Scientists have discovered a new species of crustacean off the coast of Vietnam. It was named Bathynomus vaderi, after Darth Vader from the movie “Star Wars”. These individuals reach a length of 32.5 centimeters and weigh over a kilogram.
Bathynomus vaderi occurs in the waters of the South China Sea. Scientists noticed that its head resembles the helmet worn by Darth Vader, which is why the second part of the name refers to the iconic villain from the “Star Wars” saga. This crustacean reaches a length of 32.5 centimeters and weighs over a kilogram. An article in which researchers describe Bathynomus vaderiwas published Tuesday in the journal ZooKeys.
An extraordinary discovery
Bathynomus vaderi belongs to the order of isopods (Isopoda), which includes about 4,000 animal species. Isopods live mainly on the bottom of the sea, some species occur in freshwater reservoirs.
Representatives Bathynomus they have characteristic, massive armor and seven pairs of trunk legs.
– Most isopods are incredibly small, typically measuring less than 2.5 centimeters in length. Hence the discovery Bathynomus vaderi which is huge specimen, is so unusual, said Dr. Lanna Cheng, professor emeritus of marine biology at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the study.
There are currently 11 “supergiant” and nine “giant” species known Bathynomusseveral of which are still awaiting a formal description – writes CNN. Bathynomus vaderi this the second recorded species of supergiant isopod discovered in the South China Sea.
According to the study, in recent years other species Bathynomussuch as Bathynomus jamesihave become a delicacy in Vietnam, and their meat is often compared to lobster meat. As popularity increases Bathynomusin 2017, some specimens were sold for up to two million Vietnamese dong ($80), researchers wrote. However, as fishermen caught and sold more Bathynomusprices dropped as they became more and more available.
The specimens described in the article were recovered from the town of Quy Nhon in south-central Vietnam, west of the Spratly Islands.
Main photo source: ZooKeys/X