Giant Woodlouse

[turpentinekiss_]

Monster of the deep: Shocked oil workers catch TWO-AND-A-HALF-FOOT 'woodlouse

Comments

[matanai]

Ummm. I don't know if I'm disgusted or amazed.

[leonardo_m]

Disgusted, of course.
Disgusted by people that have killed this magnificent animal.

[msmanuscript]

If they didn't know it was there, it's not their fault. Sounds like they didn't know until they got to the surface.

Isopods and Pressure

[gleef]

My understanding is that giant isopods are very sturdy beasties, and have repeatedly been caught at the depths, brought up to the surface, and survived just fine in unpressurized salt water aquariums, and can even handle wandering around outside on land for a while.

I'm not even sure if the one they found at the oil rig died, the article doesn't say, and I don't know any way of telling from still photographs.

The aquarium in Newport, KY apparently has a tank of giant isopods, if I'm ever out that way I hope to be able to stop in and see them.

Re: Isopods and Pressure

[osprey_cat]

That does sound awesome, but why the hell are the isopods in the "Dangerous and Deadly" gallery? That kinda ruined the cool for me. :/

I also recall hearing of isopods surviving pressure changes just fine. Same with crabs from gas vents on the seabed. Things with exoskeletons are better equipped than fish for pressure changes. I'm also not convinced he's dead from the pictures. It actually looks like he's flexing his tail up in the side view, maybe to regain balance? Dunno.

Re: Isopods and Pressure

[gleef]

I dunno, Isopods are pretty dangerous if you happen to be a decaying whale carcas.