An underwater 'icefall'. Meltwater seeping down from cliffs above has formed a stunning slope of rapidly frozen ice crystals at Granite Harbour, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The red starfish,(Odontaster validus), are among the most prolific of animals around and are voracious predators on many of the other invertebrate animals found here. Although there are some very specialised fish species which survive here, the relative lack of fish numbers has... more 

An underwater 'icefall'. Meltwater seeping down from cliffs above has formed a stunning slope of rapidly frozen ice crystals at Granite Harbour, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. The red starfish,(Odontaster validus), are among the most prolific of animals around and are voracious predators on many of the other invertebrate animals found here. Although there are some very specialised fish species which survive here, the relative lack of fish numbers has enabled the starfish to fill a vacant niche and become an apex predator. This incredible ecosystem is rich with diverse life even though it is in total darkness for up to eight months of the year. During this time some animals such as the fish go into a torpid semi-hibernation-like state while others such as the starfish survive by eating rich mats of bacteria which grow on the underside of the ice. Frozen Planet less