Depot fatty acid composition in immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) residing at two near-shore foraging areas in the Hawaiian Islands.
The lipid content and fatty acid composition of depot fat were determined for 58 immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) residing at two near-shore foraging areas, Ahu-O-Laka, located in Kaneohe Bay on Oahu, and Kiholo Bay located on the island of Hawaii. Benthic flora at Kiholo was limited to a single algal species but included algae and seagrass at Ahu-O-Laka. Turtle straight carapace length ranged from 38.6 to 59.2 cm, suggesting that the sample set included new recruits to up to 12-year residents. Fatty acid data were analyzed using principal components analysis (PCA). PC1 accounted for over 50% of the variance. Turtles were generally delineated along PC1 by the length of time on benthic foraging grounds, with high (>0.75) negative loadings for the fatty acids 22:6n-3, 7M7H, t16:1n-10, 15:0, and 17:0 associated with relatively new recruits (suggesting a pelagic dietary source for these fatty acids) and high positive loadings for 12:0 and 14:0 associated with long-term residents. PC2 separated turtles primarily by capture location, with high positive loadings for 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 [the primary seagrass polyunsaturated fatty acids] associated with the Ahu-O-Laka turtles. Fatty acid profiles of turtles from both locations differed substantially from those of their benthic diets, suggesting considerable modification of dietary fatty acids and de novo biosynthesis.
Seaborn
Gloria T
GT
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Ocean Service/National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science/Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research, 219 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA. Gloria.Seaborn@noaa.gov
Katherine Moore
M
M
Balazs
George H
GH
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005843:Geography; D006254:Hawaii; D014426:Turtles / Q000378:metabolism*
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids