Giant Isopod

Giant isopods, genus Bathynomus, are large marine crustaceans and bottom-dwelling deep-sea scavengers, close relatives of the far smaller terrestrial woodlouse, and among the best-known examples of deep-sea gigantism. The genus splits into giant species measuring 8 to 15 centimeters and supergiant species reaching 17 to 50 centimeters; Bathynomus giganteus, the most familiar species, typically measures 19 to 36 centimeters and is often considered the largest isopod in the world. They occur across the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans at depths from about 170 meters to more than 2,000 meters, with Bathynomus giganteus most common between 365 and 730 meters in cold water, feeding mainly on dead whales, fish and squid along with slow-moving prey such as sea cucumbers and sponges; in captivity they can survive more than five years without food.