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How do remoras attach themselves to sharks and other large marine animals?
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perciform
Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in the waters near Japan.
Remoras, which belong to the order Perciformes, attach themselves to sharks, other large marine animals, and even ships using a specialized flat, oval sucking disk located on the top of their head.1
This unique structure is derived from the spiny portion of the dorsal fin and features a variable number of paired, crosswise plates that allow the fish to adhere firmly to its host. By riding on these larger animals, remoras are able to feed on the remnants of their hosts' meals or act as cleaners by consuming external parasites.1