Page 114 - One Million Things: Animal Life - The Incredible Visual Guide

crystals from forming so their blood
Yet fish such as the arctic cod can
surroundings. So, in icy Arctic
and other body fluids stay liquid.
the temperature of their
Polar cod
COLD WATER ectothermic (cold-blooded), insides matches that of their waters fish should freeze to death. “antifreeze” proteins that prevent ice
survive the cold. They have
Because fish are

deserts, the dark depths of the oceans,
plenty of food, animals will prosper.
ANTARCTIC ICEFISH In addition to having “antifreeze” proteins to stop it from freezing, the Antarctic icefish also has thin, transparent blood that circulates easily in the cold. LIFE IN THE EXTREME Wherever there is warmth, water, and or the icy-cold Arctic and Antarctic, They are adapted to life in the extreme ocean, or by being well insulated Eelpout
where the harsh conditions would kill
The same is not true of baking, dry
most animals. However, some hardy
animals can survive in these places.
by, for example, having no need to
the enormous pressure in the deep
drink water, being resistant to

against biting cold.

UNDER PRESSURE Deep in the ocean, animals must tolerate pressures that would crush a human. Sperm whales, which survive dives to depths of m), have a flexible rib cage that ft (3,000 allows their lungs to collapse. In the dark ocean depths, deep-sea fish such as the gulper eel produce light to lure prey, and have large mouths to grab it. White crab

10,000 Gulper eel

Tubeworm In the deep ocean, hydrothermal vents are openings through which very hot, mineral-rich water erupts. Bacteria that can tolerate the harsh conditions harvest energy from the chemicals in vent water and use it to make sugars that feed tubeworms and crabs. In turn, these animals are eaten by predators such as eelpouts.

Sperm whale HYDROTHERMAL VENT

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