Final answer:
The claim that ester linkages are found in sphingolipids and waxes is false; while waxes contain ester linkages, sphingolipids are comprised of amide bonds, not esters.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that ester linkages are found in sphingolipids and waxes is false. Ester linkages are indeed a characteristic feature of waxes, which are composed of long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. Examples include myricyl palmitate found in beeswax, which is the result of the esterification of palmitic acid and myricyl alcohol, and cetyl palmitate, a natural wax present in sperm whales. However, sphingolipids are not formed by ester linkages; instead, they are amides of fatty acids. Sphingolipids consist of a fatty acid linked to an amino alcohol backbone called sphingosine and they can have either a phosphate group (forming sphingomyelin) or a carbohydrate (forming glycolipid) attached.