c/interestingasfuck · by Wistful@discuss.tchncs.de · 3y

Hi there!

Cymothoa exigua, or the tongue-eating louse, is a parasitic isopod that severs the blood vessels in a fish's tongue, causing the tongue to fall off. It then attaches itself to the remaining stub of tongue and the parasite itself effectively serves as the fish's new "tongue"

232 points · 30 comments · view on lemmy.world

30 Comments

catastrophicblues@lemmy.ca · 67 pts · 3y (1 reply)

That’s nightmare fuel

mothringer@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 3y

The real nightmare fuel is the Laundry Files villain inspired by these things.

AFKBRBChocolate@lemmy.world · 33 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Those things are so bizarre. They latch onto the fish's mouth, severs the vein to its tongue so the tongue falls off, and the parasite becomes the new tongue. Apparently the fish functions just fine with its parasitic tongue.

Lor@kbin.social · 20 pts · 3y

I mean, if the fish didn't survive, the parasite wouldn't get easy meals for life, haha.

pivot_root@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 3y

Nature is very metal.

mysoulishome@lemmy.world · 32 pts · 3y

nope

Does Lemmy have a don’t put your dick in that community yet?

Selmafudd@lemmy.world · 22 pts · 3y (1 reply)

This is honestly shit for both of them, sure getting your tongue eaten probably isn't great but could you imagine if your whole life was just pretending to be a tongue living inside a fish's mouth??

SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml · 6 pts · 3y

But what could the fish possibly do if it found out? Die?

mk36109@kbin.social · 18 pts · 3y

This is a pretty extreme example of acting like you belong somewhere and hoping no one will notice

tekchic@kbin.social · 18 pts · 3y

Thanks, I didn't really need to sleep tonight.

baggins@lemmy.ca · 17 pts · 3y

I think you're lost. This belong in c/terrifyingasfuck

Guster@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 3y

That's enough internet for today

speck@kbin.social · 8 pts · 3y (1 reply)

But can the fish feel it wriggle around?