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- Recently, a study has found a Snailfish that lives in an iceberg habitat in Greenland can survive in icy Arctic waters due to the presence of antifreeze proteins in its bloodstream.
- The name snailfish can refer to any of the more than 400 species found in the family Liparidae.
- Sometimes they’re also called sea snails—not to be confused with gastropod sea snails (which are the animals).
- The Snailfish releases biofluorescence, which allows it to glow green and red in the dark arctic waters.
- Snailfish is the only polar fish reported to have biofluorescence.
- Biofluorescence is the ability of an organism to convert blue light into green, red, or yellow light.
- It is rarely found in Arctic fish due to prolonged periods of darkness in the region.
- They are found all over the world, including in Antarctica.
- Although they’re found in shallow waters, the deep-sea species are the ones that stand out.
- Snailfish found on an iceberg habitat in Greenland can survive in icy Arctic waters due to the presence of ‘antifreeze’ proteins in their bloodstream.
- Further, scientists also discovered the most highly expressed genes were related to antifreeze proteins.
- This extraordinary feature, which is rare among sea organisms, allows snailfish to prevent ice crystals from accumulating in their cells and body fluid.
- The climate change could affect its survivability, as with rising ocean temperature icebergs would melt at a faster rate.
- The increase biodiversity that warmer waters bring to higher latitudes can increase competition, thereby jeopardizing its position in the food chain.
- The findings demonstrate how marine life can sustain in sub-zero temperatures using their unique adaptation mechanisms.
SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT
