212 HISTORY OF THE FISHES OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Remarks. This species is exceedingly rare in our waters ; the specimen from 

 which iny description was drawn up, in my " Report on the Fishes of Massachu- 

 setts," was taken from the bottom of a fishing-smack, to which it was attached, in 

 Boston Bay. 



Massachusetts, Stoker. New York, Mitchill, Dekay. 



ECHENEIS QUATUORDECIMLAMINATUS, StOVer. 



The Fourteen-plated Remora. 

 (Plate XXXII. Fig. 4.) 



Echeneis quatwrdecimlaminatus, Fourteen-plated Remora, Storer, Report, p. 155. 



" " " " an juv. ? Dekay, Report, p. 309. 



" " Storer, Mem. Amer. Acad., New Series, n. p. 484. 



" " " Synopsis, p. 232. 



Color. Of a light reddish-brown color, rather darker beneath. The pectoral and 

 ventral fins are a little lighter than the body. The dorsal and anal fins are clouded 

 with a lighter tint. 



Descriptio?i. Body fusiform, elongated. The length of the head is less than one 

 fifth the length of the entire fish : above, it is entirely covered by an adhesive disk, 

 which commences at the tip of the upper jaw, and, extending on each side to the 

 eyes, terminates on a plane with the posterior half of the pectorals : this disk is 

 surrounded by a fleshy margin, which is tipped with a darker brown than the color 

 of the body, and is divided in its centre by a longitudinal fleshy septum, on each 

 side of which are fourteen or fifteen distinct, 6trongly serrated lamina?. The gill- 

 covers are large ; the lower jaw projects beyond the upper ; the jaws are armed 

 with several rows of strong, sharp, recurved teeth ; teeth also are observed upon the 

 pharynx, the palatine bones, and the root of the tongue. The gape of the mouth 

 is moderate in size. The eyes are horizontally oval. The nostrils, which are near 

 the edge of the upper jaw, are double. 



The lateral line commences at the origin of the pectorals above, and, making a 

 slight curve from their extremities, is continued in a straight course to the tail. 



The dorsal fin commences about the middle of the length of the fish : it is rounded 

 anteriorly, gradually diminishes in height as it approaches the tail, and terminates 

 posteriorly above in a point. 



The pectorals are somewhat rounded at their extremities. 



The ventrals are narrow and triangular ; and are attached to the belly by a mem- 

 brane extending from the inner ray ; the rays are multifid. 



