Have you ever imagined swimming in icy polar depths, of course not right? If a human does that he or she will definitely die. But this amazing creature can do it without dying, It's name is Antarctic tooth fish. It usually can be seen in icy polar depths. It is really unusual and incredible. They have an all-natural antifreeze coursing through their blood. Really cool right?
These fish have long been studied for their ability to produce anti-freeze proteins that keep their blood from crystallizing, But sadly very little is known about them. I think you guys will be interested in learning more than these facts, even though I usually talk about their special features I think this will be interesting to you.
They live to almost 50 years of age and grow relatively slowly. They likely mature between 13 and 17 years of age (120-133 cm in length).
In the Ross Sea, toothfish are caught throughout the water column from about 300 metres to more than 2,200m deep. While most fish control their buoyancy with a swim bladder, toothfish actually use lipids or fats (lending to their popularity as a food fish).
Recent research suggests that toothfish have a complex life cycle which includes a remarkable spawning migration. In the Ross Sea region, adults feed over the continental shelf and slope, and then migrate from the Ross Sea continental shelf to northern seamounts, banks and ridges around the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge system. Here in the northern offshore waters, fish release their eggs, which are then picked up by the Ross Gyre and brought back to the shelf. This hypothesis is likely, but not yet proven because Antarctic toothfish eggs or larvae have never been found. Small juveniles have been found in other regions, but never in the Ross Sea, lending even more mystery to the life cycle of this fish.
They are very mysteries creatures since most of their secrets are uncovered. Let's hope that researchers find more information about them. If you are interested in learning about animals check out our other articles.