Fatty acids of the lipids of murrels

The fatty acid composition of the body, liver and visceral lipids of four species of murrel, has been determined by argentation column fractionation and gas-liquid chromatography (g.l.c.). Levels of 20:4ω6 (ca 7–22%) unusually high for fish, occur in the majority of lipids analysed. Other predominant components were 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2ω6, 18:3ω3, 22:4ω6, 22:5ω6, 22:5ω3 and 22:6ω3.