just...holy crap. that thing is beyond scary or gross...looks like something out of a B 1970s movie.
December 23, 2006
Anonymous said...
in case you guys didnt know, these things (the normal size ones) are very rare parasites that get inside living things, usually fish, and eat their tongues and become the organism's new tongue and survive off the blood of the creature whose tongue they eat. freakin gross.
September 24, 2009
Mitch prompted me to do a search for this beauty, the giant isopod. When I first saw the photo I thought is was an enormous pill bug (that's rolly-polly to some of us). But, thank goodness, these crab-cousins are only found in the deep, cold waters of the Atlantic and Pacific.
This particular species, bathynomus giganteus, is an example of deep-sea gigantism. That's a phenomenon found among many abyssal invertebrates, which results in them getting huge. I'm just glad they use the terms 'deeps-sea' or 'abyssal,' because there is no reference to 'my backyard.'
11 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formHoly reflective eyes Batman!
December 20, 2006
He does look a bit superhero-y doesn't he? Or villiany.
December 20, 2006
Give Uncle Scrotor a hug!!!!
December 20, 2006
Remind me to never make my way to the bottom of the sea.
December 20, 2006
It's a Dire Pillbug!
--TwoDragons
December 21, 2006
Wonder if he tastes good.
December 21, 2006
LOL...boil him up and served with butter. Maybe he would be a delicacy
December 21, 2006
Mmmm. Dire pillbug, served with herb butter. Homer would be so proud.
December 21, 2006
He actually looks like a space invader from that old atari video game
December 21, 2006
just...holy crap. that thing is beyond scary or gross...looks like something out of a B 1970s movie.
December 23, 2006
in case you guys didnt know, these things (the normal size ones) are very rare parasites that get inside living things, usually fish, and eat their tongues and become the organism's new tongue and survive off the blood of the creature whose tongue they eat. freakin gross.
September 24, 2009