Cool Parasite 


 

I was thrilled to recently find some information on a fascinating fish parasite that I had never heard of before. This marine isopod (isopods are crustaceans and are mostly marine although wood lice, also known as roly-polies or sow-bugs, are probably right outside your door right now) is the only known parasite that functionally replaces an organ or structure that it destroys. Found in the Gulf of California, this critter known as Cymothoa exigua destroys the tongue of its host (a snapper) and then attaches to floor of the mouth using hooks. Resembling the fish's missing tongue, the isopod mechanically acts like the fish's tongue and eats some of the food that fish eats. Link (scroll down). The cool thing is that it has eyes. A snapper with this parasite ended up at a fish monger in London. Link. I guess this critter was featured on This American Life (my favorite radio show) but I missed it. Link.  

Posted: Sun - September 18, 2005 at 11:52 PM          

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