Meet the parasites in the fish's mouth.

Animals, leading a parasitic life big set, but not all of them have specific traits that their fame. And here at Cymothoa exigua they are and what! 

This parasitic crustacean exist due to the fact that "eats away" at the fish and language takes its place. It makes it so professionally and skillfully that the fish may not even notice this substitution.

 

1. Disgusting, is not it? But nature does not do anything just like that, so for something this "devourer of languages" is still needed. It remains only to understand - for what?

2. Well, now I come to the point. I want to immediately notify particularly susceptible persons, that this creature is not dangerous to humans, if only scratch the skin.

3. Body length Cymothoa exigua does not exceed 3-4 inches, has small claws and shell.

Its habitat is the coast of California. Its parasitic life this crustacean is exclusively in the mouth of the spotted rose snapper (Latin Lutjanus guttatus). There it enters through the gills.

4. Climbing a fish, symothoa exigua fixed to the base language of their prehensile feet. With claws, located in front of the body, bites tongue in several places.

5. Subsequently, due to lack of blood flow to the organ atrophies and dies. Well, for a comfortable existence is ready! Then, this parasite is firmly hooked to the muscles of the stump of the language. Sometimes he performs so well the role of language, that the fish does not know about the substitution.

6. In the future the main food for the "eaters of languages" is mucus of fish.

7. Catch a fish with such a "language" can not often. But still. So, in 2005, this creature has managed to reach Britain. It fell to one Londoner as "bonus" when purchasing snapper on the market.

8. Finding it, people have turned to a specialist from the museum Hornimena. He was surprised to find, as ever, this crustacean is not "swim" so far from its edges. Rather, it came together with fish caught off the coast of California.

9. Rather, it came together with fish caught off the coast of California.