Fatty acid profiles and carotenoids accumulation in hepatopancreas and ovary of wild female mud crab (Scylla paramamosain, Estampador, 1949)

Fatty acid profiles and carotenoid concentrations in the hepatopancreas and ovary of wild female mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, collected from Surat Thani Province, Thailand were investigated for better understanding of nutritional status influencing the reproductive performance of mud crab broodstock. The results showed that palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0) and oleic acid (18:1n-9) were the major fatty acids in both hepatopancreas and ovary. The concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) accumulated in ovary were about 2.31-4.40 times greater than those in hepatopancreas. Whereas linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6), arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) were the dominating FA in ovary, only ARA and EPA were abundant in hepatopancreas. The levels of carotenoids in both tissues increased with ovarian maturation particularly in the ovary in which levels were 2.34-6.68 times greater than those in hepatopancreas. -carotene was the only form found in hepatopancreas while five forms of carotenoids, -carotene, echinenone, canthaxanthin ester, cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, were found in the ovary. However, -carotene and zeaxanthin were the main groups that showed increased levels with gonad maturation. This study demonstrated that PUFA, particularly 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, and 22:6n-3 in association with carotenoids, mainly -carotene and zeaxanthin, possibly play an important role in gonad maturation of female mud crab S. paramamosain.