There’s a parasite that removes a fish’s tongue — then becomes the tongue. The tongue-eating louse enters a fish’s mouth through the gills, cuts off blood to the tongue, and attaches itself in its place. The fish keeps living — and uses the parasite like a real tongue. It’s the only known parasite to functionally replace an organ. It doesn’t kill the host… it just lives in its mouth forever. | What Is This? | Facebook

The Parasite That Replaces a Fish’s Tongue (Yes… Really) Did you know there’s a real-life creature that replaces a fish’s tongue… and the fish just keeps using it? Meet Cymothoa exigua, the tongue-eating louse — one of biology’s most unsettling yet ingenious parasites. This tiny marine isopod slips into a fish’s mouth, clamps onto its tongue, and cuts off the blood supply until the tongue shrivels away. Then comes the twist: the parasite takes the tongue’s place, attaching itself to the same mus

243K views · 557 reactions | Cymothoa exigua es un crustáceo isópodo...