Fish Found With Parasite That Eats Its Tongue And Then Becomes Its Tongue

[zuul]

Link to tweet

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tongue-eating-louse-found-in-texas_n_6171a5dbe4b010d9330e4b06

You’ve heard about a cat getting your tongue, but how about a tongue-eating louse? Earlier this week, officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department took a photo of a strange parasite resembling a pill bug that is also known as the snapper-choking isopod, according to San Antonio ABC affiliate KSAT.

The fish containing the parasite was found at Galveston Island State Park. Officials jokingly suggested on Facebook that the creature was a Martian before offering the true science surrounding the crustacean. The tongue-eating louse attaches itself to the fish’s mouth and then replaces the tongue, according to the Houston Chronicle. The parasite then survives in the fish’s mouth by feeding on the host animal’s mucus ― the only known example of a parasite replacing an organ of its host.

Although the animal’s modus operandi could be the stuff of nightmares, officials said in the Facebook post below that the tongue-eating louse “does not kill the fish or affect humans.” So far, the reaction to the creepy creature can be summed by the person who remarked, “Thanks for the new nightmare material. The old monsters were getting kind of boring.”

[XanaDUer2]

1. The world is a strange and wonderous place nt

[FSogol]

3. We have a different definition of wonderous.

[FarPoint]

2. OMG

Now I know I'm in the upside down world...first, living the tRump nightmare, now this fish thing...🥴🥴🥴🥴...What planet is this?

[Omnipresent]

4. Now I have to look at my tongue...

To see if it’s all mine!

[hlthe2b]

5. Otherwise known as the "Trump parasite" and only affects Republicans...

Sorry, but the analogy writes itself.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. EEEW!!

[zuul]

7. I don't get grossed out very easily, but this it totally

GROSS ! ! !

[riversedge]

10. agree. To me, it is nothing to mess with [esp. after this Covid virus scare]

[sdfernando]

11. reminds me of an old joke

Here, have a taco de lengua.

No thanks. I don't want to taste anything that is tasting me back.

[vercetti2021]

8. This is a literal movie they made

It's called The Bay.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

12. Got to get that on my watchlist for halloween

I live in maryland,its close to home so it might be just the kind of scare that would be awesome.

[Bayard]

9. Okay

That has to be the most obscene thing I've heard about in awhile.

For some reason, the line from Starship Troopers came to mind--To understand the bug, we must become the bug.

[LeftInTX]

13. Gross...more details and more pictures....

https://futurism.com/the-most-horrifying-parasite-cymothoa-exigua-2

&t=154s

[oasis]

14. The "ick" that ate the lick.