Young pink salmon infect bigger fish as they are consumed, new research shows
PRINCE RUPERT - Sea lice are surprisingly acrobatic and can leap from juvenile salmon to larger fish that prey on them, new research has found.

In the study, published in the peer-reviewed science journal Biology Letters, Simon Fraser University doctoral candidate Brendan Connors and researchers from the University of Alberta focused on young pink salmon infected with sea lice that were eaten by predatory cutthroat trout and coho salmon.

Their findings show that in approximately 70 per cent of the trials, sea lice ... Continued@URL.... http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=c69ae968-8680-441b-890a-e3b3a795b761

FROM THE ARTICLE:



I have personally witnessed the sea lice's "jump ship" strategy at work. I posted a fish a few years back whose head was completely freckled with 100's of lice. When that fish hit the bag, I could see the lice "jumping ship" as it thrashed in the net... perhaps there are stress/fear hormones being released by the struggling fish when this happens, and the lice are triggered to let go and swim for cover.

But just like people, some of them are oblivious and cluelessly hang on to their comfort zone.

These little buggers came face to face with their genetic dead end. Wait a sec.... do sea lice even have faces?

I wonder how the cutthroat are doing with all these lice. I bet it's kickin their arses.... Bad deal.