Meet the Newly Discovered Giant Isopod Named After Darth Vader

The ocean is a wonderful and terrifying place. For evidence of that, look no further than Bathynomus vaderi, a newly discovered species of supergiant sea bug discovered off the coast of Vietnam whose appearance evokes classic imagery from a galaxy far, far away.

These creatures belong to an order of crustacean known as isopods, which are generally recognized by their hard exoskeletons and seven pairs of legs. Most isopods are quite small, typically measuring an inch or less around. But B. vaderi, which was given its name due to its resemblance to the iconic Darth Vader helmet from Star Wars when viewed head-on, is now one of the largest members of the isopod family—one of the newly discovered critters weighs in at more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds).

Bathynomus vaderi. Ng PKL, Sidabalok CM, Nguyen TS (2025)/ZooKeys 1223: 289-310.

According to researchers, B. vaderi and other species of supergiant sea bugs are bottom dwellers that primarily feed on dead animals. It’s believed that their massive size might serve an evolutionary benefit, helping them survive the deep waters in which they inhabit.

For more information, read the findings of the researchers who made the discovery in the journal ZooKeys.