When nightmares are real: Photo shows a parasite that ate – and then replaced – a fish’s tongue

USA Today

By Marina Pitofsky

October 21, 2021

A Texas state park shared a seemingly unreal photo of a fish whose tongue was eaten by a parasite – and then the parasite replaced the organ altogether.  

“MARTIAN SPOTTED AT GALVESTON ISLAND STATE PARK,” the park jokingly shared Tuesday on its Facebook page, admitting “Ok, so not really… but this is still pretty spooky!”  

The park shared the photo of an Atlantic Croaker that was hosting a “parasitic isopod called a tongue-eating louse.”  

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