| Family: |
Echeneidae (Remoras) |
| Max. size: |
76 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
pelagic-oceanic; marine; depth range 1 - 50 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Worldwide in tropical and warm waters. Western Atlantic: Texas, USA to Brazil. Eastern Pacific: Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada to Chile (Ref. 2850). Mediterranean reports doubtful (Ref. 13729). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 25-27; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-23; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 20-24. Dark blue to slate grey; fins with narrow white edge (Ref. 4389). |
| Biology: |
Oceanic, mostly in warm seas. Attaches itself only to whales and porpoises (Ref. 7251). One adult couple was recorded attached to the same individual spinner dolphin for a period of about 3 months (Ref. 50801). A common associate of spinner dolphins at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southeast Atlantic, where it occurs year-round. Recorded feeding on spinner dolphins’ feces and vomits (Ref. 48727). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 23 August 2012 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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