Researchers perusing a Vietnamese seafood market have discovered a new species of crustacean that can weigh more than a kilogram.
The discovery of the new supergiant isopod species, which can reach about 30cm, highlights how little is known of the deep-sea ecosystem in Southeast Asia.
Supergiant isopods in the genus Bathynomus, also called sea bugs or bọ biển in Vietnamese, are deep-sea animals that have become expensive delicacies in the region. They are commercially fished using trawlers and sold alive in seafood markets.
After receiving two specimens from a seafood market, Peter Ng of the National University of Singapore and colleagues received two specimens from a seafood market and realised they had a new species.
“At first we were suspicious as the specimens we had did not appear to match published Bathynomus descriptions from the region,” Ng told Cosmos. “We had to do a lot of follow up work, check specimens from all over and be certain they are different from known ones.”
Ng and colleagues named the new supergiant isopod Bathynomus vaderi after its distinctive head that resembles the helmet of Darth Vader, the iconic Star Wars’ villain.
The researchers hope their discovery will prompt action to better understand the “dark side” of the ocean, meaning deep-sea biodiversity in Southeast Asia. They point out the urgency of these efforts as humans increasingly exploit the deep-sea environment for food, oil and gas, and minerals.
“To have a sustainable fishery, we need to study and understand the biology of the two Bathynomus species and work with respective authorities,” say Ng and colleagues. “It’s not easy and it’s never fast but it’s a necessary process.”
The research is published in the journal ZooKeys.
The Ultramarine project – focussing on research and innovation in our marine environments – is supported by Minderoo Foundation.