Head to head
Bald Notothen vs Antarctic Silverfish
Bald Notothen
VS Antarctic Silverfish
Both fish share antifreeze-protected blood and Antarctic waters, but they occupy very different parts of the same icy habitat.
| Bald Notothen | Antarctic Silverfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Pagothenia borchgrevinki | Pleuragramma antarcticum |
| Habitat niche | The underside of sea ice | The open water column |
| Blood | Contains natural antifreeze proteins | Contains natural antifreeze proteins |
| Ecological role | Prey for seabirds and seals near ice | A key prey species for many predators |
| Body shape | Slender and elongated | Not documented as similarly slender |
| Conservation status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Population trend | Unknown | Unknown |
| Habitat | Ocean, polar | Ocean, polar |
Bald Notothen vs Antarctic Silverfish: common questions
Which one lives directly against the underside of sea ice?
The bald notothen lives this way, tolerating direct contact with sea ice and even small ice crystals on its skin, unlike the Antarctic silverfish, which lives in open water instead.
Do both have antifreeze proteins in their blood?
Yes, both species produce natural antifreeze glycoproteins that circulate in their blood, preventing ice crystals from forming in the sub-zero Southern Ocean water they inhabit.
Which one spends its life in the open water column rather than near ice?
The Antarctic silverfish does this, spending nearly its entire life in the open water column, unlike the bald notothen, which stays closely tied to the underside of sea ice.