Isopods

O

Orleander

OH JOY!!!!
Valued Senior Member
Since they are related to shrimp and crabs, can we eat them the same way? If we can, why don't we.

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Approximately 4,500 marine species are known from all regions of the world's ocean, living most abundantly on the sea bottom from the abyss to the intertidal zone, and with only a few representatives in the pelagic zone. The group also has successfully colonized freshwater habitats (about 500 species) including lakes, rivers, streams, underground waters, thermal springs, the water held in certain tropical plants, and anchialine/cave habitats, where they often display associated specializations. All marine shorelines in the world are inhabited by species of the three very common families Idoteidae (Valvifera), Sphaeromatidae (Flabellifera), and Cirolanidae (Flabellifera). In offshore, soft-bottom, marine environments species of the suborders Asellota, Anthuridea, and Gnathiidea are very common. In the deep sea asellotans predominate almost to the complete exclusion of all other isopod taxa and, in fact, have undergone a massive evolutionary radiation in this environment (Wilson & Hessler 1987). Members of the suborder Anthuridea are slender, tubular forms that inhabit both shallow-water and shelf environments, and they are especially diverse in tropical reef habitats.
 
Yum! Looks like the biggest Moreton Bay Bug ever!
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I think people should eat more arthropods in general. I think they would be a much more efficient, healthy, tasty, and humane source of food than the mammals, birds, and fish we eat so much.
 
cosmictraveler said:
Approximately 4,500 marine species are known from all regions of the world's ocean, living most abundantly on the sea bottom from the abyss to the intertidal zone, and with only a few representatives in the pelagic zone. The group also has successfully colonized freshwater habitats (about 500 species) including lakes, rivers, streams, underground waters, thermal springs, the water held in certain tropical plants, and anchialine/cave habitats, where they often display associated specializations. All marine shorelines in the world are inhabited by species of the three very common families Idoteidae (Valvifera), Sphaeromatidae (Flabellifera), and Cirolanidae (Flabellifera). In offshore, soft-bottom, marine environments species of the suborders Asellota, Anthuridea, and Gnathiidea are very common. In the deep sea asellotans predominate almost to the complete exclusion of all other isopod taxa and, in fact, have undergone a massive evolutionary radiation in this environment (Wilson & Hessler 1987). Members of the suborder Anthuridea are slender, tubular forms that inhabit both shallow-water and shelf environments, and they are especially diverse in tropical reef habitats.
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so....is that a yes or a no?
 
Enmos said:
Hmmm! Woodlice!

pestWoodlice1.jpg
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Yeah, basically. From Wiki:
Giant isopods are of little interest to most commercial fisheries owing to the typical scarcity of catches and because ensnared isopods are usually scavenged beyond marketability before they are recovered. The species are noted for resemblance to the common woodlouse or pill bug, to which they are related. The few specimens caught in the Americas with baited traps are sometimes seen in public aquaria.
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(Emphasis mine)

We used to call those bugs "rolly pollys" when I was a kid, for obvious reasons. (Or not - they tend to "roll-up" when touched, kind of like you might envision an armadillo behaving.)
 
Orleander said:
woodlice? Must be a bigger version of roly polies or (as my Mom alls them) pill bugs.
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Pill-bugs or Roly Polies are Woodlice ;)

Randwolf said:
We used to call those bugs "rolly pollys" when I was a kid, for obvious reasons. (Or not - they tend to "roll-up" when touched, kind of like you might envision an armadillo behaving.)
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Only some woodlice can do that though. Most can't.
I checked Wikipedia and only the Woodlice from the genus Armadillidium can roll up into a ball.
So it seems you're not the only one that made the comparison with Armadillos ;)
 
Enmos said:
Only some woodlice can do that though. Most can't.
I checked Wikipedia and only the Woodlice from the genus Armadillidium can roll up into a ball.
So it seems you're not the only one that made the comparison with Armadillos ;)
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I never knew that. The ones that lived in Michigan and Ohio all pretty much exhibited this behavior. (As far as I knew, at least)

They were quite common, all you had to do was turn over a log... Touch them, and Presto! A balled up bug. I guess they were all of that genus.

By the way, the comparison to Armadillos was purely my own conjecture, since I now live in Florida where such creatures are relatively common.
Wow. Someone else thinks like me...

A scary proposition. :)
 
Orleander said:
but that you know of, no one where you live eats them?
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No, we eat crabs, shrimp and lobsters here mainly because we have an abundant supply so we don't want to go after those types of critters , at least not now. I can't eat shellfish so I just catch fish to eat for myself.
 
I've heard they were called 'cockroach of the sea'
Does that mean they are very plentiful or hard to kill. If they are plentiful, I saw we eat them
 
Orleander said:
I've heard they were called 'cockroach of the sea'
Does that mean they are very plentiful or hard to kill. If they are plentiful, I saw we eat them
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I say - Get 'em Orly! Get those marine lice and eat 'em up!

If you devise any cool recipes, please share... :)
(For real)

This whole thread reminds me of Horseshoe crabs. I wonder if you can eat them?

horseshoe_crab.jpg


We have an overabundance of these critters here in Florida...
 
This whole thread reminds me of Horseshoe crabs. I wonder if you can eat them?
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I've read that those things are over 500 million years old! Would you eat something that aged? :shrug:
 
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