Trematomus
Trematomus
a genus of fishes of the family Nototheniidae. The body sometimes measures as much as 40 cm in length. There are 11 species, distributed near Antarctica and northward to the southern coast of Georgia, in the USA. In littoral waters, T.bernacchi and T. hansoni are the most common species. Many species live at depths of 500–1,000 m, for example, T. loennbergi, T. eulepidotus, and T. lepidorhinus. The eggs are benthic and large. The blood of Trematomus contains organic “antifreezes” (glycoproteins), which lower its freezing point to –2°C. Winter ice fishing for littoral species provides food for residents of antarctic stations.