The fat of the green turtle

Abstract

In most respects the component acids of the fat of the green turtle (Chelone mydas) are qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those which have been observed in depot fats of other amphibians. They are unusual in that they include about 17% (mol.) of lauric acid and 12% myristic acid. The satd. acids amount to 50% of the total fatty acid content; a similar high content of satd. acids (usually confined to palmitic and stearic) has been recorded previously for fats from a few spp. of tropical fish [Tsujimoto, 1932; Wang and Kan, 1936]. Oleic acid is the dominant unsatd. acid, but unsatd. C16, C20, and C22 acids are also present in proportions similar to those previously observed in depot fats of other amphibians. The fat includes 10% of fully satd. glycerides (chiefly mixed lauro-myristio-palmitins) and about the same quantity of C18 triglycerides (probably some stearodiolein). Most of the glycerides must include at least one oleic group associated with one or (more frequently) 2 other acyl groups.