A comparative study on fatty acid content of main organs and lipid classes of land snails Assyriella Escheriana and Assyriella Guttata distributed in Southeastern Anatolia

Abstract

In the present work, main organs (digestive gland, cephalopedal, gonad and mantle) and lipid classes (total, neutral and phospholipid) of land snails Assyriella escheriana and Assyriella guttata from southeastern Anatolia were examined for their fatty acids. The major components detected in both of the species were C16: 0, C18: 0, C18: 1 omega 9, C18: 2 omega 6, C18: 3 omega 3, C20: 2 omega 6 and C20: 4 omega 6. C18: 2 omega 6 was identified as the primary fatty acid ranging from 17.07% to 28.12% in A. guttata and 18.02% to 27.43% in A. escheriana. The proportions of C20: 4 omega 6 modified to form prostaglandins that are directly involved in regulation of reproduction, ranged from 10.01% to 20.30% in A. escheriana and 11.05 % to 16.58% in A. guttata. Taking into consideration that SPUFA levels were always higher than SSFA and SMUFA levels in all treatments of both species. This was an expected finding for the snails collected during the breeding season because PUFA plays an important role as precursors for signal-transduction involved in the regulation of mating and reproduction. A significant amount of C20: 2 omega 6 was concentrated in the cephalopedal of A. guttata (13.42%) and A. escheriana (14.93%). Probably, cephalopedal serves as a storage organ of this component. Consequently, the findings revealed that the snail's fatty acid profiles were qualitatively similar, but quantitatively there were some differences. Most important of all, tissues of the snails were good source of essential fatty acids (C18: 2 omega 6 and C18: 3 omega 3) and PUFA, particularly omega 6 fatty acids.