What are some Antarctic animals?

500 million years ago, during the Cambrian period, Antarctica was placed on the equator, a hot climate surrounded by life in the shallow sea of ​​its continental shelf. Over the next 140 million years, the continent carried south and focused on the South Pole, where he has remained since then. Despite its location, for most of the time, Antarctica was a relatively warm continent and even became a hot desert for decades of millions. Last time, 50 million years ago, Antarctica tropical or subtropical climate, complemented by Marsupial fauna, whose descendants can now be found in Australia and in some parts of South America.

About 40 million years ago, a supercontinent that Antarctica was part of Gondwan, began to crumble. This made it possible to build and circulate cold water on the southern continent and moved warm currents to the north-south, which previously had an area. Over the course of tens of millions of years, the glacier began to form in condition, mostly covered by 15 million years ago. It was only 6 million lET, when the ice caps reached their current extent. Today, 98% of the continent is covered with ice.

The current Antarctic Fauna is usually maintained by a modest flora of the continent that grows only in summer, and usually only a few weeks. Most plants exist in the same plants that have been developed for the first time to live on Earth-N-Navascular plants such as mosses and liverworts. Numerous microorganisms form most of all photosynthetic organisms on the continent. Overall, Antarctica contains about 200 species of lichens, 50 non -loving plants and only a few flowering plants, Antarctic grass hair and Antarctic pearl. In recent years, as a result of global warming, the germination rate has increased, resulting in twenty -five times to increase the number of plants in some areas.

Currently, most Antarctic animals are small invertebrates such as microscopic mites, inŠI, ticks, nematodes, tardigrady, rotifers and springs. The largest exclusively earthly member of Antarctic animals is the trouble -free midge (very small fly), Belgica Antarctica, only 12 millimeters (0.5 inches) size. The body fluids of many of these insects contain glycerol, antifreeze that allows them to survive temperatures from -34 ° C (-30 ° F). These animals are most common on the Antarctic Peninsula, which, despite its extreme cold, dryness and wind, is actually more habitual than the huge interior of the continent.

Antarctic animals and their larvae have a number of other adaptations that will survive in Antarctica, including the tendency to connect and the ability to survive without oxygen for weeks. Some of the Antarctic animals are dark blue-black color, which are assumed that they help with heat absorption and possible blocking of theultraviral radiation caused by the opening of ozone above Antarctica. Can tolerate wide swings in salinity and pH caused by seasonal immersion in a penguinGuano, salt water from the ocean and freshwater water from ice melting. Adult Antarctic animals are without wings to prevent blowing.

Antarctica is one of the most inhabited places on Earth and can superficially resemble terrain (in terms of its hostility) created after the worst environmental stress on the planet, such as superchansic eruptions or the great impact of asteroids. This gives us a look at what life could be today if the asteroid that erased dinosaurs was several times greater than that - mostly invertebrate. Huge temperature swings and dryness are similar to the harshest conditions of the desert throughout the planet's history, such as the interior of the super -contact pangea.

Antarctica has a small selection of freshwater fauna, which dwells in small lakes and streams created by Meltwater during the summer. These include small crustaceans called Copepods, Fairies of Shrimp (considered the forerunner of earthly arthropods) and common nematodes. The longest river in Antarctica, the onyx river, is only 30 km(18.6 miles), so the freshwater organisms are obviously not abundant here, but they can be found where they can survive.

More well -known Antarctic animals are birds who dwell on the coast, especially penguins such as the penguin Emperor, Adélie Penguin, Penguin Rockopper, King Penguin, Chinstrap Penguin and Gentoo Penguin. Beautiful white snow pearl is one of the three birds that behave exclusively in Antarctica, and the only bird to see at the South Pole. All these birds will survive because of their ability to fly on ice during a strong Antarctic winter. During the summer, the coast of Antarctica is tolerable and reaches temperatures between 5 ° C and 15 ° C (41 ° F and 59 ° F). Large penguins are seen covering coastal islands heated in the sun.

The waters around Antarctica are surrounded by numerous animals, including octopus, crabs, ice fish, krill, dandruff, elephants and leopard seals, giant grates and Antarctic fish, humps and murderous whales and many others. Although penguins nest onEarth, spent most of their lives and got all the food out of the water. Some animals around the Antarctic coast show polar gigantism, property that makes animals grow, the further away from the equator. Research teams have found starfish and crabs more than two feet across. This is the main example of the Bergmann rule, generality that states that animals are growing, what gets to the poles.

The latest of Antarctic animals is a well -known person, homo sapiens , whose population is as large as 4,000 in the summer months, when scientists come in the field and sometimes even bring their families. About 70 ESEART RZS are maintained on the continent and create considerable scientific revenues for large investments needed to ship to stock. Some of the largest draws for researchers are unique fossils found on the slopes of the Antarctic Mountains, McMurdo Dry Valley, spiritual gravel valleys in the Antarctic interior, Em-Interence and Light Antarctic High Earth, whichIt was with 500 Antarctic countries that were with 500 and Antarctic countries that were used between Antarctic and Antarctic countries, and it is in Antarctic Antarkl, and neutrino and neutrino and neutrino observation, and it is calm and neutrino. for more than a million years.