Bathynomus Vaderi, A Huge Sea Bug
Posted on June 21, 2025
Scientists identified a new species of giant isopod earlier this year. It was discovered in deep waters off Vietnam near the Spratly Islands.
The sea bug, named Bathynomus vaderi, was named after Darth Vader because of its helmet-shaped head.
It is over 1 foot in length and weighs over 2.2 pounds.
The isopods are consumed locally in Vietnam where they are described as having a lobster like flavor.
The isopods were purchased from markets in Quy Nhon City and a couple were sent to Peter Ng from the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in the National University of Singapore for identification. Peter Ng, Conni M. Sidabalok from the National Research and Innovation Agency Indonesia and Nguyen Thanh Son from the Vietnam National University identified the specimens as an undescribed species.
A research paper on the new species was published in the journal ZooKeys.
Image: Nguyen Thanh Son