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Species: Remora remora, Common Remora, the Remora

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head sucker reaches ~tip pectoral, 16-22 plates
body robust
D 21-27
C concave
gill rakers 28-37
pectoral rounded
pelvics broadly joined to body
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This Species (8) This Genus (5) Similar Species (4)

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Remora remora (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common remora, Remora

Elongate, moderately robust; distinctive flat head with sucking disc of 16-22 plates, reaches to about end of pectoral fin, its tiny spines blunt; jaws broad, lower jaw projecting, top jaw not protractile; simple teeth on jaws and center of roof of mouth; operculum without spines; gill rakers 28-37, 26-28 lower rakers; dorsal rays 21-27; anal rays 20-24; pectoral rays 25-32, rounded, high on body; pelvics long, pointed, under pectoral base, close-set, I, 5, broadly attached to belly; tail fin slightly concave to straight; scales small, smooth, imbedded.

Uniformly dark greyish brown.

Size: grows to 86 cm.

Habitat: commonly attached to sharks, sometimes in gill chamber, but also on large fishes, rays, and turtles.

Depth: 0 - 100 m?

Circumtropical; New Foundland to Argentina.

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Species Data Create Report Export as Word File Export as Excel File
Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
  • In & Offshore
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Large fishes (billfishes, rays, sharks, etc), turtles & whales
  • Water column
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Planktivore
  • Ectoparasite cleaner
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Bony fishes
  • Zooplankton
  • Ectoparasites
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • All species
Regional Endemism
  • All species
  • Continent
  • Also in Brazil
  • Extends North of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Extends South of GC
  • Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Continent + Island (s)
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 86
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 100