Species of “giant marine insect” is named after Darth Vader

Scientists have recently identified a new species of “supergiant marine insect” after purchasing crustaceans from fishermen and restaurants in Vietnam to study the creatures’ growing popularity as a local delicacy.

The animal of the deep, now called Bathynomus vaderi got its name after researchers noticed that its head shared a similarity with the helmet worn by iconic “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader.

The researchers officially described the new species on Tuesday (14), in the magazine ZooKeysconfirming that some elements of B. vaderi’s body structure differed greatly from other Bathynomus specimens found in the South China Sea.

Supergiant marine insects, including B. vaderi, are members of the isopod family, characterized by their hard, protective exoskeleton and seven pairs of legs. The largest specimen in the study weighed more than 1 kilogram and measured 32.5 centimeters long, making B. vaderi one of the largest known isopods in the world.

The overall body structure of Bathynomus crustaceans is similar to many shallow-water cirolanids—the isopod family to which it belongs—but these deep-sea creatures evolved to be significantly larger, according to study co-author Conni Sidabalok, a researcher at the National Research Agency. and Innovation Indonesia.

Most isopods are incredibly small, usually measuring less than an inch in length. This size disparity makes the discovery of such a large specimen particularly notable, said Lanna Cheng, professor emeritus of marine biology at the University of California, San Diego, who was not involved in the study.

Identifying a species new to science

The fishermen who caught B. vaderi were fishing in deep waters in the South China Sea, about 90 kilometers (or 50 nautical miles) off the coast of the city of Quy Nhon in south-central Vietnam, west of the Spratly Islands.

B. vaderi are deep-sea dwellers that feed on dead animals, recycling nutrients as part of the deep-sea food chain, Sidabalok said. She noted that Bathynomus’s massive size could aid its survival in the ocean abyss or provide a competitive advantage over other scavengers.

Currently, there are only 11 “supergiant” and nine “giant” species of Bathynomus known, with several awaiting formal description, according to the study. B. vaderi is only the second recorded supergiant isopod species discovered in the South China Sea.

However, because these crustaceans inhabit such deep waters, distinguishing B. vaderi from other species was a laborious process for the research team.

Unlike other recorded supergiant isopods, B. vaderi has a unique feature: the last segment of its hind legs narrows at the end and curves slightly backwards, according to the study.

To confirm the uniqueness of B. vaderi, Sidabalok and his colleagues examined specimens of related species from museum collections in several countries and collaborated with other experts. Additionally, researchers analyzed B. vaderi DNA, but the lack of genetic data for many Bathynomus species presented additional challenges in the identification process.

Vietnamese delicacy vulnerable to overfishing

In recent years, other Bathynomus species, such as B. jamesi, have become a delicacy in Vietnam, with their meat often compared to lobster, according to the study.

As Bathynomus grew in popularity, in 2017 some specimens were selling for up to 2 million Vietnamese dong (US$80). However, as fishermen caught and sold more Bathynomus, prices fell because the marine insects became more widely available.

In early 2024, 1- to 2-kilogram specimens were selling for around 1 million Vietnamese dong ($40), the study noted. With the discovery of B. vaderi, scientists such as Sidabalok and Cheng have expressed concerns about its potential integration into global seafood markets.

Bathynomus are known for their slow reproduction. These supergiant crustaceans produce a small number of eggs — just hundreds — that hatch as miniature versions of the adults, Sidabalok said. She added that this slow rate of reproduction makes them especially vulnerable to overfishing.

“These creatures don’t grow very quickly, and if they become a very unusual and sought-after item, we might eat them to extinction,” Cheng said.

The research team believes B. vaderi exists beyond Vietnam’s coastal waters in other parts of the South China Sea, but discovering other species at these depths will take time.

Sidabalok said he hopes this research will pave the way for more studies on Bathynomus populations and help fishermen develop more sustainable practices. “If we get the chance, we would like to do more research and perhaps work with scientists in the region to determine what lives there. There is still a lot to learn and discover”, he concluded.

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This content was originally published in Species of “giant marine insect” named after Darth Vader on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil