From breeding on a dead host body to making the host surrender itself, parasites are found everywhere and in any shape or form. They are those organisms that very cleverly enter, thrive, and reproduce in their host bodies. Simply put, in order to stay alive utilizing any means, a parasite hosts inside the body of another organism. They then begin to take control of the host’s body functions and make their own ways to get whatever it is that they want! Ever wondered how does a host-parasite relationship work? Well, here we present a list of the ten strangest parasites the world has ever seen! Keep reading to find more about them:
1.Ladybird Parasite (Dinocampus coccinellae)
We all know how cute ladybirds are. Right? Well, as cute as they might seem, they never let any predators disturb them. They are totally equipped with taking care of themselves by secreting a disgusting poison. Also, with the help of their red and black spotty shell, these insects can warn away any outsider. But there’s an exception to this. The parasitic wasp’s egg is capable of chewing the ladybird’s internal tissues. Immediately after the egg hatches, it becomes a parasite to the ladybird, which it bodyguards with everything. Eventually, the wasp bursts through its host’s abdomen and spins a cocoon in between its legs.
2. Rabies Virus Parasite
One of the most startling parasites ever, rabies has the ability to turn a human into an animal. Rabies virus is even considered to be one of the most deadly viruses ever. Humans are usually affected when they come in contact with an animal’s saliva oozing out through a scratch or a bite. Rabies, then quickly begin to spread in the animal or human body. Due to this host-parasite relationship, the host completely loses its characteristics and take on the parasite’s traits. There are changes in behavior and a range of neurological signs that prove them. Some examples include becoming more aggressive, losing motor control, etc.
3. Zombie Ant Fungus (Ophiocordyceps unilateralis)
Zombie Ant Fungus is a kind of fungus parasite that thrives on its host, ant. Ants are believed to be excellent navigators who follow paths while foraging for food. It is because of this trait that they become victims and host to Ophiocordyceps unilateralis, its parasite. They are usually found in the rainforests of Africa, Thailand, and Brazil. The parasitic fungus, after entering its host body, takes around 3 to 9 days to develop and grow inside the ant. Zombie Ant Fungus then manipulates the already dead ant body to move around cluelessly like a zombie.
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4. Castrator Barnacle (Sacculina Carcini)
Sacculina Carcini, another weird parasite to be ever discovered on earth, hosts in a crab body. This particular host-parasite relationship is next level! After discovering a crack in the crab’s claw joints, the barnacle very cleverly enters the body. Then, utilizing its host’s nutrients and setting up a home for itself, the castrator barnacle turns the crab body into a place for reproduction. Once the parasite is fully grown, the body begins to look like a cushiony egg yolk. It then forces the crab to care for the millions of barnacle larvae like its own.
5. Influenza Virus Parasite
The famous influenza flu that is believed to have infected a huge chunk of the population with its spread in the early 20th century, is allegedly a parasite. It is one of the worst pandemics the world has ever seen. Chris Reiber from the University of New York found out in 2010 that the influenza virus has the ability to make its host more social. Within 48 hours of being in contact with the virus, people were mostly interested in heading out in large groups. But as soon as the symptoms began to appear, the host became bedridden.
6. Green-banded Broodsac (Leucochloridium paradoxum)
Leucochloridium paradoxum leeches and grows itself into the body of its host, snail. The flatworm first wiggles its way towards the snails, looking like a juicy, bright-colored caterpillar. In order to get inside the host, the green-branded broodsac fools the snail acting as a great snack. Finally, after entering the host body, the parasite starts manipulating the snail’s behavior. They begin to look like beautiful snails with two eye stalks, covered with olive-colored stripes and capped with a maroon spot. At this point, the host is completely infected by the manipulative flatworm.
7. Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Ampulex compressa)
Next up on the list of the most unusual parasites on the planet is the Emerald cockroach wasp. It has a metallic body that radiates emerald along with the highly noticeable crimson spots on two of its legs. At first, the parasite stings, and then, it completely takes over the cockroach’s mind. Finally, it injects a mixture of neurotransmitters into the brain. Ampulex compressa turns its host into a wandering zombie. These parasites are commonly found in Africa, Asia, and Pacific Islands. Moreover, the wasp chew’s off the cockroach’s antennae and starts laying eggs in its abdomen.
8. Schistocephalus Solidus
It is no surprise that the host-parasite relationship is found everywhere. While some species live off just one parasite, others might be living with more than one. In such cases, the host body carries numerous parasites, all with distinct agendas. The dominant parasite then makes efforts onto shifting to another host. A group of people from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology deduced this behavior by experimenting with multiple tapeworms called Schistocephalus Solidus. The findings suggest that if multiple parasites decided to work together, the host’s body became more active in order to be swallowed by the desired host.
9. Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii)
Toxoplasma gondii is a single-celled organism that is widely known to us. In order to be swallowed by a cat, it usually infects mice and rats. Once the gondii infects their hosts, the little creatures completely lose their smell of the predator, cat. In fact, they become more attracted to the cat’s urine, making them a sure target! This makes the host more likely to smell cats and less likely to actually hide from them. Guess what? Due to the toxoplasmosis, rats along with their parasites eventually end up in the cat’s stomach.
10. Kamikaze Horsehair Worm (Paragordius tricuspidatus)
Looking like cooked spaghetti, the kamikaze horsehair worm has the ability to grow to a foot long with the help of a grasshopper or a house cricket. Firstly, the horsehair worm larva is gulped down by another insect like a mayfly or mosquito. It then catches hold of its host and starts developing inside its body. The Kamikaze horsehair worm then begins to alter all the cricket’s functions by taking control of its central nervous system. Finally, after the host drowns, the worm starts with its reproduction process.
