Go back
Disgusting parasite found inside praying mantis:

Disgusting parasite found inside praying mantis:

Science

Vote Up
Vote Down



Anyone have a clue as to what that huge (relatively speaking) parasite actually is? How could the mantis be alive with something that large inside it?

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by sonhouse
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhzFh_hs5Oc

Anyone have a clue as to what that huge (relatively speaking) parasite actually is? How could the mantis be alive with something that large inside it?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematomorpha

At least, that what it looks like to me.

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Shallow Blue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nematomorpha

At least, that what it looks like to me.
Probably Spinochordodes tellinii which is shown in an image scrolling down a bit. The Nematomorpha line are huge, some meters long so they would be unlikely to crawl into a praying mantis!

Still disgusting!