Keywords Mersin Bay Pomadasys stridens Lipid Fatty acids A B S T R A C T The seasonal changes in the total lipid and fatty acid profile of Pomadasys stridens, which were caught from Mersin Bay, were examined. Total lipid changes were found as 4.09%, 7.54%, 2.56%, and 1.81% in spring, summer, autumn, and winter seasons, respectively. A total of 30 fatty acids were defined in the muscle tissue by GC analysis. Among these, the major fatty acids are saturated fatty acids such as (SFA) palmitic acid

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... (C16:0) and stearic acid (C18:0), monounsaturated fatty acids as oleic acid (C18:1n9c) and 11docosenoic acid (C22:1n11), and polyunsaturated fatty acids as eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5n3), and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6n3). Palmitic acid and stearic acid varied in the range of 16.92-22.74%, and 8.06-13.86%; and they were found at the level of 297.82-1567.14 mg/100g and 182.49-555.46 mg/100g, respectively. Oleic acid and 11-docosenoic acid varied in the range11.54-21.32% and 2.99-4.98%, and they were determined to range 251.20-1436.89 mg/100g and 72.56-206.06 mg/100g, respectively. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) varied in the range of 3.58-5.45% and 5.57-13.42%; the levels of EPA and DHA were found 55.27-324.59 mg/100g and 153.12-492.90 mg/100g, respectively. TheΣn3, Σn6, Σn9 fatty acid levels of P. stridens changed between 10.65-19.41%, 3.45-4.50%, 12.59-22.72%; and they were found 233.75-733.95 mg/100g, 68.40-237.76 mg/100g, 271.12-1531.99 mg/100g respectively. The change intervals of the atherogenicity index (Ai) and thrombogenicity index (Ti) levels during the year were determined as 0.32-0.42% and 0.39-0.51%, respectively.