Branchiura - fish louse

This tiny, flat-bodied, translucent arthropod is a member of the group of parasitic crustaceans known as Branchiura (Argulus sp.), commonly called fish lice. They latch on to the external surfaces of fish using their hook-like legs and anterior suckers (actually modified antennae), and feed on the host's blood using a piercing stylet. I think fish lice are quite possibly the cutest of all parasites--a dubious honor, to be sure.

This is one of the pencil sketches I made for my spring 2010 drawing class. I used multiple reference photos and illustrations when drawing this dorsal view of a fish louse, but for the shading I mostly used this photo in particular. Their eyes normally look black; if I had to guess, that photo was taken with flash or under other strong light that reflected off the crustacean's eyes.