Fatty Acid Compositions of Muscle and Viscera Lipids in Dominant Limpets Species from Otsuchi Bay in Northern Japan.

Abstract

In this study, determination was made of lipid and fatty acid compositions of muscle and viscera tissue lipids from three species of limpets from Otsuchi Bay in northern Japan. Dominant limpets contained total lipids at, in muscle and viscera tissues, 0.2 to 1.1% and 1.9 to 9.6%, respectively. Muscle lipids were rich in phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine could be detected in this study. Viscera lipids contained mainly triacylglycerol. Fatty acid compositions of muscle lipids in all species differed considerably from those of viscera lipids, the former being more polyenoic and abundant in 20:4n-6 and 20:5n-3, accounting for 23-35% of total fatty acids. Seasonal variation was also examined for effects on lipid contents and polyunsaturated fatty acid composition.