Marbled rockcod

Antarctic marble perch ( Notothenia rossii )

The Antarctic marble perch ( Notothenia rossii ) is an Antarctic cod Nototheniidae the family, which is spread between the southern New Zealand and the sub-Antarctic seas, and its preferred habitat is rocky reefs. Maximum date a length of 92 inches, a weight of 10 kilograms and a maximum age of 16 years was found.

Young Antarctic marble perch remain closer to the surface, especially in the shallow bays Fjord. Yearlings feed mainly on mesozooplankton in water depths ranging from 5 to 15 meters. Immature and mature fish live in the benthic zone, but remain in shallower waters in 10 to 20 meters depth. Sexually mature fish leave the fjords and hold on the area of ​​the continental shelf.

As a kind of sub-Antarctic Antarctic marble perch shows specific adaptations to deep water temperatures such as antifreeze proteins in the blood. As all members of the family also has the Antarctic marble perch no swim bladder, lift is generated mainly by adipose tissue.