Common remora

Common remora
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Suborder: Carangoidei
Family: Echeneidae
Genus: Remora
Species:
R. remora
Binomial name
Remora remora
Synonyms
  • Echeneis remora Linnaeus, 1758
  • Echeneis squalipeta Daldorff, 1793
  • Echeneis parva Gronow, 1854
  • Echeneis remoroides Bleeker, 1855
  • Echeneis remeligo Duméril, 1858
  • Echeneis bourboniensis Duméril, 1858
  • Echeneis postica Poey, 1860
  • Echeneis remeligo Guichenot, 1863
  • Echeneis borboniensis Guichenot, 1863
  • Echeneis nubifera Tanaka, 1915

The common remora (Remora remora) is a pelagic marine fish belonging to the family Echeneidae. The dorsal fin, which has 22 to 26 soft rays, acts as a suction cup, creating a vacuum to allow the fish to attach to larger marine animals, such as whales, dolphins, sharks, and sea turtles.