Fauna
Invertebrate · GBIF taxon 8077108

Raillietiella orientalis

Raillietiella orientalis

Also known as Oriental Pentastome, Oriental Tongue Worm

Oriental tongue worms are parasitic crustaceans belonging to the pentastomes, adapted exclusively for life inside the lungs and respiratory passages of snakes. Native to Southeast Asia, this invasive parasite entered North America alongside Burmese pythons and now spills over into dozens of native reptile species with devastating health impacts. Adult worms anchor into host pulmonary tissue using four sharp hooks surrounding a central mouth, feeding directly on host blood and fluids.

ParasiteInvasiveInvertebrate
Raillietiella orientalis reference
Licensed reference(c) Andrew Durso, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Durso · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Reptile blood
  • Lung tissue fluids
ThreatsHost mortality and extreme cold limiting geographic spread
HabitatsReptile respiratory tracts, subtropical wetlands, and mixed woodlands
Life span1–3 years
Classification
  1. FamilyCephalobaenidae
  2. SpeciesRaillietiella orientalis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Internal reptile parasite posing no direct physical threat to human observers.
Responsible observation
  • Health Monitoring: Report visibly wheezing, lethargic, or emaciated wild snakes to local wildlife biologists.
  • Hygiene Practice: Wash hands thoroughly with soap after handling wild reptiles or outdoor invertebrates.
Related species
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