Changes in Proximate and Fatty Acids of the Eggs During Embryo Development in the Blue Swimming Crab, Portunus pelagicus (Linnaeus 1758) at Lasongko Bay, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia

This study was aimed to elucidate changes in the contents of proximate and fatty acid of the blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus) eggs during embryonic development based on changes in egg colors. The changes in egg color during the embryonic development are as follows: yellow, orange, brown and finally gray and black. The content of protein, fat and carbohydrate in P. pelagicus eggs decreased, but the the content of water and ash increased at different embryonic development stages. Twenty-nine types of fatty acids were detected in the crab eggs. The fatty acid content of orangecolored eggs had lower fat compared to the other three colors. The content of SFA and MUFA eggs decreased as the egg color changed, but the FUFA content increased. In general, the contents of ARA, EPA and DHA eggs increased during the color change process from yellow to dark gray but declined sharply in the orange-colored eggs. Thus the content of proximate and fatty acid was changed as the egg color changed from yellow to dark gray.