preview

Cymothoa Exigua Research Paper

Satisfactory Essays

Cymothoa exigua is slowly becoming a widely known crustacean-like parasite. Most people tend to refer to this parasite as the tongue-eating louse due to its evasion and reproduction mechanisms. This parasite is only attracted to fish but most importantly the snapper fish. Cymothoa exigua is known as protandric hermaphrodites because they begin as males and later in their life cycle they end up switching sexes. When Cymothoa exigua causes the fish to lose its tongue, it does not entirely affect the fish in any other way.
Life Cycle/ Reproduction
The life cycle of Cymothoa exigua is unknown but one thing for sure is that they undergo sexual reproduction. Scientists believe that when the juvenile parasite first attaches to the fish’s gills, they

Get Access