White suckerfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids White suckerfish |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The white suckerfish or mantasucker (Remora albescens) is a special type of fish. It belongs to a family of fish called Echeneidae. These fish have a unique sticky disc on their heads. They use this disc to attach themselves to bigger ocean animals. The white suckerfish is known for its large lips and its light, often white, color.
Contents
About the White Suckerfish
The white suckerfish is a kind of remora. Remoras are long, thin ocean fish. They have a special suction cup on top of their heads. This disc lets them stick to larger sea creatures. This way, they can travel easily and find food.
Where White Suckerfish Live
You can find the white suckerfish all over the world in warm, open seas. They live in the western Indian Ocean, near places like Réunion and Mauritius. They are also in the eastern Pacific Ocean, from San Francisco down to Chile. In the Atlantic Ocean, they swim from Florida and the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Brazil.
What White Suckerfish Look Like
White suckerfish can grow up to about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long. They have a short, wide sticky disc on their head. This disc has 13 to 14 special ridges called lamellae. Their fins are quite short. The fins on their belly are placed far forward.
Their teeth are very unique. They have many large, strong, pointed teeth. These teeth are set in wide patches in their jaws. The fish's head, body, and fins are usually light brown, tan, grey, or whitish. Some fish from the Gulf of Mexico have different colors. They can be plain grey or bluish-white. Some have darker sides and belly with many long spots. One fish even changed color when it was taken out of the water. It got darker, then lighter when put back in the sea.
How White Suckerfish Live
White suckerfish are rarely seen swimming alone. They usually stick to specific hosts. They are most often found attached to manta rays. They often go inside the manta ray's mouth and gill areas. This happens more than with any other remora species.
Sometimes, they also attach to sharks. In areas like the Indo-Pacific, they can be found on black marlin. Unlike some other remoras, white suckerfish do not eat many tiny parasites called copepods. This suggests they might not help their host by cleaning them.
If you touch a white suckerfish on its belly, it will strongly raise its pelvic fins. This might be a way for them to avoid being crushed by their host. We do not know much about how white suckerfish reproduce. This fish is sometimes used in traditional medicine.
