It’s eating my tongue! :
The sea-dwelling parasite attacks fish, burrows into it, and then devours its tongue. After eating the tongue, the parasite proceeds to live inside the fish’s mouth.
Well, OK, not my tongue. I’m not a fish, and I’m not anywhere near Jersey, in the UK. If I were, however, I’d be pretty damned pissed.
You have to love Paul Chambers, though, who is a member of the Société Jersiaise and was on the team who found it :
Even though his name’s Paul, there are those who call him… Tim.
Also from Mr. Chambers:
“Say, isopod got your tongue, chap? Oh well, worse things happen at sea, you know. Keep calm and carry on.”
aruvqan
October 23, 2009, 10:39am
2
/me makes note NOT to go swimming in Jersey
jjimm
October 23, 2009, 10:52am
3
That is the most disgusting thing I’ve ever seen. Eeeeuuuuuuuurgh!!!
chique
October 23, 2009, 2:23pm
4
It looks quite pleased with itself in the first picture from the treehugger link.
I’ve seen that before, and it’s definitely freaky. However, since it doesn’t attack humans that way, it does’t really frighten me.
Now, if a giant isopod cornered me in a dark alley, it would be brown trousers time. Ditto for the coconut crab . Those bastards can climb .
A giant isopod would freak me out, but if I saw a coconut crab I’d be thinking of drawn butter.
Giant isopods… urrrgh… pillbugs shouldn’t get that big!
jjimm
October 23, 2009, 6:16pm
8
“There have been reports in the literature of specimens measuring 6 feet (1.8 m) across the thorax and weighing 30 pounds (14 kg).”
6 feet across the thorax. I want one as a pet (until I get hungry).
A picture of an isopod-tongue has been in my repertoire of “have you seen this shit?” links for awhile now.
jjimm
October 23, 2009, 9:59pm
10
Hey, I’ve just noticed that the fish in the picture from the treehugger site seems to have very human-like top teeth, albeit in a kind of metallic beige color. Have they been photoshopped in? What kind of fish is that? Are there any fish with teeth like that?
chique
October 24, 2009, 12:04am
11
Pfft. You’re in the UK, aren’t you? Take a copy of the photo to your local fish ‘n’ chip shop; they should know.
I’m so sorry; I had to say that.
But I’ve just sent an email to the Cherry place to which the photo is credited. Let’s see if they deign to respond.