New "Supergiant" Isopod Species Named After Darth Vader
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With two pairs of antennae, large compound eyes, and four sets of jaws, giant isopods look like creatures from a science fiction movie. Now, researchers have discovered a new "supergiant" isopod species with a head strikingly similar to Darth Vader’s helmet. In a nod to the iconic Star Wars villain, they have named it Bathynomus vaderi (B. vaderi).
“I am the biggest Star Wars fan in the team, as it’s my vintage. The first movie was in 1977, in my youth, and it was cool,” said study co-author Peter Ng, a crustacean researcher at the National University of Singapore. “But we all agree that the face of B. vaderi looks so much like Darth Vader that it just had to be named after the Sith Lord.”
The newly found species belongs to the Bathynomus family, a genus of about 20 giant isopod species. These massive creatures inhabit the deepest parts of the ocean, making them difficult to study. Despite their scary appearance, giant isopods are harmless to humans. They feed on dead animals and decaying matter, playing a crucial role in recycling nutrients.
Weighing more than 2.2 pounds (1 kg) and reaching lengths of up to 12.8 inches (32.5 cm), B. vaderi is one of the largest known giant isopod species. But it is not the largest. That title belongs to B. jamesi, which can reach about 20 inches (50 cm) and weigh over 5 pounds (2.26 kg). So far, B. vaderi has only been found near an island in the South China Sea. But it may also inhabit other areas of the region.
While this species is new to science, locals in Vietnam and China have been enjoying it and other giant isopods as seafood since 2017. Once considered an accidental catch by fishers, they are now a seafood delicacy. In fact, the four B. vaderi specimens examined by the scientists came from markets and restaurants in Vietnam.
The researchers published their findings in the journal ZooKeys on January 14, 2025. They worry that increased demand for giant isopods as seafood could threaten their populations. These creatures lay few eggs and grow slowly. If their popularity keeps rising, they could vanish.
Though often called sea bugs, isopods are crustaceans more closely related to lobsters and shrimp. There are an estimated 10,000 isopod species, most of which are extremely small. These creatures inhabit a wide range of environments, from mountains and deserts to the deep sea. Despite their diverse habitats, all isopods have segmented bodies, multiple legs, and a rigid exoskeleton. This gives them an alien-like appearance, especially the giant deep-sea isopods.
Resources: CNN.com, Smithsonianmag.com, Wikipedia.org
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37 Comments
starlight1113 daysthey are so cute!
nalawala16 dayssoo cool
andreak917 daysWoahh I wonder if their will be a even bigger one!
dream_beyond17 daysIt's like a giant roly poly!
852128sophie17 daysI wouldn't eat that!- the_magician17 daysCool I can see the resemblance of Darth Vader's helmet.
ocicatpacific17 daysthe scienentists who named this thing have a good sense of humor but good taste in movies
danieler218 daysI Can't believe people eat this- piwywygezule18 daysI love isopods who agrees?
- 852128sophie13 daysCute! :)
- liamandsam202418 daysIt would be dope to see one irl, but if I did at my home, I would probably freak and throw a chair at it.
