Sterols and Fatty Acids of the Harmful Dinoflagellate Cochlodinium polykrikoides

Sterol and fatty acid compositions were determined for Cochlodinium polykrikoides, a toxic, bloom-forming dinoflagellate of global significance. The major sterols were dinosterol (40% of total sterols), dihydrodinosterol (32%), and the rare 4α-methyl Δ⁸⁽¹⁴⁾ sterol, amphisterol (23%). A minor sterol, 4α-methylergost-24(28)-enol was also detected (5.0%). The fatty acids had a high proportion of PUFAs (47%), consisting mainly of EPA (20%) and the relatively uncommon octadecapentaenoic acid (18: 5, 22%). While unlikely to be responsible for toxicity to fish, these lipids may contribute to the deleterious effects of this alga to invertebrates.