LIPID-CONTENT AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN WHITE-FLESH FISH SPECIES

Distribution of all visceral (muscular, liver, heart, and gonads) lipi ds, phospholipids, and fatty acid compositions of phospholipid in migr atory, coastal and reef dwelling white-flesh fish was analyzed. Sevent een midwater to surface dwelling fish, eight of which were migratory s pecies and the remaining nine coastal and reef fishes, sixteen demersa l fish and seven squids caught around Japan and northern Pacific were used for analysis. Total lipid content in the muscle of the fish exami ned were less than 10% except for blackthroat seaperch and channel roc kfish. Liver lipid showed wide variations among fish species, and lipi d contents were relatively higher in demersal fish than migratory fish . (n-3) Polyunsaturated fatty acids (C20:5 and C22:6) constituted the predominant component exceeding 50% of the total fatty acids in the ph ospholipids in all fish species examined. C22:6n-3 was the most abunda nt in muscle phospholipid of squids and salmonids.