The body is covered in very small scales and there are two lateral lines which have a considerable overlap.

[1] Notothenia microlepidota is restricted to New Zealand and Macquarie Island in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

[5] In the Campbell Plateau, salps are the most important prey, followed by amphipods(particularly Parathemisto gaudichaudii) and percophidids.

These prey items imply benthic feeding habits, typical for notothenids.

[6] Being a subantarctic species, the black cod has special adaptations such as antifreeze proteins in its blood, as well as adipose tissues to offset its lack of a swim bladder, giving it neutral buoyancy.