Cell Study Finds Deep-Sea Isopods Survive 5 Years Without Food
Updated
Updated · Nautilus · Jun 10
Cell Study Finds Deep-Sea Isopods Survive 5 Years Without Food
3 articles · Updated · Nautilus · Jun 10
Summary
Supergiant deep-sea isopods can go as long as five years without eating, according to a Cell paper that links the feat to extreme energy conservation.
Two Bathynomus species from about 990 feet and 3,000 feet deep showed profoundly depressed metabolisms, with the deeper-dwelling B. jamesi larger and better equipped to store energy.
Genome and gut analyses suggest the animals cope by eating heavily when food appears, then stretching reserves through enlarged digestive capacity, expanded metabolism-related gene groups and a microbiome that supports fat storage.
Researchers also found a bacteria-derived ND1 gene tied to suppressing energy use in cold conditions, offering a broader model for how life balances growth and survival in extreme deep-sea environments.