Phospholipids of marine origin. V. The crab--a comparative study of a marine species (Cyclograpsus punctatus) and a fresh water species (Potamon)

A comparison has been made between phospholipids extracted from a marine crab and from a fresh water crab. Marine crab (body and viscera) contained a phospholipid fraction which liberated 2-aminoethylphos-phonic acid upon hydrolysis, while this substance was absent from the fresh water crab. Marine crab phospholipids had a higher content of phosphatidyl choline (57%), a higher content of phosphatidyl serine (5%) but a lower content of phosphatidyl ethanolamine (22%) than phospholipids from the fresh water crab (respective values: 52, 2 and 27%). Marine crab phospholipids and non-phosphorylated lipids were richer in C20 plus C22 fatty acids but poorer in C18: 2 acid, than were the corresponding lipids from the fresh water crab.