Antarctica Discovery: Sea Creatures Dating Back 780,000 Years Found

Researchers from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science at William & Mary have recently discovered a new species of dragonfish in Antarctic waters, according to a study published in *Zootaxa*. The newly identified species, named the Banded Dragonfish or *Akarotaxis gouldae*, was discovered near the Antarctic Peninsula. The fish was named in honor of the *Laurence M. Gould*, an Antarctic research and supply vessel that has significantly contributed to scientific research before being decommissioned.

This dragonfish is distinct due to its unique physical characteristics, including two dark vertical bands on its body, a slender frame, a wide snout, a long mouth, and large oval eyes. The discovery was made while researchers were collecting zooplankton in the area, during which they stumbled upon the larvae of this fish and took them in for further study.

Initially, the larvae were thought to belong to another species of dragonfish, *Akarotaxis nudiceps*. However, as the fish matured, lead researcher Andrew Corso and his team noticed key differences. Most notably, the adult *Akarotaxis gouldae* had two bands on its sides, a feature absent in *Akarotaxis nudiceps*. This revelation surprised the researchers, as it indicated that the species had gone unnoticed despite being present in previous collections.

Corso, along with co-author Thomas Desvigne from the University of Oregon’s Institute of Neuroscience, used phylogenetic analysis and genetic testing to further investigate the species. They concluded that the Banded Dragonfish diverged from its closest relative around 780,000 years ago. They hypothesize that a population of dragonfish may have been isolated in deep glacier trenches, surviving on food brought in by the moving ice. When the glaciers retreated, the isolated population evolved into a distinct species that could no longer interbreed with *Akarotaxis nudiceps*.

Because Antarctic dragonfish live in deep, remote waters, they have not been extensively studied. According to the research, *Akarotaxis gouldae* seems to be confined to the waters around the western Antarctic Peninsula.