10 Deep Sea Creatures That Are (Almost) Too Bizarre to Be Real

The giant isopod (Bathynomus) is a deep-sea crustacean related to roly-polys and pill bugs. Although the “giant” isopod ranges in size from 3 to 20 inches (8 to 51 centimeters) long, it dwarfs the majority of marine isopods, which are typically measure about 2 inches (5 centimeters) or smaller.

The giant isopod is a prime example of deep-sea gigantism, a phenomenon seen in other deep-sea creatures like the giant squid and the Japanese spider crab. It lives from 500 to 7,000 feet (152 to 2,133 meters) deep, from the lower epipalegic (sunlight) to the upper bathypalegic (midnight) zones.

“As far as we know, they are primarily scavengers,” Ruth Carmichael, senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and professor of marine and environmental sciences at the University of South Alabama, told HowStuffWorks. “They play an important role in nutrient and element recycling” by digesting bits of decaying fish, crustaceans and sea sponges on the sea floor.