Salmon louse

The salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, is a species of copepod in the genus Lepeophtheirus. It is a sea louse, a parasite living mostly on salmon, particularly on Pacific salmon, but is also sometimes found on the three-spined stickleback. It lives off the mucus, skin and blood of the fish. They are natural marine parasites of fish, such as adult salmon. They are similar to plankton and ride on the waves.When they encounter a marine fish they adhere themselves to the skin, fins, the gills of the fish, and feeding off the mucous or skin. Sea lice only affect fish and are not harmful towards humans.