Remora
Spearfish remora, Remora brachyptera
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Echeneidae
Genera
Echeneis Phtheiricthys Remora Remorina See text for species. Spearfish remora or swordfish sucker (Remora brachyptera). ... Binomial name Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839) The spearfish remora, Remora brachyptera, is a remora of the family Echeneidae, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Animalia redirects here. ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Orders See text The Actinopterygii are the ray-finned fish. ... Families many, see text The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ...
Synonyms
Echeneididae In scientific nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names used for a single taxon. ...

Remoras or suckerfish are elongate brown fish in order Perciformes and family Echeneidae.^[1][2] They grow up to 30-90 cm long (1-3 feet), and their distinctive first dorsal fin takes the form of a modified oval sucker-like organ with slat-like structures that open and close to create suction and take a firm hold against the skin of larger marine animals. By sliding backward, the remora can increase the suction, or it can release itself by swimming forward. Remoras sometimes attach themselves to small boats. They also swim well on their own, with a sinuous motion. A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium Fish are aquatic vertebrates that are typically cold-blooded; covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins. ... Families many, see text The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, include about 40% of all fish and are the largest order of vertebrates. ... The metre, or meter (U.S.), is a measure of length. ... Dorsal Fin of the Orca A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of fishes, whales, dolphins and porpoises. ... A fish of the family Catostomidae. ... A boat is a craft or vessel designed to float on, and provide transport over, water. ...

Remoras are primarily tropical open-ocean dwellers, occasionally found in temperate or coastal waters if they have attached to large fish that have wandered into these areas. In the mid-Atlantic, spawning usually takes place in June and July; in the Mediterranean, in August and September. The sucking disc begins to show when the young fish are about 1 cm long. When the remora reaches about 3 cm, the disc is fully formed and the remora is then able to hitch a ride. The remora's lower jaw projects beyond the upper, and there is no swim bladder. The tropics are the geographic region of the Earth centered on the equator and limited in latitude by the two tropics: the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of the Earths surface. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... The gas bladder (also fish maw, less accurately swim bladder or air bladder) is an internal organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth, ascend, or descend without having to waste energy in swimming. ...

Some remoras associate primarily with specific host species. Remoras are commonly found attached to sharks, manta rays, whales and turtles, (hence the common names sharksucker, whalesucker). Smaller remoras also fasten onto fish like tuna and swordfish, and some small remoras travel in the mouths or gills of large manta rays, ocean sunfish, swordfish, and sailfish. Orders Carcharhiniformes Heterodontiformes Hexanchiformes Lamniformes Orectolobiformes Pristiophoriformes Squaliformes Squatiniformes Symmoriida(extinct) Sharks (superorder Selachimorpha) are fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton[1] and a streamlined body. ... Binomial name Manta birostris Dondorff, 1798 The manta ray, or giant manta (Manta birostris), is the largest of the rays, with the largest known specimen having been nearly 7. ... A Fin whale The term whale is ambiguous; it can refer to all cetaceans, to just the larger ones, or only to members of particular families within the order Cetacea. ... blue: sea turtles, black: land turtles Suborders Cryptodira Pleurodira See text for families. ... Species See text. ... Binomial name Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758 Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill in contrast to the smooth, round bill of the marlins. ... Binomial name Manta birostris Dondorff, 1798 The manta ray or giant manta is the largest of the ray fish, ranging up to eight meters (25 ft) across and weighing up 3,000 kg (3 tons). ... Binomial name Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758) The ocean sunfish, Mola mola, is the largest bony fish in the world. ... Binomial name Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758 Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill in contrast to the smooth, round bill of the marlins. ... Species Istiophorus albicans Istiophorus platypterus Sailfishes (genus Istiophorus) are fish living in all the oceans of the world. ...

The relationship between remoras and their hosts is most often taken to be one of commensalism, specifically phoresy. The host they attach to for transport gains nothing from the relationship, but also loses little. The remora benefits by using the host as transport and protection and also feeds on materials dropped by the host. There is some controversy over whether a remora's diet is primarily leftover fragments, or actually the feces of the host. In some species (Echeneis naucrates and E. neucratoides) consumption of host feces is strongly indicated in gut dissections.^[3] For other species, such as those found in a host's mouth, scavenging of leftovers is more likely. Many sources also suggest that for some remora/host pairings the relationship is closer to mutualism with the remora cleaning bacteria and other parasites from the host. Commensalism is an interaction between two living organisms, where one organism benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped. ... In ecology, commensalism is an interaction between two living organisms, where one creature benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped. ... Ant-aphid mutualism: the aphids are protected against predators by the ants who cultivate the aphids for their secretions of honeydew, a food source. ...

