80 million years AP

The ongoing global cooling has caused remarkable changes in Antarctica, profoundly changing its landscape. Now, the expanding ice sheet covers a vast expanse of the continent, almost an half: however, it is important to note that this ice sheet is not static in size, but rather experiences dynamic fluctuations due to the pronounced glacial-interglacial cycles that characterize the middle Lentocene period. These cycles alternate between periods of ice expansion and retreat, resulting in an unstable and unpredictable environment.

In the face of such climatic challenges, how have the species in Antarctica managed to adapt? The answer to this question is not a simple one; it is a fascinating tale of evolution and survival that can be told through the lens of two distinct biotas: the Ice Age biota and the Thaw biota.