With a head like Darth Vader's: an unknown giant crustacean was discovered in the food market (photo).

Sometimes, biologists discover new animal species in completely inappropriate locations. For instance, at a food market in Vietnam, they purchased a local delicacy in the form of a giant isopod, only to realize later that it was an unknown species to science.

A new study was published in the journal ZooKeys. Although they bought the crustacean back in 2022, the research was only published on January 14, 2025.

The new species has been named Bathynomus vaderi, in honor of Darth Vader, the main antagonist of the "Star Wars" franchise. Researchers from Hanoi University noted that the isopod's head closely resembles the helmet of the famous character.

It's worth mentioning that currently, around twenty species of deep-sea isopods from the genus Bathynomus are known. Most of them grow to lengths of 8-15 centimeters, but some "supergiant" species can reach sizes of 17 to 50 centimeters. The largest known specimen measured 76 centimeters (30 inches), which is somewhat larger than a typical German shepherd.

The new species also falls into the "supergiant" category, although it doesn’t break records. The length of the described specimen was 26.6 centimeters, with a width of 13.5 centimeters. Other found representatives of this species measured between 25.7 and 32.5 centimeters in length. However, that's still considerable for a "little bug."

Bathynomus vaderi is believed to be quite close to another species, Bathynomus jamesi, but they exhibit several differences in structure. For instance, the new species has a rectangular head (cephalon), upward-curved spines along the edges of its shell, and some other distinctive features.

Isopods are a highly diverse group of crustaceans that includes over 10,000 known species. They have successfully conquered not only the sea but also freshwater bodies and land. However, most of them do not exceed a couple of centimeters in size. Terrestrial species are highly valued among enthusiasts who keep terrariums at home, as they consume waste, thereby assisting in cleanup, or serve as food for pet reptiles. Nevertheless, some species can reach prices of a few hundred dollars per dozen due to their exotic coloration.

Marine species are often consumed by humans, like the isopod described in the new study. Giant species typically inhabit great depths, which exposes them to a peculiar phenomenon known as "deep-sea gigantism." This phenomenon arises because of the limited food supply, leading animals to eat as much as they can whenever food is available, in order to last as long as possible until the next meal.

As previously reported, scientists explored the depths of Lake Enigma in Antarctica. Despite being located beneath several meters of ice, it boasts an entire ecosystem that has never been seen before.