Ethan Carter
In the 1980s, German paleontologist Dolf Seilacher was collecting specimens in Puerto Rico before he received the prestigious Crafoord Prize, awarded by the same Swedish academy that bestows the Nobel Prize. During his research, he retrieved a massive Bathynomus isopod, a crustacean resembling a giant bug, measuring approximately 12.7 inches (32.2 centimeters) in length from a trap situated 1,640 feet (500 meters) deep on the ocean floor.
Seilacher, who passed away in 2014, never realized that this specimen represented a previously unidentified species. Now, over thirty years after its discovery, Tübingen paleontology student Benedikt Kästle and Ingmar Werneburg, the curator of the university’s Paleontological Collection, have officially named this creature. This pillbug-like giant isopod, which had long been misidentified as Bathynomus giganteus, is now designated as the new species Bathynomus tuebingoborikensis.
“The new species is closely related to another giant species found near the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico,” Kästle stated, adding that this substantial isopod belongs to the category of ‘colossogiants.’”
Exploring the World of Giant Isopods
In technical terms, these giant undersea isopods belong to the same order of crustaceans as woodlice, including the common brickwork woodlouse (Porcellio spinicornis), which can be found in masonry and stonework throughout Europe and North America. unlike their terrestrial counterparts that grow only to about 0.4 to 0.6 inches (10 to 15 millimeters), members of the Bathynomus genus can attain lengths of up to 20 inches (50 centimeters), making them some of the largest invertebrates on the planet.
These impressive creatures can weigh as much as 5.7 pounds (2.6 kilograms), protected by robust exoskeletons designed for survival at depths reaching 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) below sea level.
Werneburg notes that the entire Bathynomus genus, which currently inhabits oceans worldwide, likely originated in the Gulf of Mexico during the Miocene epoch over 15 million years ago, not far from the location where B. tuebingoborikensis was discovered.
“During that period, the Isthmus of Panama was open, creating a strait between North and South America, allowing marine species to spread westward, initially reaching as far as Japan,” Werneburg explained.
It took another 10 million years for prehistoric isopods to evolve into species that approached the sizes of today’s largest crustaceans. As the Earth cooled, “giant” isopod species from the Miocene, which only reached lengths of 5.9 inches (15 cm), eventually evolved into much larger relatives found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
“These true giants grew to lengths exceeding 25.2 centimeters (9.9 inches) and were perfectly adapted to the changing climatic conditions,” according to Werneburg.
Advanced Techniques Unveil New Knowledge
Kästle and Werneburg utilized 3D imaging through micro-computed tomography to obtain detailed cross-sections of the Tübingen specimen, which were essential for accurately distinguishing it from other “colossogiants” it had previously been mistaken for. Seilacher, known for his remarkable achievements without computer aid, may not have noticed the numerous subtle features that set B. tuebingoborikensis apart.
The micro-computed tomography allowed for a thorough examination of the mouthparts, which are often overlooked in species descriptions of Bathynomus, despite their importance for taxonomy related to [aquatic isopods or] Cirolanidae,” the researchers noted in their recent study published in Scientific Reports.
Reflecting the species’ rich history, the researchers chose its name as a combination of the indigenous Taíno name for Puerto Rico, Boríken, and Tübingen, Germany, the city where Seilacher contributed to preserving this remarkable find for its eventual rediscovery.
Daniel Mercer
