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Marine Ecology and Stock Assessment Program

Changes In Body Composition and Fatty Acid Profile During Quillback Rockfish (Sebastes maliger) Embryogenesis

Researchers from ABL's Marine Chemistry and Marine Ecology Programs investigated developmental changes in the body compositions and fatty acid (FA) profiles of embryos and preparturition larvae of the quillback rockfish (Sebastes maliger).

Comparisons of proximate composition data from early-stage embryos versus hatched, preparturition larvae taken from wild-caught gravid females indicated that embryos gain over one-third their weight in moisture while consuming 20% of their dry tissue mass for energy as they develop into larvae. Lipids contributed 60% of the energy consumed and were depleted more rapidly than protein, indicating a protein-sparing effect. Oil globule volume was strongly correlated with lipid levels, affirming its utility as an indicator of energetic status.

The FA profiles of early embryos differed significantly from those of hatched larvae. Differences in the relative abundances of FAs between early embryos and hatched larvae indicated different FA depletion rates during embryonic development.

We conclude that some metabolically important FAs may prove useful in assessing the condition of embryos and preparturition larvae, particularly the FA 20:4n-6, which cannot be synthesized by many marine fish and which was conserved during embryogenesis. Variability in body composition and energy use among rockfish species should be considered when interpreting any measures of condition.

By Fletcher Sewall
 

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