Haematological values and fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phospholipids in cod ( Gadus morhua) fed at different water temperatures

Haematological values and fatty acid composition of erythrocyte phospholipids were determined in cod ( Gadus morhua) which had been fed at 8, 12 and 16°C. The number of erythrocytes and the values of haematocrit and haemoglobin were highest at 16°C whereas the mean cell volume and mean cell haemoglobin were lowest at this temperature. The mean cell haemoglobin concentration was not affected by water temperature. The fatty acid composition of the main phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol (PI), in the erythrocytes was determined. The relative levels of both saturated and monoene fatty acids declined with decreasing water temperature and the polyunsaturated fatty acid fraction generally increased.