Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

High levels of docosahexaenoic acid are present in eight New World silversides (Pisces: Atherinopsidae)

2020; Sociedade Brasileira de Ictiologia; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1590/1982-0224-2019-0089

1982-0224

Carlos A. Martínez‐Palacios, Sibila Concha-Santos, Elva Mayra Toledo‐Cuevas, María Gisela Ríos‐Durán, Carlos Cristian Martínez‐Chávez, Pamela Navarrete‐Ramírez, Luciana Raggi, Carlos Augusto Strüssmann, Juan P. Hualde, Mariela A. Demicheli, Jorge Fonseca-Madrigal,

Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species

ABSTRACT Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the most critical and least available omega-3 fatty acid in the Western human diet. Currently, the source of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) is mainly dependent on wild fisheries, making this resource unsustainable in the foreseeable future. In recent years, a high rate of biosynthesis and accumulation of DHA has been discovered in a freshwater species (Chirostoma estor) belonging to the Atherinopsidae family. Interest in evaluating fatty acid composition in other members of the family has emerged, so this study compiles original data of flesh composition of eight atherinopsid species from freshwater and brackish environments, either wild or cultured. High levels of DHA (16 to 31%) were found in all analyzed members of the family, except in C. grandocule, independently of their habitat or origin. The analyzed species of the Jordani group (C. estor, C. promelas and C. humboldtianum) showed high DHA and low EPA levels (<0.5%) as previously reported for cultured C. estor. The low trophic niche of these atherinopsids and their fatty acid accumulation capabilities are factors that make these species noteworthy candidates for sustainable aquaculture.