Scientific Name
Echeneis naucrates

Common Name
Live sharksucker

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 32-42; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 29 - 41. With a dark mid-lateral stripe bordered by narrow white stripes above and below (Ref. 26938). Body depth contained in 8-14 times in SL; caudal fin in adults almost truncate with the upper and lower lobes longer than the middle rays; first dorsal fin replaced by a transversal, laminated, oval cephalic disc with 18-28 laminae (Ref. 10970); 21-28 laminae (according to K.R. Sreenath (pers. comm, 11/2010; lecologiste@gmail.com) .

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Remoras (Echeneidae)

Distribution

Region

Circumtropical. Western Atlantic

Distribution

Circumtropical. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and Bermuda to Uruguay (Ref. 7251, 26938). Eastern Central Atlantic: Madeira Island (Ref. 74541).

Range

45°N - 45°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

20 m

Depth To - meters

50 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 20 - 50 m (Ref. 28016)

Trophic Level

3.36 s.e. 0.50 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

110 cm

Common Length

66.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.7539 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Assuming Fec

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated