Humpback whale spotted carrying small sucker fish along for the ride

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) usually don’t travel alone. In addition to its pod, the sizable cetacean generally hosts dozens of remoras. Also known as a suckerfish, these evolutionary wonders in the Echeneidae family hitch rides on whales in order to make a meal of the sea lice and other crustaceans that also make a home on the marine mammal’s skin. To accomplish this, the remora possesses a distinctive, oval dorsal fin that functions like an adapted suction cup. The fin’s flexible membrane ridges raise and lower as needed to generate adhesive force, allowing it to either stick to the whale, or release and swim independently as needed.