Common remora

Common remora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Family: Echeneidae
Genus: Remora
Species:
R. remora
Binomial name
Remora remora
Synonyms[2]
  • Echeneis remora Linnaeus, 1758
  • Echeneis squalipeta Daldorff, 1793
  • Echeneis parva Gronow, 1854
  • Echeneis remoroides Bleeker, 1855
  • Echeneis remeligo Duméril, 1858
  • Echeneis bourboniensis Duméril, 1858
  • Echeneis postica Poey, 1860
  • Echeneis remeligo Guichenot, 1863
  • Echeneis borboniensis Guichenot, 1863
  • Echeneis nubifera Tanaka, 1915

The common remora (Remora remora) is a pelagic marine fish[3] belonging to the family Echeneidae. The dorsal fin, which has 22 to 26 soft rays, acts as a suction cup, creating a vacuum[4] to allow the fish to attach to larger marine animals, such as whales, dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles.[5]

  1. ^ Curtis, M.; Williams, J.T.; Collette, B.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Pina Amargos, F. (2017) [errata version of 2015 assessment]. "Remora remora". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T198651A115343508. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198651A15544903.en. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference FishBase was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Leao, Mark (2002). Kimberly Schulz (ed.). "Remora remora (on-line)". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
  4. ^ Fishes of the World, 3rd edition. Joseph S. Nelson. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc, 1994. p. 351
  5. ^ Sazima, I.; Grossman, A. (2006). "Turtle riders: Remoras on marine turtles in Southwest Atlantic". Neotropical Ichthyology. 4: 123–126. doi:10.1590/S1679-62252006000100014.