Dr Connie Sidabalok taking a look at a Bathynomus vaderi - also known as Darth Vader - specimen at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in Singapore. - RENE ONG VIA NAEEM JOHN/FACEBOOK
SINGAPORE: Isopods are tiny creatures typically measuring under 2.5cm in length, but scientists have just discovered a gigantic one that is more than 10 times the average size.
The largest among the newly identified specimens of Bathynomus vaderi (B. vaderi) stretches to some 32.5cm in length and weighs over 1kg, according to a study published on Jan 14 in ZooKeys, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
Researchers named the supergiant sea bug B. vaderi because of the striking resemblance its head bears to the helmet worn by Star Wars antagonist Darth Vader.
B. vaderi is an isopod, a type of crustacean known for its segmented bodies and seven pairs of legs, which typically live in marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments.
The creature was found when researchers bought crustaceans from fishermen and eateries in Vietnam for research purposes.
It was caught by fishermen who were deep-sea trawling some 92.6km off the coast of Quy Nhon, a city in central Vietnam.
According to scientists, B. vaderi has a unique feature compared to other known supergiant isopods: the final segment of its hind legs tapers and curves slightly backward.
Currently, there are only 11 recognised supergiant and nine giant species of Bathynomus, with more species yet to be formally described.
B. vaderi is just the second recorded supergiant isopod found in the South China Sea.
It feeds on decomposing organic material, playing an important role in the ocean’s deep-sea food chain.
Dr Conni Sidabalok, a researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency, said B. vaderi’s large size might give it an edge over other scavengers in the deep-sea environment.
According to a CNN report on Jan 17, researchers said it was challenging to confirm the species as distinct due to its deep-water habitat, and the need for them to compare specimens across global museum collections.
As demand for the Bathynomus species rises in Vietnam, where they are considered a delicacy with a lobster-like taste, there are concerns about overfishing. Prices for these creatures spiked to as much as 2 million Vietnamese dong (S$108) in 2017, although they have since dropped to about 1 million dong by early 2024, CNN reported.
Due to their slow reproductive rate, with only a few hundred eggs produced at a time, B. vaderi could be vulnerable to overexploitation, researchers said. - The Straits Times/ANN
