Comparative investigation of phospholipids and fatty acids of freshwater molluscs from the Volga river basin.

1. Four Gastropoda species and two Bivalvia species from the Volga river basin were examined. 2. Distribution of phospholipids in the molluscs was studied by qualitative and quantitative micro thin-layer chromatography. 3. Major phospholipid classes, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, were found to contain plasmalogens. 4. One mollusc species notably contained 67 fatty acids including 25 saturated (both iso and anteiso), 24 monoenoic, five dienoic, four trienoic and eight polyenoic compounds identified by capillary gas chromatography; fatty acid contents in the other studied species were considerably lower. 5. Relatively high concentrations of nonmethylene-interrupted fatty acids were detected in certain examined species.