trans ‐6‐Hexadecenoic acid in the Atlantic leatherback Dermochelys coriacea coriacea L. and other marine turtles

Depot fat from the Atlantic leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea coriacea L.) was shown to contain ≈3% of trans ‐6‐hexadecenoic acid. Structural details were elucidated through comparative aspects of isolation techniques, NMR, IR, hydrogenation, oxidative fission, etc., and confirmed by similarity of properties with those of a sample of fatty acid of this structure isolated from the seed oil of Picramnia sellowii . One additional leather‐back turtle oil sample, and depot fat from two other marine turtles, the loggerhead ( Caretta caretta caretta ) and ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea kempi ) contained this acid, that from the ridley in a lower proportion. No corresponding C 18 acid was detected in the leatherback oil.