The stuff of nightmares...(gross pics)

[ferretinmyshoes]

Sometimes I love having the Reptile Report feed on my Facebook....and sometimes not so much...

Tongue Eating Parasite full story

The Reptile Report - "Cymothoa exigua (Tongue eating lous) attaches itself to a fish’s tongue. It starts to suck blood through the claws on its front legs. As it grows, less blood can reach the tongue and it atrophies. That’s when the parasite replaces the tongue attaching his body to the muscles. The fish uses it like a normal tongue."

VOMIT!

 

[shaunaroxanne]

I was not prepared to see that right before bed So gross.

 

[squeekz1992]

I was not prepared to see that right before bed So gross.

Ditto

 

[Elizadolots]

Could you maybe edit the title to say "warning, disgusting pic"????

Of course, you didn't get that luxury with it being in your Facebook feed.....

YIKES!!!

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Well I didn't label it "the stuff of nightmares" because it was going to be kittens snuggling!

 

[redline]

Look like a deubían roach, seen it before on fishing trips my auncle used to make when I was in Nicaragua. While preparing the fish, they used to take it out. Lol funny is being 20 year since I last saw one.

 

[ataraxia]

That is wild! What kinda fish has human like teeth though??

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

That is wild! What kinda fish has human like teeth though??

That just makes it all the more creepier!

 

[d3s5]

Oh, nice, Dayna, very nice.

And a Happy Thanksgiving to you!

You couldn't have waited for a different holiday to post this? Maybe Halloween?

 

[Olimpia]

I saw this on facebook last night too and I was also like "ugh."
Really interesting, but frankly, really unsettling! lol

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

LOL! And happy thanksgiving to you as well! Just be glad you have a real tongue to enjoy that thanksgiving goodness instead of a louse tongue. Something to be thankful for!

It's seriously gross but kind of amazing that something would even evolve in such an unusual and specific way. I'm surprised the louse doesn't just fall off when it's done and move to another fish instead of "oh my bad, let me fix what I did".

 

[d3s5]

Yes, it IS amazing. Incredibly amazing, actually. And I am thankful for my working tongue. It would be just as amazing and no less incredible on Halloween and I would still be thankful for my tongue . . . Just sayin' . . .

Deb

 

[stalincat]

ugh I'm pretty sure I saw it on cracked.com among other delicious creatures

 

[Tanuki]

It's amazing whats out there.

Haha, I just finished watching the Bay, the Pic fits perfectly.

 

[ambanjamom]

Well isn't that just interesting to look at.Not saying I would want to lose my tongue to something like that,but to even think that there is such a thing just makes you want to say OMG that's nastyI'm so glad that I don't fish & if i did I can honestly say that this would cure me for sure.

 

[ChameleonRave]

Moments like this, it makes me so glad that I am a vegetarian and haven't eaten fish in well over 12 years. That is extremely terrifying to see something like that, but to be honest, it's not that scary. It is something that occurs in nature and we should embrace the weird that nature provides for us.

 

[pigglett79]

The part that freaked me out the most is that the fish uses it just like it was its own tongue. Yikes!

 

[ijmccollum]

That is wild! What kinda fish has human like teeth though??

I am with you on that one bro....human teeth!?!