Remoras

Remoras are often found attached to sharks, manta rays, whales, dolphins, turtles and dugongs. They are also called suckerfish, sharksucker or whalesucker. They have a sucker-like organ to hold themselves against the skin of larger marine animals. Sometimes they even attach themselves to scuba divers! The remoras seem to benefit from the host animals without affecting it (called ‘commensalism’). However, sometimes the host can also benefit. The remoras clean the skin of its hosts from e.g. parasites, small nekton, zooplankton, foodscraps and feces. The remoras benefit from this food source, because they let themselves be transported without much effort, and they get protection from their host. Whales and dolphins often seem to tolerate the remoras but will sometimes jump out of the water in an attempt to get rid of their guests.

by Judith Kok