Ocellated icefish
The ocellated icefish (Chionodraco rastrospinosus) is a fish of the family Channichthyidae. It lives in the cold waters off Antarctica and is known for having transparent haemoglobin-free blood.
C. rastrospinosus live in the Southern Ocean up to a depth of 1 km. They are most commonly found on the seabed at 200–400 m. They range from the South Orkney Islands, South Shetland Islands to the Antarctic Peninsula. They grow up to 52 centimetres (20 in) and average 30 centimetres (12 in). The adults feed on krill and other fish.Larvae are 17 mm long when they hatch, and grow by about 2 mm a week. The larval stage lasts for up to 18 months during which they feed mainly on krill. They become sexually mature at four years, and normally live up to about eight years, but sometimes as long as twelve. In the Antarctic autumn, adult C. rastrospinosus migrate to shallow waters to spawn at a depth of 200–300 m. The eggs are scattered and hatch six months later around April.
Tokyo Sea Life Park holds the only captive fish. A male and female pair were donated along with other species by fishermen of the Fukuei-maru krill trawler as part of a programme to collect bycatch for the park.In January 2013 the female spawned, and by 7 May the first egg hatched with about 20 more larva in the following two weeks. Previously, live specimens have been held for scientific research elsewhere.
