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Lipid (energy) reserves, utilisation and provisioning during oocyte maturation and early embryonic development of deepwater chondrichthyans

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Abstract

We studied the lipid dynamics (lipid contents, classes and fatty acids) during oogenesis and early embryogenesis of 7 viviparous and 3 oviparous deepwater chondrichthyans. Mature pre-ovulated ovarian follicles of all species were high in lipid content, indicative of large energetic expenditure and high maternal investment. Larger lipid reserves were found in viviparous dogshark (28–36% wet weight, ww) compared to oviparous chimaeras (19–24% ww) and catshark, F. boardmani (18% ww). Neutral lipids and monounsaturated fatty acids were the main source of lipidic energy during vitellogenesis and gestation. For most species, there was a peak in total lipid content, levels of storage lipids and essential fatty acids at time of ovulation. Interspecific variation of total lipid yolk reserves and lipid class profiles was largely explained by differences in parity mode, reproductive (continuous vs. non-continuous oocytes development) strategy and depth-related physiological adaptations. Fatty acid profiles were less variable among species with the most important fatty acids including: 16:0, 18:1ω9, 20:1ω9, 20:4ω6 and 22:6ω3. These findings provide a greater biochemical understanding of different maternal-embryonic relationships among chondrichthyans, which can be used as a baseline for subsequent comparative studies.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the captain and crew of Adriatic Pearl, Saxon Onward, Diana, Saxon Progress and other fishing boats for undertaking sample collection. Martin Greeve and Dieter Bremer at AWI laboratories, Germany, helped in the clarification of lipid classes using HPLC. Daniel Holdsworth maintained the GC and GC–MS facilities at CSIRO, Hobart. Dr Myron Peck and four anonymous referees are thanked for their constructive comments on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Heidi Pethybridge.

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Communicated by M. A. Peck.

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Pethybridge, H., Daley, R., Virtue, P. et al. Lipid (energy) reserves, utilisation and provisioning during oocyte maturation and early embryonic development of deepwater chondrichthyans. Mar Biol 158, 2741–2754 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1773-9

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