Fig. 6

Lipid and fatty acid composition of A. mollis. a Neutral lipid content of triacylglycerol (TAG), free fatty acid (FFA) and diacylglycerol (DAG) in auricularia, auricularia with hyaline spheres (HS) and through metamorphosis via doliolaria to pentactula. (N = 5). b Total structural lipids (phospholipids and sterol) as in Panel A, but with age of larvae (days post-fertilization) as X-axis. c TLC plate developed in a neutral solvent system containing hexane–diethyl ether–acetic acid (80:20:1, by vol.) followed by staining with iodine vapours. Lipid extracts of A. mollis auricularia with HS (A-HS), doliolaria (D) and lipid standards (STD). Grey line shows origin. d Re-extracted TAG band from TLC plate stained with Nile Red shows yellow colour under blue light excitation. e Re-extracted FFA band from TLC plate stained with Nile Red shows red colour under blue light excitation. f Fatty acid composition of auricularia and auricularia with hyaline spheres (HS) divided into saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids (N = 3)