During a die-off of Mediterranean striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba in 1990-91, 82 individuals stranded on the Spanish coast were examined for crustacean ectoparasites and epizoites. Six species were detected: Syncyarnus aequus, PenneUa sp., Xenobalanus globicipitis, Conchoderma virgatum, Lepas pectinata and Lepas cf. hillii. The barnacles L. pectinata and L. cf. hillii are reported here for the first time on cetaceans; they were attached to the teeth. C. virgaturn was also found on the teeth; this is an unusual attachment on cetaceans. X. globicipitis showed a higher prevalence on the dolphins studied than on those stranded in the same months before (1980 to 1990) and after (1991 to 1993) the epizootic. An analysis of shell and pseudocapitulum sizes of the X. globicipitis infrapopulations indicated possible recent colonization. It is suggested that settlement of some epizoites might have increased due to reduced movement of the dolphins and/or impaired regenerative and immune functioning of the skin prior to death. This might account for the exceptional occurrence of Lepas spp. attached on the teeth, the unusual attachment of C. virgatum, and the higher prevalence and apparently young infrapopulations of X. globicipitis.