Large Viruses in Ross Sea Pack Ice

This size class of viruses is likely to have infected eukaryotes. Samples were collected on two cruises to the Ross Sea.

The first cruise was from 9 May 1998 to 11 June 1998, with sampling at approximately every degree of latitude from 66 to 78 degrees south latitude along 180 degrees longitude, from 66 to 70 S along 175W, and from 72 to 77 S along 175E. The second cruise was from 1 January 1999 to 4 February 1999. Sampling was at ~ every degree of latitude from 69 to 74 S along 130 W, from 66 to 74 S along 150W, and from 65 to 75 S along 165 W. Abundance was determined using transmission electron microscopy.