Shark sucker (Remora remora) is a saltwater species recorded in Taiwan, United States. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 0–200 m.
Scientific name: Remora remora · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 86.4 cm
The shark sucker is an echeneid usually associated with sharks, but it also attaches itself to other large fishes, to sea turtles and even to ships, settling in gill chambers, on fins and on the body surface, and it sometimes swims free. Younger individuals are the more active parasite pickers, feeding on parasitic copepods. It occurs in subtropical and temperate waters between roughly 60 degrees north and 36 degrees south, from the surface to about 200 m, and reaches about 86 cm total length, commonly 40 cm, and up to about 1.1 kg. It supports commercial fisheries and is a game fish, selling in the high price band, with a trophic level of 3.5, moderate to high fishing vulnerability at 48 of 100, and medium resilience.
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