Adaptation to extreme environments: A review of Antarctic fish physiology
Abstract
Having evolved in the chronically cold and thermally stable waters of the Southern Ocean (SO) for millions of years, Antarctic fish possess a suite of physiological specializations that enable them to survive at temperatures near the freezing point of seawater. Adaptations include the evolution of antifreeze proteins, modifications of membrane composition, altered metabolic processes, unique mechanisms of oxygen transport and utilization, and distinctive cellular stress responses. This review synthesizes current knowledge of the physiological adaptations of Antarctic fish, focusing on the mechanisms that support survival in extreme cold environments. We examine adaptations related to cold tolerance, osmoregulation, metabolism, reproduction, sensory biology and oxygen transport and discuss the evolutionary processes that have shaped these traits. We further evaluate how ongoing climate-driven changes, including ocean warming, acidification and biological invasions, may affect Antarctic fish populations and ecosystems. Understanding the physiological foundations underlying Antarctic fish adaptation provides important insights into evolutionary responses to environmental
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BibTeX
@article{lee2026adaptation,
title = {{Adaptation to extreme environments: A review of Antarctic fish physiology}},
author = {Seungyeon Lee and Sachithra Amarin Hettiarachchi and Il‐chan Kim and Jae‐seong Lee and Thomas Desvignes and Julia M York and Laura Ghigliotti and Jilda Alicia Caccavo and Jin‐hyoung Kim},
journal = {Journal of Fish Biology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1111/jfb.70652},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05820903v1},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Adaptation to extreme environments: A review of Antarctic fish physiology
AU - Seungyeon Lee
AU - Sachithra Amarin Hettiarachchi
AU - Il‐chan Kim
AU - Jae‐seong Lee
AU - Thomas Desvignes
AU - Julia M York
AU - Laura Ghigliotti
AU - Jilda Alicia Caccavo
AU - Jin‐hyoung Kim
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/24
JO - Journal of Fish Biology
DO - 10.1111/jfb.70652
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05820903v1
AB - Having evolved in the chronically cold and thermally stable waters of the Southern Ocean (SO) for millions of years, Antarctic fish possess a suite of physiological specializations that enable them to survive at temperatures near the freezing point of seawater. Adaptations include the evolution of antifreeze proteins, modifications of membrane composition, altered metabolic processes, unique mechanisms of oxygen transport and utilization, and distinctive cellular stress responses. This review synthesizes current knowledge of the physiological adaptations of Antarctic fish, focusing on the mechanisms that support survival in extreme cold environments. We examine adaptations related to cold tolerance, osmoregulation, metabolism, reproduction, sensory biology and oxygen transport and discuss the evolutionary processes that have shaped these traits. We further evaluate how ongoing climate-driven changes, including ocean warming, acidification and biological invasions, may affect Antarctic fish populations and ecosystems. Understanding the physiological foundations underlying Antarctic fish adaptation provides important insights into evolutionary responses to environmental
SN - 0022-1112
SN - 1095-8649
ER -