Environment

Over 235 Species Living in Both North and South Poles

by Jordan Yerman | February 15, 2009 at 03:15 pm

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More than 235 species have been found to live in the waters of both the North and South Poles. We're not just talking your typical migratory species (like the opposite of going to Florida), but tiny sea creatures, too, which do not cover great distances on their own.

Researching these creatures and where they are found will teach us more about the complex interconnections of ocean currents. This discovery comes as part of the Census of Marine Life (CoML).

Scientists were surprised to find the same species of "swimming snails" at both poles, raising questions about how they evolved and became so dispersed.

The census, involving 500 researchers from more than 25 nations, was carried out during International Polar Year.