Depth
Remora · Bony Fish

Shark Sucker

Remora remora

0-100m
Depth Range
86cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
0-100m
Depth Range
86cm
Max Size
Pelagic
Habitat
Carnivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Low
Sighting Likelihood
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
GenusRemora
Speciesremora

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationElongated body with a large, oval suction disc on the top of the head. Uniform dark brown to grey-brown body. Disc has paired transverse plates that create suction when pressed against a host.
  • SizeUp to 86 cm total length, commonly 30 to 50 cm.
  • Social HabitUsually attached to a host animal (sharks, rays, turtles, large fish) using the head disc. Occasionally free-swimming.
  • HabitatOpen water wherever hosts are found. Detaches to feed on scraps and parasites.
  • DepthSurface to 100 m, following its host.
  • Feeds OnExternal parasites from the host, food scraps, and small free-swimming invertebrates.
  • DistributionWorldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, including the Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionSimilar to the live sharksucker but with a uniformly dark body and no lateral stripe. The shark-sucker hitches rides on large marine animals using its head disc. In the Mediterranean, it is occasionally seen attached to turtles, sunfish, or large rays.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Almost exclusively found attached to sharks, occasionally on rays, turtles, and large pelagic fish. Mediterranean records are uncommon and typically involve individuals hitching rides on blue sharks or shortfin makos entering from the Atlantic.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Open ocean and deep coastal waters wherever large shark hosts travel. Rarely encountered free-swimming; when detached, stays close to the surface or mid-water.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Shark Sucker species card

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Remora remora may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red ListLeast Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
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