What's Got Your Tongue????

O.K.! This IS Bizarre! This parasitic crustacean feasts on the blood of the spotted rose snapper fish by attaching to its tongue. After several days the tongue atrophies and falls off. Instead of leaving the poor fishy tongue-less the parasite attaches itself to the muscular base of the tongue and serves as a replacement. Since the fish can use the parasite as it would an actual tongue the only negative effect for the fish is a small loss of food, which is eaten by the parasite. C. exigua is the only known parasite that functionally replaces a host's organ. Although this parasite is usually found off the coast of California it was recently found in the United Kingdom, most likely indicating that its range is expanding. Go here. http://www.anglingmasters.com/10-bizarre-behaviors-of-parasites.asp