White Suckerfish, Remora albescens (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)


Other Names: White Remora

White Suckerfish, Remora albescens. Source: Australian National Fish Collection, CSIRO. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:

A whitish to pale greyish remora with 13-14 lamellae on the cephalic sucking disc. Although usually host specific on manta rays, White Suckerfish occasionally attach to sharks and Black Marlin. They are rarely free-swimming, and attach to the body and inside the mouth and gill chambers of the host.


This species has previously been placed in the genus Remorina.


Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2019, Remora albescens in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4252

White Suckerfish, Remora albescens (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)

More Info


Distribution

Widespread in all tropical and subtropical seas. Known in Australian waters from off south-western Australia. Depth range 0-200 metres.

Features


Cephalic sucking disc 13-14 lamellae; Dorsal fin 17-22; Anal fin 21-26; Pelvic fin I, 5; Vertebrae 26.

Biology

Although the White Suckerfish is usually host-specific on manta rays, individuals occasionally attach themselves to sharks, and Black Marlin, Makaira indica.

They are rarely free-swimming, and attach to the body as well as inside the gill chambers and mouth of their host.

Fisheries

Although of no interest to fisheries, White Suckerfish have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Conservation

  • IUCN Red List : Least Concern

Species Citation

Echeneis albescens Temminck & Schlegel, 1847, Fauna Japonica 4(14, 15): 272, pl. 120(3). Type locality: Nagasaki, Japan.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2019

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

White Suckerfish, Remora albescens (Temminck & Schlegel 1847)

References


Carpenter, K. & Collette, B.B. 2010. Remora albescens. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T155075A4726238. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T155075A4726238.en. Downloaded on 16 April 2019.

Collette, B.B. 1999. Family Echeneidae. pp. 2652-2654, in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 4 2069-2790pp.

Collette, B.B. 2000. Echeneidae (remoras and sharksuckers). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology: 615.

Gray, K.N., J.R. McDowell, B.B. Collette & J.E. Graves. 2009. A molecular phylogeny of the remoras and their relatives. Bulletin of Marine Science 84(2): 183-198.

Heemstra, P.C. 1986. Echeneidae, pp. 662-664. In: M.M. Smith & P.C. Heemstra (eds). Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Germany.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. A comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. Guam : Coral Graphics vi 330 pp. 192 pls.

O'Toole, B. 2002. Phylogeny of the species of the superfamily Echeneoidea (perciformes: Carangoidei: Echeneidae, Rachycentridae, and Coryphaenidae), with an interpretation of echeneid hitchhiking behaviour. Canadian Journal of zoology 80: 596-623.

Schneider, W. 1995. Echeneidae. Remoras, pegas, pegatimones. Food and Agricultural Organization, Rome.

Schwartz, F.J. 2004. Five species of sharksuckers (family Echeneidae) in North Carolina. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science 120(2): 44-49.

Tang, W.-C. 1987. Chinese medicinal materials from the sea. Abstracts of Chinese Medicine 1(4): 571-600.

Temminck, C.J. & Schlegel, H. 1847. Pisces. 248-289 pls 111-128, 129 (in part) in Siebold, P. Fr de (ed.). Fauna Japonica. Leyden : Apud Arnz & Socios Vol. 4(14, 15).

Williams, E., Mignucci-Giannoni, A., Bunkley-Williams, L., Bonde, R., Self-Sullivan, C., Preen, A. and Cockcroft, V. 2003. Echeneid–sirenian associations, with information on sharksucker diet. Journal of Fish Biology 63(5): 1176-1183.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37336007

Behaviour:Attaches to manta rays

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:0-200 m

Habitat:Pelagic-oceanic

Max Size:30 cm SL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map