FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF FATS AROUND THE MYSTACIAL AND SUPERCILIARY VIBRISSAE DIFFERS FROM THAT OF BLUBBER IN THE SAIMAA RINGED SEAL (PHOCA-HISPIDA-SAIMENSIS)

1. Adipose tissues associated with the mystacial and superciliary vibrissae of the Saimaa seal (Phoca hispida saimensis) contained 31 % of hexadecenoic acid (16:1omega7BAR), which was almost twice the already high amount in blubber. The amount of tetradecenoic acid (14:1omega5BAR) was also double that in blubber. 2. At the same time the levels of long-chain highly unsaturated docosapentaenoic (22:5omega3BAR) and docosahexaenoic acids (22:6omega3BAR) were only two-thirds of those found in blubber. 3. It is suggested that the excess of low-melting monoenoic fatty acids (14:1 and 16:1) in adipose tissues near the vibrissae might not be compensation for the low supply of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in these tissues, but that the self-induced excess of monoenoic fatty acids ensured the proper functioning of these well-developed sense organs.