Biochemical composition and trophic strategies of the amphipod Eurythenes gryllus at hadal depths (Atacama Trench, South Pacific)

Abstract

Amphipods Eurythenes gryllus were collected at 7800 m depth in the Atacama Trench (South Pacific) for studying their biochemical composition (in terms of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates and fatty acid content) and to gather information on bioenergetic strategies and trophic habits of organisms living in this extreme environment. The effect of long-term formalin storage on the biochemical determinations was also determined. Proteins were the dominant biochemical class of organic compounds (39–53%D.W.), whereas carbohydrates accounted for a very small fraction (1–2%D.W.). Lipid concentrations of E. gryllus accounted for 7–18%D.W. and were much lower than those reported for other deep-sea amphipods. These differences are likely to be more dependent upon food availability in the Atacama Trench rather than upon temperature. Lipid composition of E. gryllus revealed the dominance of monounsaturated fatty acids with polyunsaturated fatty acids accounting for a very small fraction, suggesting that hadal amphipods are higher dependent upon lipid reserves than amphipods inhabiting at shallow depths. The ratio of C18:1Δ⁹ to C18:1Δ¹¹ was >11 confirming the necrophagous trophic habits of this hadal amphipod.

Keywords:

• Eurythenes gryllus
• Biochemical composition
• Fatty acids
• Hadal systems

Acknowledgments

This study was carried out in the framework of the ATIE programme (Atacama Trench International Expedition). We thank the captain of the R/V Vidal Gormaz for technical support during the cruise, Dr N. G. Frega for gas chromatography analyses and Dr M. Petrillo for his useful comments on an early draft of the manuscript.