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Salmon louse, SEM
Salmon louse. Coloured scanning electron micro- graph (SEM) of the underside of a salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis). This marine copepod crustacean is parasitic on salmon fish. It attaches itself to its host and feeds on its skin. This can lead to infections and the deterioration of the fish's health. The salmon louse is a major problem in aquaculture, the farming of fish. In the dense fish populations found in marine salmon farms, louse numbers can grow rapidly. Infestation severely reduces the quality and quantity of the fish harvest. Treatment methods include pesticides and the use of smaller fish that eat the lice. Magnification: x10 at 6x7cm size.
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