New research captures rare evidence of secret synchronization of whale-riding remoras

In a groundbreaking discovery, Griffith University researchers have filmed remora fish detaching from humpback whales in synchronized waves just before the whales breach the surface.

The video was obtained from the suction-cup cameras during the whales’ 10,000 kilometer migration to Queensland, Australia, providing a new aspect of the unique ocean relationship between these two species.

The study was conducted by the lead researcher, Dr Olaf Meynecke, who were surprised at the remoras’ coordinated behaviour.

“I think one of the biggest surprises when we investigate videos captured from our tags was the remoras’ ability to move around freely and keep returning to the whale’s body, even during very fast ascents to the surface and immediately after the whale breaches and returns to the water,” Meynecke said.

The fish swiftly reattaches itself to the whales when it dives again to avoid the violent impact of a breach.

The research confirms the symbiotic nature of this partnership. It is not only remoras that are being benefited. Besides just hitchhiking, they provide a cleaning service to whales by consuming dead skin and parasites like sea lice from the whale’s skin.

“Remoras are harmless and are not a parasite to the whales; in fact, they can benefit the whale by removing sea lice and other crustaceans wanting to settle on the whale’s body,” Meynecke confirmed.

Research also states that they achieve this grip via a specialized head plate that creates a powerful vacuum instead of forming grip through suction. Mynecke also explained this phenomenon as “they seem to have developed an adaptation to hydrodynamics, they don’t actually create a suction, the plates on top of their heads create a vacuum effect that helps them almost adhere to the whales, plus they grip to the whales body using their modified dorsal fin.”

While research answers some questions, it raises others. There’s still no complete answers confirming whether remoras complete the entire migration to Antarctica or how their life cycle is synchronized with the whales’ journey, leaving fascinating mysteries for future.