Effects of diet on the carotenoid pigment and lipid content of Pomacea bridgesii as determined by quantitative high performance thin layer chromatography.

High performance thin layer chromatography was used to quantify the concentrations of beta-carotene and lutein in the whole bodies and digestive gland-gonad complexes of Pomacea bridgesii fed on a lettuce diet and a hen's egg yolk diet, and snails starved for one week. beta-carotene and lutein concentrations were determined in the fecal matter of cultures on the lettuce and yolk diets as well. Significantly higher amounts of beta-carotene were found in the whole bodies of snails fed lettuce compared with those starved for a week. beta-carotene was not detected in the whole bodies and digestive gland-gonad complexes of snails fed hen's egg yolk. Neutral and polar lipid levels were also quantified in P. bridgesii fed lettuce and yolk. Significantly higher amounts of triacylglycerols were detected in the digestive gland-gonad complexes of snails maintained on the egg yolk diet.