Massive new bug species is so horrifying, it’s been named after Darth Vader
It looks like it came from a galaxy far, far away — and should have stayed there.
Southeast Asian scientists sent people’s skin crawling after discovering a sea bug off Vietnam that’s so massive that it looks AI-generated, per a study published in Zookeys.
The jumbo isopod has been named Bathynomus vaderi because its carapaced cranium resembles Darth Vader’s iconic helmet from “Star Wars, Livescience reported.
This particular critter, which resides in super deep waters, is a supergiant, measuring 12.8 inches long and weighing 2.2 pounds — around the same mass as a guinea pig.
B. vaderi resides in cold, deep waters. Zookeys
The critter’s carapaced head has been compared to Darth Vader’s iconic helmet. AFP via Getty Images
It’s essentially a souped-up undersea version of the sow bug, a similarly-segmented arthropod found in people’s gardens.
Researchers from Hanoi University originally purchased the colossal crustacean at a seafood market — of all places — in Quy Nhơn City, after which they collaborated with Singapore scientists to identify it, Popular Science reported.
B. vaderi can grow to over a foot long and weigh around two pounds. Zookeys
By analyzing B. vaderi’s features, the team discovered that the aquatic cockroach was a never-before-described species.
So far, the isopod has only been near the Spratly Islands by anglers trawling for isopods; however, the researchers feel additional research will show that this plus-size pill bug inhabits other parts of the South China Sea as well.
Giant isopods are a delicacy in certain regions of Asia, where they’re hawked live at seafood markets (pictured). Peter Ng
Like all giant isopods, of which there are around 20 species, B. Vaderi is a carnivore and prefers feeding on crustaceans, fish, squid, and even whale carcasses.
In turn, giant isopods are a fixture among Vietnamese gourmands, who consider them a delicacy on par with lobster and buy them live from fish markets.
Once sold as low-cost bycatch, these delicious denizens of the deep now fetch a pretty penny — a Tapei eatery notably served a 14-legged isopod with ramen for $65.
Researchers believe that their commercial value could either threaten the species or pave the way for more sustainable harvesting practices.
B. Vaderi is far from the biggest example of the genus, whose members are so gargantuan they seem computer-generated.
That honor goes to B. jamesi, which can attain 20 inches in length and weigh a whopping 5.7 pounds (2.6 kg).
