Channichthyidae

Crocodile icefishes
Image:icefishuk.jpg|200px|thumb|Antartic icefish larvae
Template:Regnum: Animalia Template:Phylum: Chordata Template:Classis: Actinopterygii Template:Ordo: Perciformes Template:Familia: Channichthyidae
Species
Chaenocephalus aceratus (16 more)

The icefishes are a family (Channichthyidae) of perciform fish found in the cold waters around Antarctica and southern South America.

Their blood is transparent because they have no haemoglobin. (Their metabolism relies only on the oxygen dissolved in the liquid blood, which is believed to be absorbed oxygen directly through the skin from the oxigen-rich water). Also, part of their muscles lack myoglobin. These extraordinary properties seem to be an adaption to the extreme cold of their habitat.

They feed on krill, copepods, and other fish.

External link

• Fishbase info for Channichthyidae (Note: They are called crocodile icefish here, but only icefish elsewhere.)

• A story about the use of the icefish for medical research