Remora
Remora Facts
| Size | 12-35 inch (30-90 cm) |
| Speed | Unknown |
| Weight | Unknown |
| Lifespan | Unknown |
| Food | Parasites, waste |
| Predators | Unknown |
| Habitat | Worldwide, most warm oceans |
| Order | Carangiformes |
| Family | Remora |
| Scientific name | Echeneidae |
| Characteristics | Uses its headplate to suck onto other creatures |
Main Characteristics
Remoras are slender fish related to jacks. They're also known as suckerfish, because they exhibit a behavior similar to "stowaways" by attaching themselves to marine animals like sharks, rays, and turtles.
Behavior
How Do Remoras Attach to Other Animals?
Remoras have suction plates to hold on to things. This is located on their flat heads and looks like the bottom of a walking boot. Remoras sometimes accidentally attach themselves to boats and ride along with them for a while. But as this strange, big “animal” doesn’t have any food on offer, the remora lets go in disappointment. They also sometimes attach to divers by mistake.
Why Do Remoras Attach to other Marine Animals?
Remoras suck onto other marine animals like sharks, manta rays and turtles. They use them like taxis to travel through the water, and eat food that falls out of and past their mouths. In return, they rid their taxis of parasites (which are quite tasty for them, too).
Symbiosis
Remoras and marine animals live togehter in symbiosis. In biology, this means that two different species that beneft from each other.
Name
Where Does the Name Remora Come From?
People have known about remoras since ancient times. They were believed to stop ships from sailing. That’s why it’s called the remora, which means “delay” in Latin.
Fun Facts
The Remora as Bait
Take a remora and attach a rope or cord to its tail. If you see a turtle, put your remora in the water. It will swim over to the turtle and suction on. Now you can just pull in the rope and pull the turtle on board. This method was actually used in eastern Africa (near Zanzibar and Mozambique) and in northern Australia.
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Symbiotic Animal Relationships
