerhaven.de

Abstract

During austral summer of 1985 different developmental stages (CIII, CIV, CV, females, males) of the Antarctic copepod Euchaeta antarctica and females of Euchirella rostrornagna were collected in the south-eastern Weddeli Sea to determine their lipid contents and compositions. For F. antarctica the analyses revealed a strong ontogenetic accumulation of lipids to-wards the older copepodids with highest lipid contents in late CV stages and adults. The females of E. rostra-magna had moderate lipid levels. The most striking difference between these two species concerns their lipid class compositions. E. antarctica deposited predominantly wax esters, whereas in E. rostroinagna the major lipid class consisted of triacylglycerols, an unusual storage lipid in polar marine copepods. Principal fatty acids in E. antarctica were the monounsaturates 18: 1(n-9) and 16: 1(n-7), especially in the lipid-rich stages, while the polyunsaturated fatty acids 20: 5(n-3) and 22: 6(n-3), usually membrane lipids, dominated in the lipid-poor stages. The wax ester moieties in F. antarctica consisted almost entirely of 14:0 and 16:0 fatty alcohols. Major components in E. rastromagna were the fatty acids 18:1(n-9), 16:0, 20:5(n-3) and 22: 6(n-3). The potential of fatty acids and alcohols as typical trophic markers is rendered largely insignificant in the two species due to catabolic processes.



Item Type
Article
Authors
Divisions
Programs
Publication Status
Published
Eprint ID
1160
Cite as
Hagen, W. , Kattner, G. and Graeve, M. (1995): On the lipid biochemistry of polar copepods: compositional differences in the Antarctic calanoids Euchaeta antarctica and Euchirella rostromagna , Marine Biology, 123 , pp. 451-457 .


Share
Add to AnyAdd to TwitterAdd to FacebookAdd to LinkedinAdd to PinterestAdd to Email

Research Platforms

Campaigns
ANT > III > 3


Actions
Edit Item Edit Item