MadEyePixie
Sep 19 2005, 08:16 PM
QUOTE
Tongue-eating bug found in fish
A gross creature which gobbles up a fish's tongue and then replaces it with its own body has been found in Britain for the first time.
The bug - which has the scientific name cymothoa exigua - was discovered inside the mouth of a red snapper bought from a London fishmonger.
The 3.5cm creature had grabbed onto the fish's tongue and slowly ate away at it until only a stub was left.
It then latched onto the stub and became the fish's "replacement tongue".
Excited
Scientists are very excited by the find.
Dr Jim Brock of the Horniman Museum in south London told Metro newspaper: "I have not seen this species in all my 13 years at the museum so it's a remarkable find."
The bugs are usually found off the coast of California, so it's possible the fish was imported to the UK.
Freaked out
But don't be too freaked out - scientists say the creature does not pose any threat to humans and only attaches itself to fish tongues.
Source
Azalin
Sep 19 2005, 08:20 PM
So strange, makes you wonder what the point of such a creature is, in the wide spectrum food chain. I suppose some smaller fish would feed on them.
dragonlady_mothman
Sep 19 2005, 08:20 PM
Okay, I understand
eating the tounge, but why latch onto it and replace it with your own body? Guilt?
Conspiracy
Sep 19 2005, 08:23 PM
ugly thing ;/
Azalin
Sep 19 2005, 08:25 PM
QUOTE(dragonlady_mothman @ Sep 19 2005, 08:20 PM)
Okay, I understand
eating the tounge, but why latch onto it and replace it with your own body? Guilt?
[right][snapback]851672[/snapback][/right]
I would assume it would take small pieces of what the fish eats to survive. Would be smart to just live in the fishes mouth, and let the fish do all the food finding.
OtterLord
Sep 19 2005, 08:29 PM
GreyWeather
Sep 19 2005, 08:39 PM
takes 'cat got your tongue' to a different meaning.
maybe we should change that saying to 'parasite got your tongue'
STIX
Sep 19 2005, 08:44 PM
QUOTE(Leliel @ Sep 19 2005, 01:39 PM)
takes 'cat got your tongue' to a different meaning.
maybe we should change that saying to 'parasite got your tongue'
[right][snapback]851737[/snapback][/right]
cymothoa exigua got your toung?
fawkes2
Sep 19 2005, 09:09 PM
that is intresting .
Nessieman23
Sep 19 2005, 09:32 PM
Coool!
wabbit
Sep 19 2005, 09:41 PM
*wabbit should NOT have read this nor should she have looked at the pics while eating Subway*
yuck!
Pannkakskungen
Sep 19 2005, 09:48 PM
You gotta love the parasites
If you wanna read an interesting book on parasites, have a look at Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer, some nasty nasty bugs in that book, my need to go to exotic countries was greatly reduced after that book
Raptor
Sep 19 2005, 09:52 PM
QUOTE(Azalin @ Sep 19 2005, 09:20 PM)
So strange, makes you wonder what the point of such a creature is, in the wide spectrum food chain. I suppose some smaller fish would feed on them.
[right][snapback]851670[/snapback][/right]
If anything I'd assume they mainly only get eaten when the fish they are in gets eaten.
Weird_Al_Wonnabe
Sep 19 2005, 09:55 PM
Mmmmmmmmmmm...... Tounge *drools*
frogfish
Sep 19 2005, 10:39 PM
if that hurt, imagine how much a candiru fish would hurt....
MadEyePixie
Sep 20 2005, 12:24 AM
Some more about the little bug...
---My other Tongue is a Sea Louse---
Cymothoa exigua, a crustacean, is the only known parasite that effectively replaces a body organ. It makes its home in the mouth of a fish, where it drains blood from the tongue until it withers and dies. It attaches itself to the remaining stub and the fish is actually able to utilize it as a replacement tongue to draw in and manipulate food, which the parasite shares.
Source
eveningsky339
Sep 20 2005, 12:27 AM
Yuck. Ew. Poor fishy...
RogueActOfVengence
Sep 20 2005, 04:38 AM
i just cant believe that theres a museum called the horniman. it must be a hell of a place to work......
