COPEPODS DISCOVERED IN THE DRY VALLEYS OF ANTARCTICA

22.03.2011

A joint NZ-US research team working in the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica has made a remarkable discovery.  Under the 5 metres of ice which covers Lake Joyce they have found evidence of an active population of freshwater copepods. These small crustaceans are common in temperate and tropical waters, and also occur in lakes on more northerly coasts of Antarctica, but breeding adults have never before been seen at such a southerly location. For more information read or download the press release here.