Rare tongue-eating parasite found

Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:05 pm » by **Avimoas**

A rare parasite which burrows into host fish before eating and replacing their tongues with itself has been found off the Jersey coast.

Fishermen near the Minquiers - islands under the jurisdiction of Jersey - found the isopod, a type of louse, inside a weaver fish.

Marine researcher Paul Chambers, from the Société Jersiaise, was one of the fishing party and identified the find.

He said he was surprised to find the isopod away from the Mediterranean sea.

Isopods are normally about 2cm (1in) long and live in fish, surviving on the animal's blood, in warm waters.

Mr Chambers told: "When we emptied the fish bag out there at the bottom was this incredibly ugly looking isopod.

"Really quite large, really quite hideous - if you turn it over its got dozens of these really sharp, nasty claws underneath and I thought 'that's a bit of a nasty beast'.

"I struggled for weeks to find an identification for this thing until, quite by chance I stumbled across something that looked similar in a Victorian journal.

"Apparently there's not too much ill effect to the fish itself except it's lost its tongue."

Experts at the University of Southampton confirmed that the creature was an isopod and that there had been several sightings of them in Cornwall in 1996.

Mr Chambers added: "It doesn't affect humans other than if you do actually come across a live one and try and pick it up - they are quite vicious, they will deliver a good nip."

http://www.discoveryon.info/2009/09/rare-tongue-eating-parasite-found.html

Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:10 pm » by **Lowsix**

Im jaded, i dont creep out easily.

This one got me..
that pic where it's perched in there..gooood lord..wtf

Mon Sep 14, 2009 6:22 pm » by **Mep630**

Talk about WTFOWNED lol.

Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:34 pm » by **Ihaveseen**

EWWWWWW!

Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:40 pm » by **Wrathofkahn**

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! :ohno:

Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:56 pm » by **Rizze**

Here is another isopod..........Sounds like something you could play a 4 gig iso image file on

Looks like....

Predator from the movie

Ug Mofo

Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:23 pm » by **Nonlocal**

I really appreciate this post, it's a cool creature.
The horsehair worms and the emerald cockroach wasp
are nice aswel. Well their abilities that is... :think:

I found some more;

This one is a bit big; and not in the fish it's mouth but also isopods
http://tolweb.org/tree/ToLimages/neracu.jpg

Mon Sep 14, 2009 8:37 pm » by **Nonlocal**

The first image I posted didn't show ( :ohno:

), but here it is;

Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:20 pm » by **Lowsix**

nonlocal wrote:The first image I posted didn't show ( ), but here it is;

HAHahah Bleeeeeee.
Thats just so disturbing. Cant put my finger on why.
perhaps its the replacement of a functioning organ with a Critter.

Thanks for adding that one..its a great pic..
Welcome to Disclose btw, if no ones mentioned it!

Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:24 pm » by **Windycity**

Now this...... this..... I actually have no words. :nails:

I was gonna have Halibut for dinner too. Not tonight. :ohno: