Cymothoa exigua | 水產百科網

Cymothoaexigua,orthetongue-eatinglouse,isaparasiticisopodofthefamilyCymothoidae.Itentersfishthroughthegillsandthefemaleattachestothe ...

A parasitic marine isopod also known as the tongue-eating louse

Cymothoa exigua, or the tongue-eating louse, is a parasitic isopod of the family Cymothoidae. It enters fish through the gills. The female attaches to the tongue, while the male attaches to the gill arches beneath and behind the female. Females are 8–29 mm (0.3–1.1 in) long and 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) wide. Males are about 7.5–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide.[1] The parasite severs the blood vessels in the fishs tongue, causing the tongue to fall off. It then attaches itself to the remaining stub of the tongue and becomes the fishs new "tongue".[2]

Using its front claws, C. exigua severs the blood vessels in the fishs tongue, causing the tongue to necrose from lack of blood. The parasit...