Fatty acid profiles of Trachinus radiatus Cuvier, 1829 (Perciformes-Trachinoidei, Trachinidae).

The goal of this study was to analyse the fatty acid ( FA) profiles of the streaked (starry) weever ( Trachinus radiatus), a prized food fish in the countries of its distribution. Fish ( N = 20) were sampled in July 2011. Location: 42.761019°N, 17.765090°W; Adriatic Sea, Elaphite Islands near Dubrovnik, Croatia, at 5-10 m depth using longline hooks; body length ranges: 24.1-47.2 cm, weight ranges: 120-960 g. Morphological species determination was genetically confirmed (Folmer region of COI gene). Biochemical analysis of T. radiatus muscular tissue (filet) revealed average ± SD dry matter of 252.3 ± 14.8 g/kg w.w.; moisture of 747.7 ± 14.8 g/kg w.w., and ash of 28.0 ± 6.9 g/kg w.w. Intramuscular crude protein content exceeded the total lipid ( TL = 11.9 ± 4.0 g/kg w.w.) content approximately 17.7 fold. Unsaturated FA ( UFA) was higher than saturated FA ( SFA), with a predominance of polyunsaturated FA ( PUFA). The ω3:ω6 ratio was 4.9:1, respectively. Among individually determined fatty acids, the PUFA 22:6n3 ( DHA) was highly present (29.99 ± 2.75% TL) followed by a relatively high 20:5n3 ( EPA) content. There was 25 fold higher EPA content than of substrate α LNA, and a 15.5 fold higher DHA content to DPAn3. Such ratios indicate that besides trophic ingestion, FA bioconversion elongase/desaturase synthesis pathways toward ω3 PUFA in Weevers could be highly efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]