I missed this when it first appeared.

The organisms found (identified only by genetic sequence) in Lake Vostok under 4 km of ice and separated from the rest of the ecosphere for 15 million years include:
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0067221
3,500 species in all, mostly bacteria with some eukaryotes (222 species) and remarkably few archaea (2 species).

The eukaryotes would be the most interesting, mostly fungi, but substantial numbers of animals (no plants).
The animals include 14 arthropods, and include
Daphnia (water flea)
Bivalve mollusc
Tardigrade
Springtails
Rotifer
Sea anenome

This is a great story of survival of relatively familiar forms of life under extreme conditions.

“Approximately 94% of the sequences were from Bacteria and 6% were from Eukarya. Only two sequences were from Archaea.”

I’m surprised there weren’t more Archaea.

OCDC said:

“Approximately 94% of the sequences were from Bacteria and 6% were from Eukarya. Only two sequences were from Archaea.”

I’m surprised there weren’t more Archaea.

Although I see your point, note that Bacteria is a more diverse clade than Archaea, with about four times as many genera.

dv said:

OCDC said:

“Approximately 94% of the sequences were from Bacteria and 6% were from Eukarya. Only two sequences were from Archaea.”

I’m surprised there weren’t more Archaea.

Although I see your point, note that Bacteria is a more diverse clade than Archaea, with about four times as many genera.

*known genera

OCDC said:

dv said:

OCDC said:

“Approximately 94% of the sequences were from Bacteria and 6% were from Eukarya. Only two sequences were from Archaea.”

I’m surprised there weren’t more Archaea.

Although I see your point, note that Bacteria is a more diverse clade than Archaea, with about four times as many genera.

*known genera

Fair rejoinder

mollwollfumble said:

This is a great story of survival of relatively familiar forms of life under extreme conditions.

On the other hand, what the heck do they live on? No sunlight or other energy or food source. They seem to have created their own version of perpetual motion. This isn’t like caves where food comes in from outside. They seem to be living solely off each other’s waste products.

Geothermal energy from the rock on which the lake lies

dv said:

Geothermal energy from the rock on which the lake lies

Plus a glacier emptying into it.

I’m not surprised that there were “no plants”.

Vostok 1 (Russian: Восто́к-1, East 1 or Orient 1)