Biochemical (fatty acid profile) diversity in anostracan species of the genus Chirocephalus Prévost

Wild populations of five Chirocephalus species from Italy were tested for their fatty acid profiles, particularly essential fatty acids (EFA) in order to obtain information on species differences. Chirocephalus diaphanus, C. kerkyrensis and C. salinus were from temporary plain pools, whereas C. ruffoi and C. marchesonii came from a mountain pool and an astatic high altitude lake. Statistical comparisons of the results obtained revealed significant (P < 0.05) qualitative and quantitative differences among the species studied. Besides genetic make-up, other factors are presumably involved in these differences. Among these, environmental stability, and hence food quality and quantity, may play a major role, an hypothesis supported by previous findings regarding the possibility of manipulating fairy shrimp fatty acid patterns by using different diets. Further investigation is needed, however, on the fatty acid composition of the food resources from different habitats in relation to the fairy shrimp inhabitants.