The fatty acid profiles of Antarctic ('n' = 7) and non-Antarctic yeasts ('n' = 7) grown at different temperatures were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The Antarctic yeasts were enriched in oleic 18:1 (20-60 %), linoleic 18:2 (20-50 %) and linolenic 18:3 (5-40 %) acids with lesser amounts of palmitic 16:0 (<15 %) and palmitoleic 16:1 (<10 %) acids. The non Antarctic yeasts ('n' = 4) were enriched in 18:1 (20-55 %, with 'R. mucilaginosa' at 75-80 %) and 18:2 (10-40 %) with lesser amounts of 16:0 (<20 %), 16:1 (<20 %) and stearic 18:0 (<10 %) acids. By contrast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains ('n' = 3) were enriched in 16:1 (30-50 %) and 18:1 (20-40 %) with lesser amounts of 16:0 (10-25 %) and 18:0 (5-10 %) acids. Principal component analysis grouped the yeasts into three clusters, one belonging to the 'S. cerevisiae' strains (enriched in 16:0, 16:1 and 18:1), one to the other non-Antarctic yeasts (enriched in 18:1 and 18:2) and the third to the Antarctic yeasts (enriched in 18:2 and 18:3).