Digenean metacercariae of 0 year group common sole Solea solea (n = 70) were more abundant in the embayed nursery of the Pertuis Charentais than in the Tagus estuary nursery. Macroparasite assemblages of adult sole (n = 119) displayed only one species in common between the Bay of Biscay and the Portuguese coast continental shelves. These data highlighted the potential use of macroparasites as biological tags in various aspects of common sole ecology. (C) 2007 The Authors.