E-Fauna BC Home

Remora australis (Bennett, 1840)
Whalesucker
Family: Echeneidae
Introduction to the Fish

Photograph

Once images have been obtained, photographs of this taxon will be displayed in this window.Click on the image to enter our photo gallery.
No E-Fauna image is available for this taxon.

Map

Source: Distribution of Remora australis as compiled by Aquamaps

Species Information

Dorsal spines (total): 25 - 27; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20 - 23; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 20 - 24. Dark blue to slate grey; fins with narrow white edge (Ref. 4389).

Source: FishBase. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E Hanley. 1989 . (Ref. 7300)

Biology

Species 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). Environment: pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); marine. Climate: subtropical

Source: FishBase. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E Hanley. 1989 . (Ref. 7300)

Distribution

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).

Source: FishBase. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E Hanley. 1989 . (Ref. 7300)

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)		COSEWIC
NativeSNRNo StatusNot Listed



BC Ministry of Environment: BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer--the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.

Additional Range and Status Information Links

NatureServe Explorer
 University of Alaska Museum

© 2014 E-Fauna BC  Contact us