A newly identified “supergiant” sea bug species came to the attention of scientists after taking off as a local delicacy in Vietnam, reports CNN.
Named Bathynomus vaderi for its distinct head shape, reminiscent of Star Wars villain Darth Vader, the deep-sea creature was officially described in the journal ZooKeys on Tuesday.
Bathynomus are a type of supergiant isopods in the crustacean family, characterised by their hard, protective exoskeletons and seven pairs of legs. While structurally similar to their shallow-water cousins in the cirolanid family, they are much larger: the largest B. vaderi documented in this study weighed more than 1 kilogramme and measured 32.5 centimetres long, making it one of the world’s largest known isopods.
[See more: Thailand declares war on invasive tilapia fish]
Found in the South China Sea, approximately 50 nautical miles off the coast of Quy Nhon in Vietnam, the species came to scientists’ attention after it suddenly became a popular delicacy. Increased demand has already halved their market price since 2017, leading to concerns about overfishing the Bathynomus species, which are slow to reproduce.
Dr Lanna Cheng, professor emeritus of marine biology at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the study, told CNN that if the popularity of this sea creature grows, “we may eat them out of existence.”
Deep-sea isopods like B. vaderi play a critical role in marine ecosystems by recycling nutrients from dead animals. Experts warn that overfishing could disrupt food chains, weaken ocean health and exacerbate climate challenges.
