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astronomy-to-zoology: Spotted Garden Eel  (Heteroconger hassi) is a small species of conger eel found in shallowish Indo-Pacific waters. This species is widely known for its burrows, as large groups of up to a few thousand eels will burrow into the bottom of a reef or coral cluster and sit in their small sandy homes with their mouths pointed towards the current in the hopes of catching any zooplankton that may swim by. Phylogeny Animalia-Chordata-Actinopterygii-Anguilliformes-Congridae-Heteroconger-hassi Source, Source
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astronomy-to-zoology: Spotted Garden Eel  (Heteroconger hassi) is a small species of conger eel found in shallowish Indo-Pacific waters. This species is widely known for its burrows, as large groups of up to a few thousand eels will burrow into the bottom of a reef or coral cluster and sit in their small sandy homes with their mouths pointed towards the current in the hopes of catching any zooplankton that may swim by. Phylogeny Animalia-Chordata-Actinopterygii-Anguilliformes-Congridae-Heteroconger-hassi Source, Source
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astronomy-to-zoology:

Spotted Garden Eel  (Heteroconger hassi)

is a small species of conger eel found in shallowish Indo-Pacific waters. This species is widely known for its burrows, as large groups of up to a few thousand eels will burrow into the bottom of a reef or coral cluster and sit in their small sandy homes with their mouths pointed towards the current in the hopes of catching any zooplankton that may swim by.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Chordata-Actinopterygii-Anguilliformes-Congridae-Heteroconger-hassi

Source, Source

iseegodinbirds: Some Isopods are parasitic. This is Cymothoa exigua, a parasitic isopod that has a nasty habit of attaching to fishes tongues. This parasite enters fish through the gills, and then attaches itself at the base of the fish’s tongue. The female attaches to the tongue and the male attaches on the gill arches beneath and behind the female. Females are 8–29 millimetres (0.3–1.1 in) long and 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) in maximum width. Males are approximately 7.5–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide. It extracts blood through the claws on its front, causing the tongue to atrophy from lack of blood. The parasite then replaces the fish’s tongue by attaching its own body to the muscles of the tongue stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue. It appears that the parasite does not cause any other damage to the host fish. Once C. exigua replaces the tongue, some feed on the host’s blood and many others feed on fish mucus. This is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ. There are many species of Cymothoa, but only C. exigua is known to consume and replace its host’s tongue. (Via Wikipedia)
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iseegodinbirds:

Some Isopods are parasitic.

This is Cymothoa exigua, a parasitic isopod that has a nasty habit of attaching to fishes tongues.

This parasite enters fish through the gills, and then attaches itself at the base of the fish’s tongue. The female attaches to the tongue and the male attaches on the gill arches beneath and behind the female. Females are 8–29 millimetres (0.3–1.1 in) long and 4–14 mm (0.16–0.55 in) in maximum width. Males are approximately 7.5–15 mm (0.3–0.6 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide. It extracts blood through the claws on its front, causing the tongue to atrophy from lack of blood. The parasite then replaces the fish’s tongue by attaching its own body to the muscles of the tongue stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue. It appears that the parasite does not cause any other damage to the host fish. Once C. exigua replaces the tongue, some feed on the host’s blood and many others feed on fish mucus. This is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ. There are many species of Cymothoa, but only C. exigua is known to consume and replace its host’s tongue.

(Via Wikipedia)

rhamphotheca: This giant eyeball from a mysterious sea creature washed ashore and was found by a man walking the beach in Pompano Beach, Florida, on October 10, 2012. The eyeball was later sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, and was identified as coming from a swordfish, likely cut by a fisherman and tossed into the sea. (via: The Atlantic) (photo: AP / Florida Fish & Wildlife Conserv. Comm., Carli Segelson)
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rhamphotheca:

This giant eyeball from a mysterious sea creature washed ashore and was found by a man walking the beach in Pompano Beach, Florida, on October 10, 2012. The eyeball was later sent to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute in St. Petersburg, and was identified as coming from a swordfish, likely cut by a fisherman and tossed into the sea.

(via: The Atlantic)

(photo: AP / Florida Fish & Wildlife Conserv. Comm., Carli Segelson)

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