Posted on 08/14/2020 1:01:31 PM PDT by Red Badger
A close-up of Bathynomus raksasa, a new species of "supergiant" isopod Named Bathynomus raksasa, the holotype, or physical specimen that serves as the basis for the description and name of the new species, is a male that was measured to be 36.3 cm (14.3 in) long, which puts it among the largest giant isopods ever found. The second specimen was a female measuring 29.8 cm (11.7 in). Along with being bigger on average, the team noted other differences when compared to the closest known species, Bathynomus giganteus, including smoother “skin” and different body proportions and shapes.
“The identification of this new species is an indication of just how little we know about the oceans,” says Helen Wong, an author of the study. “There is certainly more for us to explore in terms of biodiversity in the deep sea of our region.”
The team says that the discovery is an example of deep-sea gigantism, an observation that some creatures that dwell in the deep tend to grow much bigger than their relatives in shallower waters or on land. Most isopods measure less than 10 mm (0.4 in) in length, but the 20 species in the “supergiant” Bathynomus genus grow to be more than 30 times larger. S JADE 2018
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All kinds of fascinating discoveries are likely lying in wait for us in the deep sea. Now scientists have pulled a new monster out of the waters off the coast of Indonesia. The creature is a new species of “supergiant” isopod, a huge marine relative of the common pillbug.
The discovery was made during the South Java Deep Sea Biodiversity Expedition 2018 (SJADES 2018). At depths between 950 and 1,260 m (3,115 and 4,135 ft), the team found two specimens of giant isopods that were soon determined to belong to a new species.
The female specimen of Bathynomus raksasa, seen from above and below. S JADE 2018
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Named Bathynomus raksasa, the holotype, or physical specimen that serves as the basis for the description and name of the new species, is a male that was measured to be 36.3 cm (14.3 in) long, which puts it among the largest giant isopods ever found. The second specimen was a female measuring 29.8 cm (11.7 in). Along with being bigger on average, the team noted other differences when compared to the closest known species, Bathynomus giganteus, including smoother “skin” and different body proportions and shapes.
“The identification of this new species is an indication of just how little we know about the oceans,” says Helen Wong, an author of the study. “There is certainly more for us to explore in terms of biodiversity in the deep sea of our region.”
The team says that the discovery is an example of deep-sea gigantism, an observation that some creatures that dwell in the deep tend to grow much bigger than their relatives in shallower waters or on land. Most isopods measure less than 10 mm (0.4 in) in length, but the 20 species in the “supergiant” Bathynomus genus grow to be more than 30 times larger.
Bathynomus raksasa can grow to well over 30 cm (11.8 in) – more than 30 times larger than most isopodsNational University of Singapore
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In the past few years we’ve seen many new species reeled in from the deep oceans, including the deepest-dwelling fish in the world, hairy-chested “Hoff” crabs, eye-catching neon fish, and the longest animal ever recorded – a floating zooid colony measuring 47 m (154 ft) long.
The new study was published in the journal ZooKeys.
Source: National University of Singapore
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Looks like lobster that’s all tail.
Yep!...........
Shrimp on the barbie!
AKA “Sea Cockroach”................It’s just a nickname.........
It probably tastes like chicken of the sea.
It looks mean.
A former coworker who is a diver found one of the things in the Gulf of Mexico a few years back, made the newspapers. It was at least that big, if not bigger.......................
It’s not really. It’s closest relative is your common garden roly-poly pill bug.............
Live lobsters on sale tomorrow for $6.99 a lb. Gonna get 4. Little neck clams too. Mmmm..
Riiiiiight.................
Sorry, not buying it. The one in the pic at the top of the page looks like it’s set on world domination.
I, for one, will not welcome our new isopod overlord.
Now that’s a big cockroach!
I will......... With a bib, fork and butter dish...............
Just saw a video on the TV show “Strange Evidence” of a shark that was attacked by one of these giant sea bugs.
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