when someone mentions the jersey shore, you might imagine parasites of the guido variety, but prepare yourself for something infinitely more horrifying. meet the cymothoa exigua, aka the tongue eating louse, aka snookie, aka schnickas. this crustacean parasite consumes and replaces the tongue of spotted rose snappers off the coast of california, and until recently, it was thought that the c. exigua could only be found on the west coast of the US. however, in september of this year it was also discovered inhabiting the mouth of the weaver fish off the coast of jersey....england. if you'd like to read more about this disgusting creature, click here and here, 'cause knowledge is power.
