Molecular species of wax esters in jaw fat of Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus.

Abstract

AbstractThe jaw fat of the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) contains unusual wax esters which can be separated into short chain (<C24) and long chain (>C24) fractions by thin layer chromatography. The short chain wax esters (28 wt. %) have been characterized as a 72∶24∶4 mixture of isovaleroyl, isobutoryl, and 2‐methylbutyrol, esters of C14–C18 n‐ and iso‐alcohols. The intact <C24 esters have been resolved into individual molecular species by gas liquid chromatography on open‐tubular polyester columns. The long chain wax esters (12 wt. %) contain C10–C22 n‐ and iso‐acids esterified to the same C14–C18 n‐ and iso‐alcohols. Gas liquid chromatography of the intact, hydrogenated >C24 esters on a short JXR column has characterized them according to carbon number and the number of methyl branches they contain.