May the force be with her

Giant isopod named after Darth Vader

A giant isopod of the genus Bathynomus (symbolic image)(Bild: AFP)

The dark side of the ocean: a newly discovered species of giant isopod has been named after the Star Wars villain Darth Vader because of its resemblance to him. The deep-sea isopod of the genus Bathynomus has been given the species name vaderi.

As a research team reports in the specialist journal "ZooKeys", the name was inspired by the appearance of its head, which is said to resemble Darth Vader's helmet.

Bathynomus vaderi grows to around 30 centimetres in length and weighs more than one kilogram. So far, the species has only been found in Vietnamese waters near the Spratly Islands. However, researchers assume that the animals also live in other parts of the South China Sea.

Expensive delicacy
Giant isopods - of which B. vaderi is one - have become an expensive delicacy in Vietnam in recent years. The unusual sea creatures are caught commercially and sold at fish markets. Some people even claim that they taste better than lobster.

The fact that a species as large as B. vaderi has remained undiscovered for so long shows how little is known about the deep sea, according to the study. There is an urgent need for better research into the biodiversity of the deep sea, as humans are increasingly trying to exploit this habitat for fishing, oil and gas production and even mineral extraction. The first step in protecting the deep sea is to know what lives there.