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Polar Bear on the Ice

Polar bears have evolved to survive in the Arctic with large, oar-like front paws for better swimming, as well as insulating blubber, and two layers of fur for the frigid temperatures. They rely on pack ice, traveling thousands of miles in a year looking for food (mostly ringed and bearded seals, although they hunt other animals if they come across them).

A deep-water larvacean (aka “sea tadpole”) inside its home.

Deep-Water Larvacean, or “Sea-Tadpole”

In the icy waters of the Arctic, a deep-water larvacean (aka “sea tadpole” because it looks like a tadpole) drifts through the water in its 'house.' This house is made of protein and creates almost a shell around the larvacean and helps to filter particles out of the water for the larvacean to eat. And when the filters get clogged, the plankter can just shed the 'house' and build itself a new one.

New deep sea expeditions reveal new species underwater.

New Jelly Species: 'Bathykorus bouilloni'

Many expeditions in the Arctic reveal new species, such as this jellyfish Bathykorus bouilloni, which, strangely, has only four tentacles! Dr. Kevin Raskoff from California State University, Monterey Bay first captured one in the deep Arctic in 2002 and thought it was rare.

Deep-Red Jellyfish

Alien-looking creatures like this deep-red jellyfish (Crossota norvegica) swim in the Arctic Sea. Learn more about Arctic sea life in our Under the Arctic Ice story, or at the home page for the Arctic Ocean Diversity project. And learn more about jellyfish!

Calanus hyperboerus is the preferred food for Bowhead whales.

Arctic Copepod

This copepod Calanus hyperboreus (up to 7mm in length) lives in the Arctic, usually within 500 meters of the surface. To survive the cold Arctic winters, Calanus hyperboreus builds up dense fat (lipid) supplies on its body, which makes it a preferred food of both ctenophores and bowhead whales.

$Light refracts off the comb-rows of this ctenophore.$

Comb Jelly Reflecting Colors

Light refracts off the comb-rows of the Mertensia ovum, a ctenophore, producing stripes of rainbow colors. The jelly eats copepods and small crustaceans that become stuck to its sticky tentacles.

Oikopleura gorskyi is a rare deep-water species of larvacean

Deep-Water Larvacean

Found in Arctic waters, this rare deep-water species of larvacean, Oikopleura gorskyi, eats by filtering particles from the seawater it drifts through. Larvaceans build 'houses' around themselves made of protein that helps them filter the water even better. And when the filters in its house get clogged, the plankter sheds its house and builds a new one.