August 16, 2021: Giant Isopod
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Download larger version (jpg, 1.0 MB).
This was one of two giant isopods (Bathynomous giganteus) seen while exploring a site about 65 kilometers (40 miles) southeast of Key West, Florida, as part of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. The other giant isopod we encountered was observed snacking on a fish head.
These deep-sea scavengers are close relatives of the pill bugs, rolly pollies, and sowbugs found in houses and gardens, but Bathynomus giganteus is much, much larger, growing up to a foot and a half in length. Although giant isopods have been known to exist for more than a century, we still don't know all that much about their biology or behavior, making any observations of them incredibly important (and also really cool).