A nurse shark with remoras attending

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1142x789, 757 KB) Summary Nurse shark with Remoras. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1142x789, 757 KB) Summary Nurse shark with Remoras. ... Binomial name Ginglymostoma cirratum (Bonnaterre, 1788) The nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum is a shark in the nurse sharks family and may reach a length of 4. ...

Species

There are eight species in four genera:

• Genus Echeneis
  • Live sharksucker, Echeneis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758.
  • Whitefin sharksucker, Echeneis neucratoides Zuiew, 1786.
• Genus Phtheirichthys
  • Slender suckerfish, Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies, 1791).
• Genus Remora
  • Whalesucker, Remora australis (Bennett, 1840).
  • Spearfish remora, Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839).
  • Marlin sucker, Remora osteochir (Cuvier, 1829).
  • Common remora, Remora remora (Linnaeus, 1758).
• Genus Remorina
  • White suckerfish, Remorina albescens (Temminck & Schlegel, 1850).

Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[1] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Binomial name Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies, 1791) The slender suckerfish, Phtheirichthys lineatus, is a species of remora, the only member of the genus Phtheirichthys, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... Binomial name Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies, 1791) The slender suckerfish, Phtheirichthys lineatus, is a species of remora, the only member of the genus Phtheirichthys, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... Binomial name Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies, 1791) The slender suckerfish, Phtheirichthys lineatus, is a species of remora, the only member of the genus Phtheirichthys, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... Binomial name Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839) The spearfish remora, Remora brachyptera, is a remora of the family Echeneidae, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... Binomial name Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839) The spearfish remora, Remora brachyptera, is a remora of the family Echeneidae, found circumglobally in tropical and subtropical seas. ... Georges Cuvier Baron Georges Léopold Chrétien Frédéric Dagobert Cuvier (August 23, 1769–May 13, 1832) was a French naturalist and zoologist. ... Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as  , (May 23, 1707 – January 10, 1778), was a Swedish botanist, physician and zoologist[1] who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of nomenclature. ... Coenraad Jacob Temminck (March 31, 1778 - January 30, 1858) was a Dutch aristocrat and zoologist. ... Hermann Schlegel. ...

The fishing fish

Remoras have been used for catching turtles in a remarkable way: a cord or rope is fastened to the remora's tail, and when a turtle is sighted the fish is released from the boat; it usually heads directly for the turtle and fastens itself to the turtle's shell, and then both remora and turtle are hauled in. Smaller turtles can be pulled completely into the boat by this method, while larger ones are hauled within harpooning range. This practice has been reported throughout the Indian Ocean, especially from eastern Africa near Zanzibar and Mozambique,^[4] and from northern Australia near Cape York and Torres Strait.^[5][6] blue: sea turtles, black: land turtles Suborders Cryptodira Pleurodira See text for families. ... Motto: Uhuru na Umoja (Swahili: Freedom and Unity) Anthem: Mungu ibariki Afrika (God Bless Africa) Capital (and largest city) Stone Town English Government Republic  - President Amani Abeid Karume  - Prime Minister Shamsi Vuai Nahodha Independence From the United Kingdom   - Tanganyika December 9, 1961   - Zanzibar December 19, 1963   - Merge April 26, 1964... Categories: Australia geography stubs | Peninsulas | Headlands ... The Torres Strait - Cape York Peninsula is at the top; several of the Torres Strait Islands can be seen strung out towards Papua New Guinea (North is downwards in this image) The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. ...

Similar reports have also come from Japan and from the Americas. In fact, some of the first records of the "fishing fish" in the Western literature come from the accounts of the second voyage of Christopher Columbus. However, Leo Wiener considers the Columbus accounts to be apocryphal: what was taken for accounts of the Americas may have in fact been notes that Columbus derived from accounts of the East Indies, his desired destination.^[7] Christopher Columbus (Genoa?, Italy, 1451? – Valladolid, Spain, May 20, 1506) was a navigator and maritime explorer credited as the discoverer of the Americas. ...

Mythology

In ancient times, the remora was believed to stop a ship from sailing. In Latin remora means "delay", while the genus name Echeneis comes from Greek echein ("to hold") and naus ("a ship"). Particularly notable is the account of Pliny the Younger, in which the remora is blamed for the defeat of Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium and (indirectly) for the death of Caligula.^[8] Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (63-ca. ... Bust of Mark Antony Marcus Antonius (Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N[1]) ( January 14 83 BC–August 1, 30 BC), known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. ... Combatants Octavian Mark Antony, Cleopatra VII of Egypt Commanders Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa Mark Antony Strength 260 warships, mostly liburnian vessels 220 warships, mostly quinqueremes and 60 egyptian warships Casualties Unknown Almost all of Antonys fleet The Battle of Actium was a naval battle of the Roman Civil War between... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41 AD), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ...

