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Thread: Can you name this horrifying parasite?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
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    Default Can you name this horrifying parasite?

    Hi, I was in the park today and found a dead baby juvie. I couldn't see any obvious injuries when I examined her, but I saw something in her mouth. Her mouth was closed, but I pried it open with the tip of a pen. To my considerable surprise and disgust her entire mouth was filed with these small, oval shaped eggs. They seemed to be laid throughout her mouth and probably to go into her throat.

    She was recently dead as rigor mortis was just passing. I would guess she died less than 12 hours ago.

    The eggs were laid in a very orderly fashion, and any eggs that are out of place in the photo were moved by me with the pen tip.

    Can anyone identify this parasite?
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  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Can you name this horrifying parasite?

    It is likely fly eggs. The will lay their eggs not only on dead animals but on live animals, and weak or sick animals are not able to groom the eggs away.
    RIP poor juvie.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Can you name this horrifying parasite?

    Yea, I was just thinking that. Since the mouth was completely closed I didn't think a fly could get so deep in and lay them in such perfect order, but looking it up, I can see that flies can extent their abdomens to lay eggs inside tiny cracks. Here is a photo that appears to show what must have happened.

    Well, hey, at least I didn't accidentally expose myself to some hideous parasite




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