Jan 14 2008
Giant Isopods, Doritos, and You
Giant Isopods feasting on Doritos brand chips!
I came across this fascinating and funny photo in this SomethingAwful article. I used to read every animal, nature, and insect book I could get my hand on as a kid, but I’d never seen anything like this odd beast. I tried Googling “modern trilobite” and similar, but to no avail. Finally, I returned to SA and found the answer in the forums; they are Giant Isopods, crustaceans that live deep in the ocean. They are closely related to the woodlouse, a small critter that most people are familiar with; back East, we called them “sowbugs.”
Apparently, they’ve sparked a small Internet meme, inspiring clothing and music.
I’d love to know that backstory behind this photo. Who fed their three Isopods a bag of Doritos? And what’s their favorite flavor?
