Ether glycerophospholipids of gills of two pacific crabs,Cancer antennarius andPortunus xantusi

Phospholipids and sterols constituted 70 and 20%, respectively, of the total lipids of the gills of two crabs,Cancer antennarius andPortunus xantusi. Phosphatidylcholine (46–55% of the total phospholipid phosphorous) and phosphatidylethanolamine (24–25%) were the principal phospholipids present. In both species 1′-alkenyl glycerols were present in about 20% of the phospholipid molecules but were not detected in the neutral gill lipids. The total ether phospholipids ofC. antennarius gills contained 62% 1-(1′-alkenyl) groups, with the remainder probably being 1-alkyl moieties. Total gill plasmalogen contents were in the range of 163–184 μmol/g lipid, 82–87% of which was in the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction in both crab species.