WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Whalesucker

Remora australis

Also known as: Indian Suckerfish, Suckerfish, Whale Remora

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Adult
@MaryK · Cahuita, Costa Rica · January 20121 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs, either free swimming, or attached to their host (with a sucker on top of their head) most often attached to spinner dolphins, or other porpoises and whales.
They feed on scraps of food, parasites and vomit, from their hosts.

Remoras have a sucker on top of their heads to attach to anything that moves!
They spend their days Hitch hiking between large fish such as sharks, manta rays, turtles etc.
They are quite keen to hitch a lift with divers as well.
If they do attach push forward to remove!
They feed on scraps of food from their hosts or parasites on their hosts.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Behaviour
pairssolitary

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Circumtropical
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, either free swimming, or attached to their host (with a sucker on top of their head) most often attached to spinner dolphins, or other porpoises and whales.

04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderCarangiformes
    5. familyEcheneidae
    6. genusRemora
    7. speciesRemora australis (Bennett, 1840)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Remoras (Echeneidae)