Proximate and Total Fatty Acid Compositions of the Reproductive Organs of Male and Female Common Squid Todarodes pacificus

We analyzed the compositions of proximate and total fatty acids in the reproductive organs of male (testis, vas deferens, seminal vesicle, and spermatophore sac) and female (ovary, oviduct, oviducal gland, and nidamental gland) common squid. The protein contents were 12.1-22.7 and 13.2-19.4% for males and females, respectively, and the lipid contents were 1.0-2.7 and 2.1-8.0%, respectively. The prominent fatty acids in all reproductive organs were 22:6n-3, 20:5n-3, 16:0, 20:1n-9, 18:0, 18:1n-9, and 20:4n-6. Females had 28.6-32.0% of 22:6n-3 and 11.3-22.6% of 20:5n-3, while males had 20.8-26.8% of 22:6n-3 and 14.4-28.7% of 20:5n-3. These results indicate that the reproductive organs of both male and female squid are potential sources of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid.