Tongue-eating creature found inside fish at Texas state park is the stuff of nightmares

Tongue-eating creature found inside fish at Texas state park is the stuff of nightmares

Source: ksat

10/20/2021

We know it’s the spooky season but a tongue-eating parasite is apparently a real thing and it was recently found inside a fish at Galveston Island State Park.

A tongue-eating louse was found inside the mouth of an Atlantic Croaker this week and officials with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department took a photo and shared it on Facebook.

The alien-like parasite actually detaches the fish’s tongue before attaching itself to the fish’s mouth and becoming the tongue.

“Tongue-eating louse or ‘snapper-choking isopod’ are somewhat common among certain species of fish, like Atlantic croaker, spotted seatrout, and a few species of snapper,” said Coastal Fisheries Science Director Mark Fisher. “These are isopod crustaceans and are related to the pill bugs, aka rolly-pollies, you can find in your yard.”