Intraspecific variations in the fatty acids of the diatom Skeletonema costatum

The fatty acid composition of triplicate cultures of four clones of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum are reported. Variations in the percentage of individual components and in total acid concentrations are significantly different between clones from coastal, estuarine and oceanic locations. The percentage abundance of individual fatty acids showed the greatest diversity between clones, with all clone pairs except the two isolated from coastal environments being significantly different. Growth curves and cell size were also different for individual clones, providing further evidence of intraspecific diversity.