During an expedition in the Weddell Sea, in AntarcticaA group of scientists made an unexpected discovery. While searching for the historic HMS Endurance, which was wrecked in 1915, they discovered this Hundreds of fish nests Hidden under the Larsen C ice shelf.
The area became accessible after the A68 iceberg broke off in 2017. In January 2019, the crew boarded the SA research vessel Agulhas II for a 49-day mission. Although sea ice prevented a full search for the ship, the team documented previously unseen images of the ocean floor.
Using the Lassie remote vehicle, The researchers captured more than 1,000 circular cavities in the sedimentinhabited by this species Lindbergichthys nudifronsknown as primogeniture also Rock dogfish. The structures are organized into complex geometric shapes, such as crescents, ovals, U-shaped shapes, and isolated arrangements.
Scientists determined that the most common nests were clumps, which represented 42% of the total. These gatherings They will form a collective defense against predators Such as brittle stars and tapeworms. According to the study, the latter locate eggs using chemical signals, and groups can make this task more difficult.
Male specimens of this species protect nests for about four months, protecting the eggs from potential threats. On the other hand, isolated nests tend to have larger fish that are able to defend themselves.
The images also showed larvae inside the nests. This reproductive behavior is interpreted as an expression of “Selfish herd theory”which states that individuals seek to locate themselves among others to reduce the risk of a predator.
Previous research has already discovered similar behaviors in the region, where species such as icefish, which have transparent blood, live. The researchers noted that these findings suggest replication A The ecosystem is more complex than previously thought.
The results support efforts to establish Marine protected area in the Weddell Sea. This proposal is being analyzed by the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.
Although the expedition was unable to find the Endurance ship – which exists until 2022 – the discovery of the nests represents a major advance in knowledge of biodiversity in Antarctic waters.