Robot Uncovers Thousands of Icefish Nests Beneath Antarctic Ice

Scientists have discovered a vast and organized network of over 1,000 icefish nests beneath Antarctica's western Weddell Sea, exposed after the calving of the massive A68 iceberg from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in 2017. These circular nests, belonging to the yellowfin notie species, are meticulously cleaned of plankton detritus and arranged in striking geometric patterns such as arcs, clusters, and solitary circles, suggesting deliberate fish behavior and community structuring. The nests are guarded by parent fish exhibiting strong defensive behavior, likely as a survival strategy and possibly forming a "selfish herd" for shared protection. This discovery was made using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) during the Weddell Sea Expedition 2019, which aimed to study environmental changes linked to ice shelf dynamics and to locate Shackleton's lost ship, Endurance. The exposed seabed offers a rare opportunity to study a previously inaccessible ecosystem that plays a critical role in the Southern Ocean's biodiversity and food webs, prompting calls for conservation measures to protect this fragile habitat. The research also enhances understanding of polar marine life and the ecological importance of ice shelves in regulating global sea levels.