Southern Cod-Icefishes: Notothenioidei

Southern cod-icefishes tend to stay on the bottom and rarely swim. Many southern cod-icefishes breed every two years, releasing eggs on or near the bottom. Most larvae hatch six to twelve months after the eggs are released and then live in open water, settling to the bottom after feeding on plankton for six to nine months. Larvae (LAR-vee) are animals in an early stage that must change form before becoming adults. Plankton is microscopic plants and animals drifting in the water.