Sensation in Antarctica – a world of millions of creatures hidden under the ice

Scientists aboard the German icebreaker RV Polarstern have discovered the world's largest colony of Neopagetopsis ionah fish under the Antarctic ice, covering 240 sq km and containing about 60 million nests. The colony's boundaries are strikingly clear. The discovery was published in Current Biology and has become the basis for creating a marine protected area.

Scientists aboard the German icebreaker RV Polarstern in the Weddell Sea have made a sensational discovery: the world's largest colony of Neopagetopsis ionah fish has been found under multi-meter Antarctic ice. The colony covers about 240 square kilometers, with approximately 60 million nests, each containing about 1,700 eggs. The boundaries of the zone are strikingly clear, as if drawn with a ruler. The fish chose this area due to local hydrological conditions: warmer waters bring zooplankton, creating a food base. The results were published in the journal Current Biology. The discovery has become the basis for an initiative to grant the territory the status of a marine protected area. The crew installed autonomous cameras for long-term monitoring.