"Hey Guys, lets all goto the Horniman and learn something new!"
weird though, learn something new everyday
justcallmefox
Sep 20 2005, 01:46 PM
Well, at least it doesn't bother with humans.
but latching onto a tongue once you've eaten it? smart idea. that way, the fish would provide the food for it. any food the fish takes in would be snapped up by the parasite.
kinda sounds like some people i know...
JoeBean24
Sep 24 2005, 04:27 AM
It would be something else if there was a creature that would do that to a persons tongue, it would make for an interesting tale. haha
indeed
Sep 24 2005, 08:34 PM
We get these down here in australia, also it is common to find them attached to the side of the fish just before that tail.
eveningsky339
Sep 24 2005, 09:15 PM
*sniffle*
Poor widdle fishies...
Dezmond
Sep 25 2005, 10:32 PM
Anyone in for an experiment to attach it to his/her's tongue?
I bet indeed could help us out with getting that bug.
Voluntary has been opened now
yurifukawa
Oct 19 2005, 05:40 AM
Ouch!!!!! Damn i hate parasites,not onl they are ugly,they are scary too....
Original
Oct 19 2005, 06:52 PM
It's not too bad, at least the fish gets a sleek new tongue in the exchange.
JayRob303
Oct 22 2005, 02:11 AM
An interesting way of life for these critters...
TeraLink
Oct 22 2005, 02:58 PM
Ew...
What is the world coming to?
TeraLink Was Here!
LyCaN123
Oct 23 2005, 12:14 AM
ew doesnt loOk so nice ...better back away before-o god o holy ******* NO NONO!!!!!!
Anyhow it's a freak of Nature....
Fox McCloud
Oct 23 2005, 01:22 AM
...what the crap...
sourpatchkid
Oct 23 2005, 03:22 AM
uuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhh. N i thought fish made me want to puke before. scuze me the porceline bus is callin me. thats for that nasty pic madeye. *shudders*
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST SAW YOUR SECON PIC CUZ I DIDNT READ THE WHOLE POST THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP POSTING PICTURES OF IT PLEASE, YOUR KILLIN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Garm
Oct 23 2005, 05:03 PM
"But don't be too freaked out - scientists say the creature does not pose any threat to humans and only attaches itself to fish tongues."
It may so be, but it's still friggin nasty, and it gives me the creeps. I Hate parasites
Kryso
Oct 23 2005, 05:12 PM
The last time I cook a fish with it’s head on! Wonder how many of these have been eaten by unsuspecting humans?
LyCaN123
Oct 23 2005, 09:57 PM
QUOTE(Kryso @ Oct 23 2005, 10:12 AM) [snapback]899671[/snapback]
The last time I cook a fish with it’s head on! Wonder how many of these have been eaten by unsuspecting humans?
SOMEONE GIVE ME A BUCKET PLEASE PLEASE!
Radioactive Man
Oct 23 2005, 10:10 PM
Fish have tongues?
MadEyePixie
Oct 24 2005, 01:44 AM
QUOTE(sourpatchkid @ Oct 22 2005, 11:22 PM) [snapback]899195[/snapback]
uuuuugggggggghhhhhhhhh. N i thought fish made me want to puke before. scuze me the porceline bus is callin me. thats for that nasty pic madeye. *shudders*
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST SAW YOUR SECON PIC CUZ I DIDNT READ THE WHOLE POST THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!! STOP POSTING PICTURES OF IT PLEASE, YOUR KILLIN ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You're welcome.
Its nice to know I helped you make an offering to the porcelain god. Personally, I dont find it at all gross. I find it very interesting.
Just to make your day:
Yes, hechtal
fish have tongues.
~TheBigK~
Oct 24 2005, 01:58 AM
It is pretty interesting, but still, I'm likely to have a nightmare about that...
sourpatchkid
Oct 24 2005, 07:26 PM
madeyepixie, you did it once, shame on you, you did it twice, shame on me. I dont know why i came back here. I shant return to this horrid topic. Thanks for the nightmares!
Nethius
Oct 24 2005, 07:32 PM
Makes me glad I'm not a fish!
343 Guilty Spark
Oct 24 2005, 07:41 PM
Very strange, wonder why I haven't heard of these before?
GreyWeather
Oct 24 2005, 07:55 PM
heh, they actually look kinda cute...
but i guess thats just me...
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