Krill Mating Tape Released by Australian Scientists
Scientists studying the life cycle of antarctic krill in the wild have released a tape of their mating habits in waters far deeper than previously considered possible.
Members of the Australian Antarctic Division used a 'deep-sea video camera' to capture the mating behavior of swarming krill at over 2,000 feet below the surface of the Southern Ocean, just off the coast of East Antarctica.
“Up until now it was thought krill only lived and mated in the surface layer of the ocean, from 0–200 metres,” said krill biologist, Dr. Kawaguchi, “but what this video shows is they are also inhabiting and mating in much deeper water.”
The finding is significant given the role of krill as the foundation of the Antarctic marine food chain. Shortly after capturing the live video, an animated interpretation of the mating behavior was created by Lisa Roberts, a former Antarctic Arts Fellow.
