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Cymothoa exigua is a parasitic crustacean of the family Cymothoidae. This parasite attaches itself at the base of the Spotted Rose Snapper fish's tongue with claws, and drinks from the artery which supplies its blood. As the parasite grows, less and less blood is able to reach the tongue, and eventually the organ atrophies from lack of blood. Amazingly, the parasite actually replaces the fish's tongue with its own body. It appears that the parasite does not cause any other damage to the host fish. Once C. exigua replaces the tongue, it supplements its diet with food particles, thereby relieving strain on the host's circulatory system.
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"Cymothoa exigua"