Fatty acid composition in eggs and adults of Tigriopus angulatus (copepoda: Harpacticoida)

Tigriopus angulatus is a harpacticoid copepod, which inhabits intertidal pools in the South Pacific coasts. Through analysis of fatty acids by gaseous chromatography of specimens collected in Montemar area, Valparaíso Bay, central Chile, we determined the relative composition (mass percentage of fatty acids) and quantity of fatty acids (ng ind^-1) of the following ontogenetic stages: eggs, non-ovigerous females, ovigerous females and males. All analyzed stages had higher relative percentages of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids than high-unsaturated and poli-unsaturated fatty acids. The omega 3 family showed higher relative percentages than omega 6. The more abundant fatty acids were palmitic, stearic, oleic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. The fatty acids quantity per individual was significantly different between eggs and adult females. The adult non-ovigerous and ovigerous females showed more total fatty acids than males and eggs, and only male were quantitatively similar in fatty acids to the eggs.