[News Terms] Giant Echinoderm Discovered in Vietnamese Waters 'Batinomus Baedari'

A new species of giant isopod measuring over 30cm in length and weighing more than 1kg has been discovered in the waters of the Nansha Islands, Vietnam.

An international joint research team including Vietnam National University (VNU) announced in the latest issue of the international zoological journal Zookeys that one of the Bathynomus species caught in the Nansha Islands and used for food has been identified as a previously unreported new species.

The head part of Batinomus Baideri. Photo by Nguyen Thanh Son.

'Bathynomus' is a deep-sea isopod closely related to crustaceans such as crabs and shrimp, and it is among the largest of its kind. Except for the tail part, it resembles a woodlouse or a sand flea. Its size generally ranges from about 8 to 15cm, but giant species are known to grow up to 60cm. They mainly feed on the carcasses of dead organisms that have sunk to the seabed and can survive for long periods without food.

The research team named the animal 'Bathynomus vaderi' after noting that the shape of its head resembles the iconic helmet of the famous Sith Lord 'Darth Vader' from the movie Star Wars.

The team analyzed that although Bathynomus vaderi has so far only been found near the Nansha Islands in Vietnam, it is highly likely to inhabit other areas of the South China Sea based on further research.

Giant crustaceans like Bathynomus vaderi are considered a costly delicacy in Vietnam. Until 2017, local fishermen sold them cheaply as byproducts, but recently they have become treated as expensive seafood due to growing public interest. Their taste is sometimes compared to lobster.

The research team stated, "The discovery of a new species like Bathynomus vaderi in Vietnamese waters shows how little we truly understand the deep-sea environment," adding, "The fact that such a large species could remain hidden for so long reminds us that much research is still needed to find out what lives in the Southeast Asian seas."