The Wondrous World of Parasites - Beware icky pix!
 

Heya!

I thought I'd do something about the lack of biology related threads on MB and tried to think of something that would have common appeal. Most people have a gross fascination with parasites, so why not make a thread about those? Thus, I present to you my parasite thread! Feel free to mention or post about your favourite parasites! I'm not an expert, but since I'm a graduate biology student, I should be able to answer some questions should you have them.

Here's comes the first one :


http://www.artcontent.de/kunstforum/..._iv/bd_185.jpg


http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/faq/images/tbiter2.jpg


Let's start out nice and easy. Cymothoa exigua is an isopod which means it's a relative of the common terrestrial woodlice. By far, most isopods live in water where they've adapted to different ways of feeding and some have become parasitic. This one removes it's host's tongue, then it attaches itself where the tongue used to be and steals a bit of whatever it is the host tries to eat. The fish host is essentially helpless as the isopod eats it's tongue and makes a living for himself in it's mouth ..

Neat, huh? :D

Now we know where the queen alien bit her style.

^ lol. Classic.

Poor Tore. We're making a mockery of his thread.
Lemme go find a disgusting parasite picture that can top the Paris Hilton one.

Heh.. found one.
I'm not posting it.

*goes vomit*

http://www.abfab.co.uk/260x291/scous...ss-smiffys.jpg

The scouser.
Worse parasite known to mankind.
Capable of bleeding a national economy dry, via excessive claims of state benefit.

Oh har har, very funny :p Despite your feeble attempts at derailing this thread, I'll steer it back on track!

Since I started out with a fish parasite, I'll do another fish pest.

http://www.biology.duke.edu/bio217/2...rey_damage.jpg

Oh Darwin, what's happened to these fish? Why, they have fallen victims to malevolent lampreys! Lampreys are jawless and relatively "primitive" fish that are much closer related to hagfish than they are to cod and salmon. Some of them are parasitic and use their funnel like mouth full of sharp little teeth to latch onto their prey. Then they bore a hole into their victims with their sharp, jagged tongues and live off their bodily fluids.


http://www.earlham.edu/~bowenap/lampreys.jpg

http://www.ryanphotographic.com/imag...%20lamprey.jpg


Some of the sea lamprey species reportedly get very large and are even rumoured to attack swimmers.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/planetear...n-hand-web.jpg


Once a month, they crawl up on beaches and howl at the moon. Or - at least it would be cool if they did. Watch out the next time you go for a swim in the sea, a lake or a river!

Not exactly parasites Tore?...

Wow, those ones remind me of this happy lil fella

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com...flukeman_6.jpg

here's an idea... **** off with the lame jokes. this is a quality thread - way better than ______'s top 100 albums.

lookin forward to the next one.