Abstract:

White muscle, red muscle, liver and spleen of male and female Trachinotus ovatus were analyzed for their fatty acid composition by gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC-MS). A total of 23 fatty acids were identified. No significant differences were found in total lipid content or fatty acid composition of the same tissues between male and female fish. Among 4 tissues, the highest and lowest total lipid contents were found in liver and white muscle, respectively. Trachinotus ovatus spleen and white muscle were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and exhibited a high nutritional value. The contents of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) were higher in liver with the lowest PUFA content than in other 3 tissues. Therefore, liver is an important energy storage organ in Trachinotus ovatus.

Key words: Trachinotus ovatus, muscle, liver, spleen, fatty acids