Lepeophtheirus pectoralis copepodid stage, during which the copepod attaches itself to the fish. Stages IV, V, VI and VII are the chalimus stages, and are followed by the pre-adult and adult stages, when differentiation of males and females is possible. Lepeophtheirus pectoralis Lepeophtheirus pectoralis is a species of parasitic copepod. It is a parasite of flatfish, the most frequent hosts being the European flounder ("Platichthys flesus"), the plaice ("Pleuronectes platessa"), and the dab ("Limanda limanda"). It feeds on the mucus, skin and blood of the fish, with oviferous females being found in the pectoral and pelvic fins of the host, while immature
Curlfin sole Curlfin sole The curlfin sole ("Pleuronichthys decurrens") is a flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is a demersal fish that lives on soft bottoms at depths of between . Its native habitat is the subtropical waters of the eastern Pacific, from Prince William Sound, Alaska in the north to San Quintín, Baja California in the south. It can grow up to in length, and reach weights of up to , with females generally being larger than males. The curlfin sole is a right-eyed flatfish with large, closely set eyes and a small mouth. The upper surface is reddish brown to