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