Giant Marine Isopod (Bathynomus giganteus) from the depths of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Giant Marine Isopod, Bathynomus giganteus, is the largest known isopod in the world. If you were to roll one up, it would be the size of a small bowling ball. This invertebrate is related to pill bugs, crabs, shrimp, and lobsters. The species lives in the deep ocean sea floors of the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. They are believed to be mainly scavengers on the ocean floor, eating whatever dead bodies they come across. They may also prey upon other small and slow moving invertebrates. The species can be found as shallow as ~550 feet depth (~180m) down to over 7,000 feet depth (~2,330m). There are about 9 species of Bathynomus around the world. This specimen photographed in 2010 courtesy of Chicago’s Shed Aquarium.