Description

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 32 - 42; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 29 - 41.

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Carangiformes

Family: Echeneidae

Genus: Echeneis

Species: Echeneis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Most abundant remora in warm waters (Ref. 4389). Occurs near as well as far from the coast (Ref. 5217). Often found free-swimming in shallow inshore areas and around coral reefs (Ref. 26938). Attaches temporarily to a variety of hosts including sharks, rays, large bony fishes or sea turtles, whales, dolphins and also to ships. May follow divers (Ref. 9710); reported to attach itself to a diver's leg (Ref. 57809). Feeds on small fishes, bits of its host's prey and host's parasites (Ref. 26938). Juveniles occasionally act as reef station-based cleaners, where they service parrotfishes (Ref. 40095). Sometimes used by natives to aid in fishing; a line is tied to the caudal peduncle of the remora and then is released; upon attaching to another fish, the remora and its host are hauled in by the fisher (Ref. 9682).

Habitat

brackish

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless