Lipid of the Month

Each month we highlight a lipid of scientific interest. The LIPID MAPS® Lipid of the Month Archive lists lipids highlighted from 2015 - present.

May 2025

Lipid of the month Tunaxanthin A

May 2nd is, apparently, World Tuna Day. While it might not have the same scale as other international observations, it’s an oppor-tuna-ty (sorry!) to look at how we manage fish stocks to ensure sustainability.

Famously, fish are a source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which they accumulate via their diet, but they harbour many other lipids too. Several carotenoids, collectively termed tunaxanthins, were first isolated from tuna1. These are also present in many other fish species and marine creatures and, like DHA, are likely derived from algae in their diet.Experiments suggest tunaxanthins may be formed from dietary astaxanthin2 which is a commonly occurring pigment in algae.

In photosynthetic algae, carotenoids act as accessory pigments in photosynthesis, but higher up the food chain, tunaxanthin takes on different roles. It is responsible for the bright yellow colouration of parts of the fish3 and is even found in the red throats of male frigate birds, which they use to attract a mate.

So maintaining sustainable fish stocks isn't just about making sure your tuna mayo sandwich is always available, it might also affect lots of other creatures too.

References

Lipid of the Month Archive

2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015