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
Common dab Common dab The common dab ("Limanda limanda") is an edible flatfish of the family Pleuronectidae. It is a demersal fish native to shallow seas around Northern Europe, in particular the North Sea, where it lives on sandy bottoms down to depths of about . It can reach in length and can weigh up to , though most specimens grow no longer than . The etymology of the name "dab" is unclear, but the modern English use seems to originate from the Middle English "dabbe". It is first recorded in the late 16th century. The common dab was first named "Pleuronectes