Fatty acids of the mud skipper boleophthalmus boddaerti

Abstract

Abstract The fatty acid composition of the body and the liver lipids of Boleophthalmus boddaerti, a mud skipper fish belonging to the Gobiidae family, have been determined by argentation column chromatography (a.c.c.) and gas‐liquid chromatography (g.l.c.). The levels of 20:5ω3 ( ca 14%), a biologically important fatty acid, was found to be considerably high. Other major component acids were, 16:0, 18:0, 16:1, 18:1, 20:3ω9, 22:5ω3 and 22:6ω3. Besides, a large number of minor components were identified and estimated. The liver lipid contained unusually high levels ( ca 90%) of non‐saponifiables.