Alien-like creature found in deep sea, scientists name it 'Darth Vader'

A new study has found giant isopods deep below the ocean surface in the Gulf of Mexico and it has been called ‘Darth Vader of the seas’ due to resemblance to the ‘Star Wars’ villain. The study showed that the new-found species called ‘genus Bathynomus’ is around 2500 per cent larger than the common varieties. According to the official statement, the discovery was made in the benthic zone - the deepest reaches of the ocean – and is a significant addition to the existing knowledge.

"The ecological diversity of the Gulf of Mexico may be more complex than [previously] thought. I was skeptical. Since Enoshima Aquarium in Japan only purchased B. giganteus, I always thought it was B. giganteus," study lead author Huang Ming-Chih told Live Science.

The discovery was made when Huang obtained the specimen from the Enoshima Aquarium in Japan under the assumption that it was B. giganteus. However, an analysis by the team showed that it was different on a cellular level and showed qualities which were not found earlier.

The specimen was originally found by scientists near the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico in 2017. While the working theory is that they are related to crustaceans that includes woodlice, the size of the specimen found 2,000 feet to 2,600 feet below sea level is way bigger than the common species.

The first recorded discovery of isopods dates back to 1879 when scientists found it in the ocean and over the years, around 20 varieties of the group has been found by researchers.