S"iSTP:MATIC CATALOGUE OP FISHES. 369 



Family ECHENEIDI^. The Remoras. 



These fishes are instantly recognized by the presence of a large, oval disk on 

 the top of the head by means of which they adhere firmly to sharks and other 

 fishes as well as to turtles, boats, and other objects. The disk, which is a modi- 

 fied spinous dorsal fin, is divided by numerous crosswise partitions, or laminse, 

 and by a single lengthwise septum, and is of a leathery consistency. Other 

 characters of the family are elongate or slender body; wide mouth; projecting 

 lower jaw; bands of fine teeth on jaws, vomer, and palatines; no opercular arma- 

 ture; 4 gill-arches, with short gill-rakers; gill-membranes not connected and free 

 from isthmus; 7 branchiostegals; body covered with minute cycloid scales; no 

 air-bladder; a few pyloric cceca; long and low dorsal and anal fins, rather large 

 caudal of variable shape; upper edge of pectoral base near the back; and thoracic 

 ventrals. Four genera are represented in American waters, all occurring on the 

 east coast of the United States, but only 2, as follows, are as yet known from 

 North Carolina: 



I. Form stouter; lower jaw not produced as a flap; laminse 13 to 18; soft dorsal and anal rays 



22 to 32; pectorals rounded; ventrals broadly attached to abdomen Echeneis. 



a. Form very slender; lower jaw produced as a flap; laminae 20 to 28; soft dorsal and anal rays 

 31 to 40; pectorals sharp-pointed; ventrals narrowly attached to abdomen. 



Leptecheneis. 

 Genus ECHENEIS Linnaeus. Remoras; Shark-suckers. 



Body comparatively stout; disk relatively short, with 13 to 18 laminae; 

 soft dorsal with 22 to 32 rays; anal rays 22 to 30; caudal margin square or slightly 

 concave; pectorals short, rounded; ventrals rather short, and broadly adnate to 

 abdomen. Three widely distributed species, 2 known from the east coast as far 

 north as Cape Cod, but only 1 recorded from the state. (Echeneis, one that 

 holds back a ship.) 



319. ECHENEIS REMORA Linnaeus. 

 "Sucker"; Remora. 



Echeneis remora Linnseus, Systema Naturse, ed. x, 260, 1758; Indian Ocean. Yarrow, 1877, 212; Shackleford 

 Banks. / 



Remora jacobcea, Jordan & Gilbert, 1879, 381; Beaufort (after Yarrow). 



flemora remora, Jordan, 1886, 27; Beaufort. Jenkins, 1887, 87; Beaufort (after Yarrow). Jordan & Ever- 

 mann, 1898, 2271. 



Diagnosis. — Depth about .15 total length; head broad, .25 length; lower jaw not pro- 

 duced as a flexible tip; maxillary extending to anterior margin of eye; disk .35 length of body, 

 the laminse about 18; soft dorsal rays 23; anal rays 25; caudal fin rather broad, concave 

 behind; pectorals short, broad, rounded, .6 length of head; ventrals joined to abdomen by 

 more than .5 length of inner rays. Color: nearly uniform dark brown (remora, holding back.) 



This remora is usually observed attached to large sharks; its frequents all 

 warm seas, and is found on the east coast of the United States as far north as 

 Woods Hole. Its maximum length is about 1 . 25 feet. No one but Yarrow has 

 recorded the species in North Carolina waters; his note reads: 



Uncommon; a few specimens seen, which were taken by tlic fishermen on Sliackleford 

 Banks. Tliey stated that these fish were found in the moutlis of sharks. Size of specimen six 

 inches. 



