The occurrence of wax esters in crustaceans from the North-east Atlantic Ocean

✍ Scribed by R. J. Morris

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1972
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 507 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0025-3162
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00347947

✦ Synopsis

The lJpids of 2 species and I group of copepods, 4 species of euphausiids, 2 species of mysids, and 6 species of deeapods, taken from different depths in the North-eastern Atlantie Ocean and Western Mediterranean Sea, have been analysed specifically for their wax ester content. The mid-water animals living below 500 m contained large amounts of wax ester (30 to 80 % total lipid), while those animals living in the upper 600 to 700 m or on the sea floor had only small wax ester fractions (5 to t0 % total lipid). It is suggested that the wax esters are laid down by those animals living in areas of low food density, where energy conservation is important, partly to achieve a more neutral buoyancy. In addition, it would appear that wax esters can function as energy reserves.