#malacostracans

Louse got your tongue? No, it's the tongue-eating louse! As its name implies, this isopod is a parasite of fish; females latch onto a fish's tongue and cut off the blood vessels until the tongue falls off completely. The female tongue-eating louse then takes the place of the tongue, helping itself to any food that the fish might eat, as well as mucus produced in the fish's mouth.

(Image: A tongue-eating louse (Cymothoa exigua) resting on a fish's head by Marco Vinci)

Bonus image under the cut of a tongue-eating louse living up to its name!

If you need a bottle opened, look no further than Capropodocerus kamaitachi! A relative of sandhoppers, this species was discovered in 2023 by Yu Matsumoto et al. It's only 5.4 mm (0.21 in) long, and is currently known to reside in the Kumano Sea at depths of 840–873 m (2755-2864 ft). It's large claws, also known as gnathopods, are used to grab food or grasp mates.