Bathynomus giganteus - There are more than 20 species of giant isopods that are found abundantly in cold and deep water locations of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. These crustaceans are distantly related to shrimp and crabs. Giant isopods have been recorded in the West Atlantic from off the US coast in Georgia, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. This specimen is part of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reference and research preserved biological specimens, and has been surface scanned with a structured light instrument by the University of South Florida Libraries as part of a collaborative digital database project.
The Florida Biodiversity Collections are used by scientists and students as guides as they identify animals collected during research, as sources for research material, or for educational exhibits.
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