‘Supergiant’ ocean creature — sold as a delicacy — is new species in Vietnam. See it
Along the coast of the South China Sea in Vietnam, bọ biển is on the menu.
Bọ biển, or “sea bugs,” are large isopods that have come to rival lobsters in “quality of the flesh” as a sought-after seafood delicacy. Often multiple pounds in weight, the insect-like deep-sea animals are fished from far away islands before being distributed to markets and restaurants around the country in Southeast Asia.
Now, a new species of sea bug has been discovered in markets and on the plate — and it’s a “supergiant.”
Researchers bought the sea bugs from local anglers and restaurants after seeing them being “sold alive in eateries,” according to a study published Jan. 14 in the peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys.
Most of the sea bugs belonged to the species Bathynomus jamesi, researchers said, but six specimens had a noticeably different shape and structure.
The animals are about 10 inches long with a hard outer shell over their oval-shaped bodies, long antennae and spined fringes, according to the study.
The sea bugs’ heads have gaping holes that imitate a helmet, earning the new species its name.
Bathynomus vaderi was “named after the most famous Sith Lord in the ‘Star Wars’ movie series, Darth Vader, whose helmet resembles the head of the new Bathynomus species,” researchers said.
Despite their apparent popularity, not much is known about the environment the Darth Vader sea bugs come from as secrecy clouds their capture.
“We are unable to determine the exact location where B. vaderi was trawled, as the dealers and fishermen would only say they were obtained from deep waters off Vietnam near the Spratly Islands,” researchers said.
The isopods were first fished for food specifically in 2017, according to the study, and quickly became a specialty menu item.
Restaurants would receive a shipment of live sea bugs every few days, about 10 animals at a time, and the price skyrocketed, according to the study.
“In 2017, specimens had to be pre-ordered, and diners had to wait up to a month to collect their Bathynomus specimens in seafood outlets in Hanoi,” researchers said. “Today, some seafood markets in Hanoi, Hồ Chí Minh City, and Đà Nẵng City keep up to 30 individuals in their chilled water tanks for customers to buy. It is also common to see advertisements selling ‘sea bugs’ on social networks by some seafood stores.”
The prices now fluctuate based on supply and demand, researchers said, and in high-end restaurants, sea bugs can still cost shockingly high amounts.
“Large specimens in excess of (4.5 pounds) are also sought after as they are less common and their size makes for an impressive dish,” researchers said.
The creatures were reported around the Spratly Islands, a disputed archipelago partway between Vietnam and the Philippines, and claimed by multiple countries.
The research team includes Peter K. L. Ng, Conni M. Sidabalok and Thanh Son Nguyen.
This story was originally published January 14, 2025 at 1:41 PM with the headline "‘Supergiant’ ocean creature — sold as a delicacy — is new species in Vietnam. See it."
