On the lower level of the Crary Science and Engineering Laboratory is a room full of sea water tanks that house some of the fish and invertebrates that live offshore (and under the sea ice).
My favorite is the Antarctic Toothfish (aka Antarctic Cod). These guys have adapted to the extreme cold in some curious ways. They have antifreeze proteins in their tissues and blood because the seawater is colder than the normal freezing point of tissue. They have a very slow metabolism, with a heartbeat once every six seconds. These cods have a lifespan of about 40 years and can reach lengths of over 6 ft and weights that exceed 250 pounds!
The toothfishes in the Crary tanks will come up to the surface to say hello. These are young ones, less than a foot in length, caught offshore in about 500 ft of water. Aren’t they cute?
