Vertical fatty acid composition in the blubber of leopard seals and the implications for dietary analysis

•The blubber of leopard seals has a stratified fatty acid composition.•The stratification pattern is similar to other marine mammals.•The influence of diet is more evident in the inner blubber layer.•Diet is not the only component influencing the fatty acids in the blubber.•For dietary analysis, the use of the inner layer is recommended.