| Echeneis naucrates | |
|---|---|
| Drawing from FishBase by Robbie N. Cada. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Echeneidae |
| Genus: | Echeneis |
| Species: | E. naucrates |
| Binomial name | |
| Echeneis naucrates (Linnaeus, 1758) |
|
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.[1] The species stays close to coral reefs and feeds primarily off hosts, such as sting rays, sharks, sea turtles, dolphins, whales and also ships.[1] The live sharksucker feeds off of both the host's prey and its parasites.[1] The species has been known to attach itself to divers' legs in attempt to create a host creature on which to feed.[1] 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.[2] This does not hurt the host.[2] Sharksuckers benefit from their host by saving energy through not needing to move around, which is why they have been vulgarly named "hitch-hikers".[2] They do this because they lack the essential swim bladder to be able to manoeuvre comfortably.[2] 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.[2]