Studies on Lipids of the Antarctic Minke Whale. I

The Fatty Acid Components of the Minke Whale Blubber Oils caught on 1987/88 Season

Abstract

Determination was made of fatty acid components of minke whale blubber oils as a part of “Japanese 1987/1988 research plan on the feasibility of -program of research on southern hemisphere minke whales and preliminary research on the marine ecosystem in the Antarctic-”. Blubber was obtained from 8 male immature, 1 male maturing, 16 male mature, 4 female immature and 9 female mature (pregnant) minke whales caught in Antarctic ocean from January to March of 1988. Oil content varied widely from 11.9% to 52.1%, according to the sex and the age of the animal. All blubber oils contained about 45 fatty acid components varying in composition. The major fatty acids were 18 : 1, 16 : 1, 16 : 0, 20 : 5, 14 : 0 and 22 : 6, where n : m indicates fatty acids with n carbon atoms and m e=c double bonds.