Genetic analysis of the movements of Antarctic octopuses suggests 125,000 years ago, when global temperatures were similar to today, the western ice sheet had melted away.

30°

30°

Weddell Sea

Larsen Ice

Shelf

Filchner

Ice Shelf

Ronne Ice

Shelf

Amery Ice Shelf

Bellingshausen

Sea

Antarctica

Davis

Sea

Amundsen

Sea

Ross Ice

Shelf

Ross Sea

An open seaway between the Weddell Sea and Ross Sea caused by the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet allowed octopuses to migrate between the two locations.

Southern

Ocean

140°

140°

165°

165°

30°

30°

Genetic analysis of the movements of Antarctic octopuses suggests 125,000 years ago, when global temperatures were similar to today, the western ice sheet had melted away.

Weddell Sea

Larsen Ice

Shelf

Antarctica

Filchner

Ice Shelf

Ronne Ice

Shelf

Amery Ice Shelf

An open seaway between the Weddell Sea and Ross Sea caused by the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet allowed octopuses to migrate between the two locations.

Bellingshausen

Sea

Davis

Sea

Amundsen

Sea

Ross Ice

Shelf

Ross Sea

Southern

Ocean