VehiclesFashionRecipesBlogsHuntTravelsSportFunHandmadeITEducation
Mini-Games
x

x
zakruti.com » Knowledge, science, education » TED-Ed
One of the animal kingdom’s strangest relationships - Niko Zlotnik

One of the animal kingdom’s strangest relationships - Niko Zlotnik

FBTwitterReddit

video description

Rating: 4.0; Vote: 1
Get to know the parasite known as the tongue-eating louse, which eats the tongue of a fish and then takes its place permanently. -- The infamous tongue-eating louse is one of nearly 400 species belonging to a family of fish parasites. Some latch onto their host’s head, others suck blood from fish gills, and others still burrow into fish flesh. But the Cymothoa exigua goes specifically for fish tongues. How do these parasites do it, and why Niko Zlotnik explores the strategies tongue biters use to find a fish to call home.
Date: 2025-05-10

Comments and reviews: 11


That's absolutely nuts that it specifically goes for the tongue! Of all the places. Imagine being that fish. Definitely a unique 'home invasion' strategy. Looking forward to understanding how these little critters pull it off!
reply

The tongue biting louse habits are infamous enough to create a horror movie and an episode of SpongeBob where Plankton becomes SpongeBob’s tongue to steal the Krabby Patty secret formula.
reply

I have knows about this abomination for a while, it's the type of knowledge you have to keep from your friends because you care about them, it's good that some people share that experience now
reply

Dentist fish: say ahh
Fish with parasite: ahhhhh!
Dentist fish: u don’t have to scream
Fish with parasite: I have a parasite for a tounge!
Dentist fish: I’m retiring!

reply

I remember going to a nature photography exhibit, and seeing a photo of three clown fish in a row, ALL of whom had little louse heads in their mouths. That image haunts me.
reply

Just a friendly reminder that in 1978 at the Houston Summit Ace Frehley sang and played lead guitar on Shock Me and everyone went home happy and satisfied
reply

My family business has been involved in the fish business for generations and this is the first time I'm hearing about this 'tongue parasite'.
reply

Wow. can't believe they made the tongue-eating musical isopod from How Fish Is Made into a real creature. That's true fan dedication
reply

I like how ted-ed doesn't care about our sentiments on a topic. Their job is to educate one topic at a time and they do it perfectly.
reply

The Bay is a 2012 horror movie that explores what happens if they evolved to infecting humans! Absolutely horrid and delightful.
reply

Some people are actually happy to eat the parasite too. It’s like a little bonus that apparently tastes like iodine
reply
Add a review, comment






Other channel videos