Because of the shape of the jaws, appearance of the sucker, and coloration of the remora, it sometimes appears to be swimming upside-down. This probably led to the older common name reversus, although this might also derive from the fact that the remora frequently attaches itself to the tops of manta rays or other fish, so that the remora in fact is upside-down while attached.

Trivia

Remoraid is a Pokémon that was inspired by the remora. In most official merchandise, Mantine (a manta ray-like Pokémon) can be seen with a Remoraid attached to the bottom of its wings, not unlike how a real remora attaches itself to rays and other large sea life. Remoraid (テッポウオ Teppouo in Japanese, Remoraid in French, Remoraid in German) is a fictional character from the Pokémon franchise. ... The official Pokémon logo. ... Mantine Mantain in original Japanese language versions) are one of the 493 fictional species of Pokémon creatures from the multi-billion-dollar[1] Pokémon media franchise—a collection of video games, anime, manga, books, trading cards, and other media created by Satoshi Tajiri. ...

In A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, there is a character called Mr. Remora, who is a teacher. An illustration of Klaus (left), Violet (top) and Sunny (right), the Baudelaire siblings, who are the three main characters The Bad Beginning A Series of Unfortunate Events is a childrens book series, written by Daniel Handler under the pseudonym of Lemony Snicket, and illustrated by Brett Helquist. ... Lemony Snicket is a pseudonym used by author Daniel Handler in his childrens book series A Series of Unfortunate Events, as well as a character in that series. ... Mr. ...

In the 1996 action film Executive Decision with Kurt Russell, terrorists hijack a commercial plane going towards the US carrying a bomb loaded with DZ-5, planning to kill 40 million citizens. Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, a plan is worked out that will involve a mid-air transfer on a commando team onto the hijacked airliner using an experimental "Remora" aircraft. Executive Decision is a 1996 action film released on Friday, March 15, 1996. ... Kurt Vogel Russell (born March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is an American actor. ... The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located at 48 N. Rotary Road, Arlington, Virginia 22211 (Map). ...

In the ""Jimmy Buffett"" tune "Fins" about a bar girl who is constantly pursued by "sharks that can swim on the land," Jimmy uses the lyric "Feels like a remora" to describe her attachment to these sharks. Jimmy Buffett (born James William Buffett on December 25, 1946 in Pascagoula, Mississippi) is a singer, songwriter, and recently a film producer best known for his island escapism lifestyle and music including hits such as Margaritaville (No. ...

References

1. ^ "Echeneidae". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
2. ^ Echeneidae (TSN 168567). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 20 March 2006.
3. ^ E. H. Willams et al. (2003). "Echeneid-sirenian associations, with information on sharksucker diet". Journal of Fish Biology 63 (5): 1176-1183. DOI:10.1046/j.1095-8649.2003.00236.x. 
4. ^ E. W. Gudger (1919). "On the Use of the Sucking-Fish for Catching Fish and Turtles: Studies in Echeneis or Remora, II., Part 1.". The American Naturalist 53 (627): 289-311. 
5. ^ E. W. Gudger (1919). "On the Use of the Sucking-Fish for Catching Fish and Turtles: Studies in Echeneis or Remora, II., Part 2". The American Naturalist 53 (628): 446-467. 
6. ^ Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake, available at Project Gutenberg. (Dr. Gudger's accounts are more authoritative, but this source is noted as an early account that Gudger appears to have missed.)
7. ^ Leo Wiener (1921). "Once more the sucking-fish". The American Naturalist 55 (637): 165-174. 
8. ^ Pliny the Younger. “Book 32, Chapter 1”, Natural History.  (cited in E. W. Gudger (1930). "Some old time figures of the shipholder, Echeneis or Remora, holding the ship". Isis 13 (2): 340-352. 

FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish. ... Please note that the ITIS system URL has changed (25 September 2006). ... March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in leap years). ... -1... A digital object identifier (or DOI) is a standard for persistently identifying a piece of intellectual property on a digital network and associating it with related data, the metadata, in a structured extensible way. ... Project Gutenberg logo Project Gutenberg (often abbreviated as PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize, archive, and distribute cultural works via book scanning. ... Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus (63-ca. ...

External links

• Flickr: Photos tagged with "remora"