Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839)
Spearfish remora
photo by Devarapalli, P.

Family:  Echeneidae (Remoras)
Max. size:  50 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-oceanic; marine, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Circumglobal in tropical and warm temperate seas.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-34; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 25-34. Body cylindrical and elongate; possessing an oblong cephalic disk with 14 to 17 transverse laminae; cranium depressed (supporting cephalic disk); dorsal fin with 27 to 44 rays; first gill arch with fewer than 21 gill rakers; body entirely white to pale blue (Ref. 55763).
Biology:  Found on the body and inside gill chamber of billfishes and swordfishes, rarely on any other fishes (Ref. 2850); also in the gill cavities and mouths of sharks (Ref. 5951).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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