One of my Favorite Parasites

[BillTre]

Gruesome but not often lethal:

 

[sbrothy]

Yeah, that one is particularly nasty. Poor fish is eating and eating not understanding why not much enters the stomach. Look up hyperparasites too. I think the record is about 14, where only the innermost one survives. Natures sure isn't pretty!

EDIT: Well, I don't know where I came up with that number. I seem to remember reading it but I may be wrong...

EDIT2: And apparently superparasite is a word too. Sounds really nice.

 

[pinball1970]

Gruesome but not often lethal:

View attachment 363467
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That is horrific.

 

[Cepacia]

My favorite - Dracunculus medinensis - dragon of Medina. Great life cycle

 

[BillTre]

My favorite - Dracunculus medinensis - dragon of Medina. Great life cycle

Jimmy Carter was their nemesis.
Human parasite. Nasty to get.

 

[DaveC426913]

Look up hyperparasites too.

 

[pinball1970]

Favourite is the wrong word but this stood out when I read about it.

River blindness caused a combination of Black fly bite then infection of the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus (seen exiting the fly via its antenna below)

Once in the body larvae do the damage to the tissues including the cornea.

This cycle has additional effect of the bacterium, Wolbachia (present in the worms) which increases the inflammatory response.

So not one but three organisms working together. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onchocerca_volvulus