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High densities of invertebrates also live in the ocean, with Antarctic krill forming dense and widespread swarms during the summer. Benthic animal communities also exist around the continent. Over 1000 fungi species have been found on and around Antarctica. Larger species are restricted to the subantarctic islands, and the majority of species ...
Antarctic flora are a distinct community of vascular plants which evolved millions of years ago on the supercontinent of Gondwana. Presently, species of Antarctica flora reside on several now separated areas of the Southern Hemisphere , including southern South America , southernmost Africa , New Zealand , Australia , and New Caledonia .
The continent of Antarctica is so cold that it has supported only 2 vascular plants for millions of years, and its flora presently consists of around 250 lichens, 100 mosses, 25–30 liverworts, and around 700 terrestrial and aquatic algal species, which live on the areas of exposed rock and soil around the shore of the continent.
Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of 14,200,000 km 2 (5,500,000 sq mi).
Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals, in contrast, while doing much of their feeding at the edge of the continent, breed on subantarctic islands, such as South Georgia. Warmblooded prey makes up a significant proportion of the leopard seal's diet, and is occasionally taken by Antarctic fur seals. Suborder: Caniformia
The Antarctic realm, as defined in the WGSRPD, comprising Antarctica (inside the inner line) and the subantarctic zone (between the lines) The main article for this category is Antarctic realm fauna .
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For the purposes of this category, "Antarctic" is defined as one of the nine "botanical continents" according to the WGSRPD and includes the following subdivisions: Category:Flora of the subantarctic islands — (a WGSRPD region) Category:Flora of Antarctica — (the only area within the WGSRPD region of "Antarctic Continent")