Notothenioidea

fish superfamily

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July 1, 2026

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The Notothenioidea is a suborder of percoid fishes primarily found in the Antarctic and cold temperate Southern Hemisphere seas near Chile, Argentina, and New Zealand. This group comprises about 75 percent of all Antarctic fish species and includes five families: Bovichthyidae, Nototheniidae (Antarctic cods), Bathydraconidae (Antarctic dragonfishes), Channichthyidae (white-blooded fishes or icefish), and Harpagiferidae (plunderfishes).1

A notable characteristic of some Notothenioidea, particularly the Channichthyidae family, is their lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin, earning them the name "white-blooded fish". To compensate for reduced oxygen-carrying capacity, they possess larger hearts and gill blood vessels to circulate more blood. These fish are ectotherms, meaning their body temperature relies on external sources.23

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Antarctica
Sea life
…species belong to the superfamily Notothenioidea, the Antarctic perches. At sea bottom there are also the Zoarcidae, or eel-pouts; the Liparidae, or sea snails; the Macrouridae, or rat-tailed fishes; and the Gadidae, or codlike fishes. Rare nonbony types in the Antarctic zone include hagfish and skates. Many species of deep-sea…
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…species belong to the superfamily Notothenioidea, the Antarctic perches. At sea bottom there are also the Zoarcidae, or eel-pouts; the Liparidae, or sea snails; the Macrouridae, or rat-tailed fishes; and the Gadidae, or codlike fishes. Rare nonbony types in the Antarctic zone include hagfish and skates. Many species of deep-sea…
Read More