ABSTRACT: A suite of lipid biomarkers plus compound-specific carbon isotopes of major sterols were determined in muscle tissues across increasing sizes of northern Neptune whelks Neptunea heros, developing eggs and potential diets to link trophic patterns, metabolism and carbon sources on the Chukchi Sea shelf. Analysis of primary prey included the northern clam Astarte borealis, water column particulate organic matter (POM) and surface sediments near the collection sites. Sterols specific to major algal groups along with algal-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids (C20:5n-3, C20:4n-3, C22:6n-3) in whelk muscle tissue reflected the importance of algal primary production to benthic consumers and its direct incorporation. Compound-specific carbon isotope values of cholesterol and Δ^5,7-sterols present in foot muscle of N. heros also suggest a transition from scavenging/detrital feeding in smaller juveniles to predatory consumption by larger adults. Sexually mature adult female N. heros (shell lengths >10 cm) contained lower sterol concentrations compared to smaller whelks, which may reflect reduced consumption rates or lipid translocation during the annual reproductive cycle. Analysis of N. heros eggs at 3 developmental stages ranging from internal egg masses to mature egg cases showed significant transfer of algal-derived sterols and fatty acids which were conserved during egg maturation. The suite of individual lipid signatures and δ¹³C sterol values observed in N. heros suggest that the northern Neptune whelk relies on both direct lipid incorporation as well as metabolic modification of algal-derived food sources for sterol requirements that transition as animals mature and become predatory consumers.

中文翻译：

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脂质标记物和化合物特异性碳同位素作为北海王星海王星海王星海王星的饮食和生物合成反射器

摘要：在越来越大的北海王星海王星海王星海王星、发育中的卵和潜在饮食的肌肉组织中测定了一套脂质生物标志物加上主要甾醇的化合物特异性碳同位素，以将楚科奇海架上的营养模式、代谢和碳源联系起来. 初级猎物的分析包括北方蛤亚丝达BOREALIS，水柱粒状有机物（POM）和表面沉积物附近的收集点。海螺肌肉组织中主要藻类特有的甾醇以及藻类衍生的多不饱和脂肪酸（C20:5n-3、C20:4n-3、C22:6n-3）反映了藻类初级生产对底栖消费者及其直接作用的重要性。合并。胆固醇和 Δ 的化合物特定碳同位素值存在于N. heros 足部肌肉中的^5,7-甾醇也表明从较小的幼鱼的清除/碎屑喂养到较大的成鱼的掠食性消费的转变。与较小的海螺相比，性成熟的成年雌性猪笼草（壳长 >10 厘米）含有较低的甾醇浓度，这可能反映了在年度生殖周期中消耗率降低或脂质易位。对从内部卵块到成熟卵壳的 3 个发育阶段的N. heros卵的分析表明，海藻衍生的甾醇和脂肪酸在卵成熟过程中得到了保存。在N. heros 中观察到的一组个体脂质特征和 δ ¹³ C 甾醇值 表明北海王星海螺依靠直接脂质掺入以及藻类来源的食物来源的代谢修饰来满足甾醇需求，随着动物成熟并成为掠夺性消费者，甾醇需求会转变。