A fish with a parasite for a tongue??? Not for the one's with weak stomach's!

[skinz78]

I just saw this on Facebook and thought it was too good not to share with everyone here...

Cat got your tongue, or is it Cymothoa exigua?

Parasites often alter their host's behaviour or appearance, but Cymothoa exigua goes one further - it is the only parasite known to replace an entire organ. Its unfortunate host is typically the rose spotted snapper, which it enters through the gills and lodges itself at the back of the mouth. It hooks its claws at the base of the tongue and interrup
ts the blood flow, consuming it instead. Due to the lack of blood the tongue atrophies and falls off, where the isopod parasite attaches itself to the remaining stub. It then "becomes" a functional tongue for the fish, able to be moved as the fish would have moved its original tongue.

Like most cymothoid isopods, C. exigua is a hermaphrodite. In one study females were only found in the mouth, whereas males could be found in the gills and the mouth (and in the mouth they were clinging to females, suggesting copulation). A small proportion of extremely unlucky fish were found with females as the tongue and males simultaneously occupying the gills. Despite the "organ-replacement" part, it doesn't appear C. exigua has other adverse effects on the fish.

In case you were wondering (and we're sure it crossed your mind at some point), C. exigua does not affect humans. That said, don't pick one up - they deliver quite a nip.

Photo credit: Dr. Nico Smit.

 

[ritter6788]

Ack! Throw it back!

:xd:

 

[bige]

The fish has human like teeth.

 

[KSzegi]

Wow ..... don't know whether thats too cool or too gross .... but thanks for sharing!

 

[swannyson7]

ewwww... I think my cheerios might come back up just thinking about that. Interesting, but gross.

 

[Reefing8EZ]

Creepy!

 

[revsgirl]

What?!?! That's crazy! And disgusting!! :sad:

 

[Dashiki]

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Those teeth creep me out!

 

[skinz78]

LOL pretty cool huh?

 

[SeymourDuncan]

Alien called...it wants its spawn back lol

 

[Reef Keeper 18]

That is some creepy stuff, fascinating, but also extremely gross. Haha

 

[Dsdaley77]

That is awesome!!!! Everyday there is something new to discover and amaze ourselves with, thanks for sharing

 

[LVE]

That is really cool, but oh so very gross all at the same time.

 

[Steviereefs]

That's crazy I've actually seen this before. One day when my wife and I were grocery shopping, we went to the fish department and long and behold there was a fish in the display case with the same thing in its mouth. Beyond that I don't know what it was, but I bet someone was surprised by there two for one special!!!!:jaw:

 

[Shiftygirl]

Very skeptical. But you know everything on facebook is fact.:what:

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