Interesting Parasite

So, after !K_A! and Vault Dweller brought up the Candiru in another thread, I figured I'd check out other parasites while I'm bored at work, and found this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymothoa_exigua

Cymothoa exigua is a parasitic crustacean of the family Cymothoidae. This parasite attaches itself at the base of the tongue of the Spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus, with the claws on its front three pairs of legs, and extracts blood. As the parasite grows, less and less blood is able to reach the tongue, and eventually the organ atrophies from lack of blood. The parasite then replaces the fish's tongue with its own body, by attaching to the muscles of the tongue stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue, except that it has to share its food with the parasite. It appears that the parasite does not cause any other damage to the host fish [1]. Once C. exigua replaces the tongue, it supplements its diet with food particles, thereby relieving strain on the host's circulatory system. This is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ.

That's freaking awesome.

That's one cool ass bug.

Interesting

Wow. That's much less freakish than the Candiru. Now if only I could find one of those which could replace my tar-ridden lungs...

Search wikipedia and you might just find one. Wikipedia answers all. That is definitely a crazy parasite though. Sort of strange that it stops growing after a point though, usually they would keep growing and sucking blood it seems like. I suppose from an evolutionary stand point it is wiser just to halt growth at the tongue so it doesn't kill the host but still can benefit from attaching itself within the fish.

Search wikipedia and you might just find one.

Neg, the article states this is the only case of a parasite replacing a host organ, although Wikipedia isn't always 100% reliable.

lol Well I was joking around about the parasite for the lungs. Lungs are one of those more complex organs that unfortunately cant be replaced or at least I don't think I have ever actually heard of a lung transplant before.

Oh, don't be silly!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_transplant

Of course they can!

lol Well I was joking around about the parasite for the lungs. Lungs are one of those more complex organs that unfortunately cant be replaced or at least I don't think I have ever actually heard of a lung transplant before.

I meant that I think the human lung would require too specific of a replacement for a parasite to mimic the functions of it.

Kinda like the Babelfish; entirely too useful to really exist.

Lol, i love wiki.

Lol, i love wiki.

It's my best friend at work, I learn so much awesome stuff while bored at work...

Share, share!

I always wondered how small it must be, to be able to swim through an ear canal...

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What a strange parasite this "Cymothoa exigua" is. One would have thought that the fish would realise and try and get rid of it, surely?

I always wondered how small it must be, to be able to swim through an ear canal... --- What a strange parasite this "Cymothoa exigua" is. One would have thought that the fish would realise and try and get rid of it, surely?

I imagine it's like trying to brush your teeth armless, you simply can't.

I'll share some interesting things in a bit, Slaynish. I have a debate I'm thinking about posting.

I always wondered how small it must be, to be able to swim through an ear canal... --- What a strange parasite this "Cymothoa exigua" is. One would have thought that the fish would realise and try and get rid of it, surely?

The fish might be too dumb to realize its tongue is being replaced by a parasite if its not actually causing much pain.