[ad_1]
Mysterious insect-like creatures that an Internet user found inside a fish that was about to eat have been identified as isopods known as tongue-eating lice.
A woman who found tongue eaters in her food posted photos of the isopod to the Facebook page of Pakpoom Dejhasadin, a leading medical technician who works at the National Blood Center and the Thai Red Cross.
The images caught the attention of netizens, who were frightened by the strange appearance of the creatures and demanded identification.
Pakpoom, also known as Panda Lab Doctor, said that the tongue eater is a parasite of the Cymothoidae family and generally lives in the mouths of fish.
The parasite uses its front claws to cut the blood vessels in the fish’s tongue, causing the tongue to shrink from lack of blood.
He then replaces the fish’s tongue by attaching his own body to the muscles of the tongue stump. Despite this bloody habit, scientists say that the tongue eater doesn’t cause much other harm to fish.
