The Antarctic Cod, fish of the Nototheniidae family that includes Mawson's cod (Dissostichus mawsoni), is famous for producing antifreeze protein that allows it to hide just under the Antarctic ice. With a heartbeat of once every six seconds, research involving Antarctic cod may lead to advances in cardiac medicine involving conditions where human hearts beat slowly during certain medical procedures or fail to beat fast enough due to hypothermia. Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms (as opposed to folk taxonomy). ... Phyla Subregnum Parazoa Porifera (sponges) Subregnum Agnotozoa Placozoa (trichoplax) Orthonectida (orthonectids) Rhombozoa (rhombozoans) Subregnum Eumetazoa Radiata (unranked) (radial symmetry) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria (coral, jellyfish, anemones) Bilateria (unranked) (bilateral symmetry) Acoelomorpha (basal) Orthonectida (parasitic to flatworms, echinoderms, etc. ... Typical Classes Subphylum Urochordata - Tunicatas Ascidiacea Thaliacea Larvacea Subphylum Cephalochordata - Lancelets Subphylum Myxini - Hagfishes Subphylum Vertebrata - Vertebrates Petromyzontida - Lampreys Placodermi (extinct) Chondrichthyes - Cartilaginous fishes Acanthodii (extinct) Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes Actinistia - Coelacanths Dipnoi - Lungfishes Amphibia - Amphibians Reptilia - Reptiles Aves - Birds Mammalia - Mammals Chordates (phylum Chordata) include the vertebrates, together with... Orders See text The Actinopterygii are the ray-finned fish. ... Families many, see text The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. ... Species Genus Aethotaxis    mitopteryx Genus Cryothenia    peninsulae Genus Dissostichus    eleginoides    mawsoni Genus Gobionotothen    acuta    barsukovi    gibberifrons    marionensis Genus Gvozdarus    svetovidovi Genus Lepidonotothen    kempi    larseni    macrophthalma    mizops    nudifrons    squamifrons Genus Notothenia    angustata    coriiceps    cyanobrancha    microlepidota    rossii Genus Pagothenia    borchgrevinki    brachysoma Genus Paranotothenia    dewitti    magellanica Genus Patagonotothen (all non-Antarctic)    brevicauda    canina... In biology, binomial nomenclature is the formal method of naming species. ... Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: one of the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... Species Genus Aethotaxis    mitopteryx Genus Cryothenia    peninsulae Genus Dissostichus    eleginoides    mawsoni Genus Gobionotothen    acuta    barsukovi    gibberifrons    marionensis Genus Gvozdarus    svetovidovi Genus Lepidonotothen    kempi    larseni    macrophthalma    mizops    nudifrons    squamifrons Genus Notothenia    angustata    coriiceps    cyanobrancha    microlepidota    rossii Genus Pagothenia    borchgrevinki    brachysoma Genus Paranotothenia    dewitti    magellanica Genus Patagonotothen (all non-Antarctic)    brevicauda    canina... Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) and Antifreeze glycoproteins (AFGPs) are produced as a specialised adaptation by certain fish, insects, plants and bacteria. ... Greek ἀνταρκτικός, opposite the arctic) is a continent surrounding the Earths South Pole. ... This page is about the muscular organ, the Heart. ... Hypothermia is a medical condition in which the victims core body temperature has dropped to significantly below normal and normal metabolism begins to be impaired. ...

Despite its name, the Antarctic Cod is quite unrelated to the true cod; it is not even in the same order, being classified as a perciform rather than a gadiform. Species Gadus morhua Gadus macrocephalus Gadus ogac Cod surfacing This article is about codfish; for other meanings, see COD. Cod is the common name for the genus Gadus of fish, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name of a variety of other fishes. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Families many, see text The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. ... Families Euclichthyidae (Eucla cod) Lotidae Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails) Moridae (morid cods or moras) Melanonidae (pelagic cods) Macruronidae (southern hakes) Bregmacerotidae (codlets) Muraenolepididae (eel cods) Phycidae (phycid hakes) Merlucciidae (merluccid hakes) Gadidae (true cods) Gadiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, also called the Anacanthini, that includes the cod...

These large, fish are probably mesopelagic and have been caught in waters deeper than 2000 meters. Fully grown, these grayish fish are among the biggest in the Antarctic, at least 2 meters long and weighing anywhere between 30 and 140 kilograms. The flesh is white with a high oil content. The taste is said to be similar to cod, which led to the name Antarctic Cod. Other than man, their primary enemies are the Weddell seal, the leopard seal, and Orca. They are closely related to and sometimes confused with the Patagonian toothfish. Binomial name Leptonychotes weddellii (Lesson, 1826) The Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii), a true seal, is named after Sir James Weddell, commander of British sealing expeditions in the Weddell Sea. ... Binomial name Hydrurga leptonyx (Blainville,, 1820) The Leopard Seal Hydrurga leptonyx is a true seal belonging to the family Phocidae. ... Binomial name Dissostichus eleginoides Smitt, 1898 The Patagonian Toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) is a large, slender fish found in the cold, temperate waters (from 50 to 3850m) of the Southern Atlantic, Southern Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans on seamounts and continental shelves around most sub-Antarctic islands. ...

Antarctic Cod are more commonly known as Antarctic toothfish, They are probably the main fish predator in Antarctic waters; occupying the ecological niche of sharks in more temperate seas. They are generally piscavorous but are known to eat almost anything including the remains of penguins caught by seals and orca on the surface.

Antarctic Cod have a lightweight cartilaginous skeleton, no swim bladder and fatty deposits which allow them to live in middle level waters. They also have retinas that are well adapted to the low light levels. Snow or ice on the surface of the sea, even in summer, reduces light levels to that of the great depths in the open oceans. Coloring is black to olive brown and lighter on the undersides. They have a broad head, narrow body, two fins running along the back and belly, large pectorial fins, and an additional small fin in front of the back fin. Its distribution range is generally below 65 degrees South. It is mainly caught in the Ross Sea in the austral summer. Antarctic toothfish is managed by CCAMLR the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. (CCAMLR) has limited fishing to a precautionary catch level in the Ross sea, fishing takes place with the aim of collecting sufficient biological and stock size information to effectively manage this fishery in the future. Cartilage is a type of dense connective tissue. ... Skeleton of a Blue Whale In biology, the skeleton or skeletal system is the biological system providing physical support in living organisms. ... The gas bladder (also fish maw, less accurately swim bladder or air bladder) is an internal organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth, ascend, or descend without having to waste energy in swimming. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Human eye cross-sectional view. ... Map of Antarctica (click to enlarge) Ice in the Ross Sea, Antarctica The Ross Sea is a deep bay of the Southern Ocean in Antarctica between Victoria Land and Marie Byrd Land. ... The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources is part of the Antarctic Treaty System. ...

References

• Dissostichus mawsoni (TSN 642808). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 30 January 2006.
• Dissostichus mawsoni. FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 10 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.