Giant isopod
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Giant isopods | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Isopoda |
| Family: | Cirolanidae |
| Genus: | Bathynomus |
Giant isopods are big crustaceans that live at the bottom of the ocean. They can grow up to 45 cm long and weigh up to 1.7 kg. Currently about 9 different species are known. Giant isopods usually eat dead whales, fish and squid. They may also be active scavengers, and hunt slow-moving prey, such as sea cucumbers, sponges, nematodes. Perhaps they even catch live fish. They live in depths between 170m to about 2200m. Over 80% can be found between 365 m and 730 m of depth.[1]. They probably prefer a muddy or clay substrate and lead solitary lives.
References [change]
- ↑ L. B. Holthuis & W. R. Mikulka (1972). "Notes on the deep-sea isopods of the genus Bathynomus A. Milne-Edwards, 1879". Bulletin of Marine Science 22: 575–591.
