Species: Remora brachyptera, Spearfish remora
Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839)
Spearfish remora
Body elongate, robust; dorsal and anal bases < 2x head length; head disc short (27-40% of SL), reaches ~ middle of pectorals, 14-17 plates, its tiny spines pointed, in 2-3 irregular rows; jaws broad, lower jaw projecting, top jaw not protractile; simple teeth on jaws and center of roof of mouth; operculum without spines; gill rakers 14-17, 12-14 lower rakers; pectoral broad, blunt 23-27 rays, outer 2/3 of fin flexible; dorsal and anal bases similar length, notably longer than head; dorsal 27-34 rays; anal 23-27 rays; pelvics pointed, under pectoral base, close-set, I, 5, broadly attached to belly; tail slightly concave (forked in juvenile); scales small, smooth, imbedded.
Overall brown.
Size: 40 cm.
Habitat: oceanic, hosts are billfishes.
Depth: 0-200 m?.
Circumtropical; throughout our region except for the upper Gulf of California.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
-
- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Offshore
- Offshore Only
- Water Column Position
-
- Mid Water
- Water column only
- Near Surface
- Habitat
-
- Large fishes (billfishes, rays, sharks, etc), turtles & whales
- Water column
- FishBase Habitat
-
- Pelagic
- Feeding Group
-
- No Data
- Planktivore
- Ectoparasite cleaner
- Carnivore
- Diet
-
- Pelagic crustacea
- Ectoparasites
- Pelagic fish larvae
- No Data
- Bony fishes
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
-
- Pelagic larva
- Pelagic
- No data
- Global Endemism
-
- "Transpacific" (East + Central &/or West Pacific)
- Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
- East Pacific + all Atlantic (East+West)
- All species
- East Pacific + Atlantic (East +/or West)
- Transisthmian (East Pacific + Atlantic of Central America)
- TEP non-endemic
- Regional Endemism
-
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) non-endemic
- All species
- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- Island (s)
- Eastern Pacific non-endemic
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- South Temperate (Peruvian Province )
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 40
- Depth Range Min
-
- 0
- Depth Range Max
-
- 200
