Egg production in the salmon louse [Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer)] in relation to origin and water temperature

Egg strings of salmon lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Krøyer 1837), collected from farmed and wild Atlantic salmon had similar length and number of eggs string−1. Egg production was investigated at water temperatures from 7.1 °C to 12.2 °C. A regression model indicated that at low temperatures egg strings were longer and had more eggs. Mean length of single eggs was significantly smaller and the percentage of non-viable eggs in the strings was higher at 7.1 °C than at 12.2 °C. Adult females survived for up to 191 days at 7.2 °C, and during this period 11 pairs of egg strings were produced.