LIPID AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITIONAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EGGS OF WILD AND CAPTIVE-BREEDING ALLIGATORS (ALLIGATOR-MISSISSIPPIENSIS) - AN ASSOCIATION WITH REDUCED HATCHABILITY

Fertile eggs were obtained from the nests of wild and captive-breeding alligators in Louisiana, USA. Whereas embryo hatchability of the wild eggs was 94%, in the captive eggs it was only 50%. Analysis of the li pid and fatty acid compositions of the yolks showed extensive differen ces between the two sets of eggs. In particular, the lipids of the yol ks from the captive eggs displayed considerably lower levels of C20 an d C22 polyunsaturated fatty acids and higher levels of C18 polyunsatur ates than the wild eggs. More specifically, overall levels of n-6 poly unsaturates were increased at the expense of n-3 acids in the captive eggs. In view of the specific role of C20 and C22 polyunsaturated fatt y acids in embryo development, it is proposed that the yolk fatty acid compositional differences and the difference in hatchability are asso ciated.