At long last we are happy to announce the publication of a research paper documenting the uncomfortable relationship of a male yellowtail parrotfish (Sparisoma rubripinne) with a juvenile sharksucker remora (Echeneis naucrates). The paper, titled ‘Underwater video reveals novel behavioural interactions: a case study of a repeated ongoing association between a sharksucker Echeneis naucrates and a yellowtail parrotfish Sparisoma rubripinne,’ has been published in the research journal Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom by Cambridge University Press.

The Coral City Camera was instrumental in documenting this relationship and allowed observations to be made that would otherwise have been extremely difficult for a researcher underwater. Remoras are typically associated with large marine fish, mammals, and sea turtles upon which they hitch a ride and benefit from eating its hosts’ leftover food scraps and gaining protection. However, on a smaller fish like a yellowtail parrotfish, it appears that this relationship is less mutualistic and more parasitic. The paper documents the long-term multi-month association with a single male yellowtail parrotfish (we dubbed ‘Ramón’) with a juvenile remora. It is likely the longest documented association of a remora on a single parrotfish. From observations on the CCC, it appeared that Ramón struggled with its remora based on its behavior of scratching itself against the sand and substrate in apparent efforts to dislodge it, and suffering visible scrapes and scratches in the process. We also observed that when Ramón attempted to rest, it appeared annoyed with its wiggling guest and unable to sleep properly.

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