The Economic Times

This ocean parasite kills a fish's tongue and ten takes its place; what makes the tongue-eating louse so different

A parasite enters fish through gills and replaces their tongues. This isopod, Cymothoa exigua, attaches to the tongue stump and functions as a new tongue. Juvenile isopods mature as males and some later become female, which is biologically determined. Fishing pressure can worsen the impact of these mouth parasites on fish populations. These unsettling parasites are found in ordinary fish markets and kitchens worldwide.