Long chain 1,14-diols and 12-hydroxy methyl alkanoates are biomarker lipids for Proboscia diatoms and occur widely in Quaternary sediments. To determine the effect of temperature on the lipid composition of these algae, a new Proboscia sp. culture grown at 8á¦C and Proboscia indica cultures grown at 18, 21, 24 and 27á¦C were examined. The results were combined with lipid data from a P. indica culture and a Proboscia alata culture, grown at 20 and 2á¦C, respectively, from previous studies. The data showed a strong relationship between long chain diol and 12-hydroxy methyl alkanoate composition and growth temperature, i.e. the chain length increases and the degree of unsaturation of long chain 1,14-diols decreases with increasing growth temperature. To determine the effect of temperature on Proboscia lipid compositions in natural environments, we also analyzed fossil long chain 1,14-diols and 12-hydroxy methyl alkanoates in surface sediments derived from Proboscia diatoms living in the water column of the eastern South Atlantic. The results indicate a significant relationship between sea surface temperature and chain length distribution of saturated long chain diols, but also suggest that the relative abundances of unsaturated long chain diols and 12-hydroxy methyl alkanoates in sediments are predominantly determined by factors other than temperature