Echeneis naucrates
Encyclopedia
The Echeneis naucrates or live sharksucker is a rare species of remora
, from the family
Echeneidae. The species generally occurs in all tropical seas around the world, mainly in warm waters. The species stays close to coral reef
s and feeds primarily off hosts
, such as sting rays, sharks, sea turtle
s, dolphins, whales and also ships. The live sharksucker feeds off of both the host's prey and its parasites. The species has been known to attach itself to divers' legs in attempt to create a host creature on which to feed. Echeneis naucrates has a disc feature on the top of its head which enables it to attach itself to its hosts without losing its grip. This does not hurt the host. Sharksuckers benefit from their host by saving energy through not needing to move around, which is why they have been vulgarly named "hitch-hikers". They do this because they lack the essential swim bladder to be able to manoeuvre comfortably. Echeneis naucrates has been of use to fisherman who would attach a line to the animal and set them into the water to find a host and then haul it in.
Remora
The remora , sometimes called a suckerfish or sharksucker, is an elongated, brown fish in the order Perciformes and family Echeneidae...
, from the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Echeneidae. The species generally occurs in all tropical seas around the world, mainly in warm waters. The species stays close to coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s and feeds primarily off hosts
Host (biology)
In biology, a host is an organism that harbors a parasite, or a mutual or commensal symbiont, typically providing nourishment and shelter. In botany, a host plant is one that supplies food resources and substrate for certain insects or other fauna...
, such as sting rays, sharks, sea turtle
Sea turtle
Sea turtles are marine reptiles that inhabit all of the world's oceans except the Arctic.-Distribution:...
s, dolphins, whales and also ships. The live sharksucker feeds off of both the host's prey and its parasites. The species has been known to attach itself to divers' legs in attempt to create a host creature on which to feed. Echeneis naucrates has a disc feature on the top of its head which enables it to attach itself to its hosts without losing its grip. This does not hurt the host. Sharksuckers benefit from their host by saving energy through not needing to move around, which is why they have been vulgarly named "hitch-hikers". They do this because they lack the essential swim bladder to be able to manoeuvre comfortably. Echeneis naucrates has been of use to fisherman who would attach a line to the animal and set them into the water to find a host and then haul it in.
External links
- Echeneis naucrates at Australian MuseumAustralian MuseumThe Australian Museum is the oldest museum in Australia, with an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. It features collections of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, as well as mineralogy, palaeontology, and anthropology...
. - Echeneis naucrates at Encyclopedia of LifeEncyclopedia of LifeThe Encyclopedia of Life is a free, online collaborative encyclopedia intended to document all of the 1.9 million living species known to science. It is compiled from existing databases and from contributions by experts and non-experts throughout the world...
.