Identification of fatty acid contents and study the effects of environmental factors on their seasonal variations in two dominant gastropods of Chabahar bay

Subject Areas : Marine Biology

N.  Sajjadi ¹ (Environment Dep., Technical and Engineering Faculty, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch)
P.  Eghtesadi ² (Marine living Sciences Department, Iranian National Center for Oceanography, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2011-08-04 Accepted : 2011-11-21 Published : 2011-12-21

Keywords: Seasonal changes, Environmental factors, Fatty Acids, Gas Chromatography, gastropods,

Abstract :

Fatty acid contents and their seasonal variations studied in Nerita textilis and Turbo coronatus, two dominant gastropods of Chabahar bay, in the South east of Iran and northern part of Oman Sea in Indian Ocean. This area provides high rates of primary productivity and so a diverse food source for mollusks. Environmental factors, including temperature, chlorophyll a and salinity measured monthly and their effects on fatty acids variations considered by statistical analysis. By Gas Chromatography twelve and fifteen fatty acids identified in Nerita textilis andTurbo coronatus, respectively. Unsaturated fatty acids dominated over saturated ones in Nerita textilis and oleic acid was the major fatty acid, while saturated fatty acids were dominants in Turbo coronatus and the major fatty acid was palmitic acid. Statistical analysis showed correlation of oleic acid with temperature, gadoleic acid with chlorophyll a and margaric acid with salinity in Nerita textilis , while salinity was the only environmental factor which showed correlation with lignoceric acid in Turbo coronatus . In conclusion it could be finding that the fatty acid contents might be different and also, there could be different effects of environmental factors on fatty acid variations in two species of a class in a common habitat.