Sea pigs, icefish and trilobites: Antarctica’s mysterious marine life – in pictures

Paraledone octopus

Pareledone is a genus of octopus found only in Antarctic waters. These seafloor dwellers live in shallow water and as deep as 4,000 metres. One Pareledone, the Turquet’s octopus, helped scientists understand a mystery that had long puzzled them. Genetic analysis found that distinct populations from the Weddell, Amundsen and Ross seas interbred 125,000 years ago, showing that the West Antarctic ice sheet melted during the last interglacial, a time with climate conditions much like today.