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‘Just that weird’: Suckerfish observed swimming in manta rays’ rear ends, could impede pooping, sex

Nypost · · 503 words · By Ben Cost
Marine Biology Symbiotic Relationships Sensationalism
open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/05/16/science/suckerfish-observed-swimming-in-the-most-p…

psychologyDetected Techniques

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Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
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Exaggeration / Hyperbole 80% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

8 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

check_circle Corroborated 5
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 1
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“some are getting too close for comfort by diving into manta rays’ backsides, per a scientific probe in the journal Ecology and Evolution.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm a study published in the journal 'Ecology and Evolution' describing remoras burrowing into the cloacae (backsides) of manta rays.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ecology (from Ancient Greek οἶκος (oîkos) 'house' and -λογία (-logía) 'study of') is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment. Ecology considers organism…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ecology and Evolution is a biweekly open-access scientific journal covering all areas of ecology, evolution, and conservation. The Editors in Chief of this journal are Allen Moore, Andrew Beckerman, J…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology_and_Evolution
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nature Ecology & Evolution is an online-only monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by Nature Portfolio covering all aspects of research on ecology and evolutionary biology. It was establi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_Ecology_&_Evolution
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“lead author Emily Yeager, a marine researcher at the University of Miami”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources identify Emily Yeager as a PhD student/candidate at the University of Miami and the lead author of the study.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — George Mason University (GMU) is a public research university in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., the university is named in honor of George…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mason_University
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gloria María Milagrosa Estefan (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈɡloɾja esˈtefan]; née Fajardo García; born September 1, 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Estefan
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mike Redondo (born December 27, 1984) is an American politician. He serves as a Republican member for the 118th district of the Florida House of Representatives.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Redondo
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
“Known as “cloacal diving,” the “uncomfortable” practice involves flitting in and out of a larger critter’s cloaca — the multipurpose orifice used for both pooping and reproduction.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The definition of a cloaca as a multipurpose orifice for digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts is confirmed by Wikipedia and scientific descriptions.
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web search NEUTRAL — A cloaca, pl.: cloacae, or vent, is the rear orifice that serves as the only opening for the digestive, reproductive, and urinary tracts of many vertebrate animals. All amphibians, reptiles, birds, ca…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloaca
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web search NEUTRAL — Image A close-up view of the back of a fish sticking out of the cloaca of a manta ray. Traditionally, experts have seen the relationship between remoras and manta rays as either commensal or mutualist…
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/science/a-fish-that-hitch…
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web search NEUTRAL — The tail of a fish sticks out of an orifice on the bottom of a manta ray. Scientists have documented seven instances of remora, a.k.a. suckerfish, diving into the cloacal openings of their manta ray h…
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/manta-ray-butt-fish-9.7…
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“these so-called benign suckerfish, which latch onto marine mammals such as whales and sharks, cleaning parasites and dead skin off the host in exchange for food, protection and free transport.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources describe the traditional view of remoras as cleaning parasites and dead skin off hosts like sharks and whales in exchange for transport and food.
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web search NEUTRAL — Great white sharks, tiger sharks, and whale sharks are among the most common hosts, providing remoras with ample surface area for attachment and rich feeding opportunities.
https://www.animalsaroundtheglobe.com/the-bizarre-relationsh…
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web search NEUTRAL — Perhaps most interestingly, remoras eat parasites and dead skin directly off the shark’s body. This grazing behavior turns the remora into something like a mobile cleaning station, picking off irritan…
https://scienceinsights.org/why-do-remoras-attach-themselves…
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web search NEUTRAL — Traditionally, remoras were thought to engage in a mutually beneficial relationship with their hosts. The fish were believed to eat parasites and dead skin off their hosts, thereby reducing disease ri…
https://xeber.world/en/article/are-remoras-parasitic-hitchhi…
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“While the intrusive behavior had been observed between remoras and whale sharks, this was the first time they’d documented these hitch-hikers of the sea infiltrating manta rays’ rears.”
CORROBORATED
Sources state that while the behavior was known in whale sharks, this study represents the first documentation of the behavior in manta rays.
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web search NEUTRAL — A new paper has described a curious behavior never-before-documented between remora and manta rays. On seven occasions across a 15-year study period, remora ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRUhHisrj3c
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web search NEUTRAL — Remoras might dive into manta rays' rear ends when they're scared. Bryant Turffs / Marine Megafauna Foundation. Remoras are often called “suckerfish” because of the suction cup-like organ atop their h…
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-fish-hitches-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Remoras have been spotted 'cloaca-diving' in the Maldives, Mozambique, and Florida."In response to this intrusion, the manta ray briefly shuddered before continuing to swim away with the remora still …
https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-caught-suckerfish-di…
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“Over the span of 15 years, the researchers observed them practicing ray-related cloacal diving seven times in different parts of the ocean”
CORROBORATED
Web search results explicitly mention that researchers documented seven instances of this behavior over a 15-year period.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Highly Cited Researchers is a list published annually by Clarivate of academic authors who in the past eleven years have authored multiple highly cited publications in academic journals indexed by Web…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highly_Cited_Researchers
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of notable people who researched tornadoes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tornadic_researchers
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, charact…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
+ 3 more evidence sources
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“Brooke Flammang, a biology professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and university profiles confirm Brooke E. Flammang is a biologist/professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Brooke E. Flammang is an American biologist at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She specializes in functional morphology, biomechanics, and bioinspired technology of fishes. Flammang is a disc…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooke_E._Flammang
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web search NEUTRAL — Brooke E. Flammang is an American biologist at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She specializes in functional morphology, biomechanics, and bioinspired technology of fishes. Flammang is a disco…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brooke_E._Flammang
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web search NEUTRAL — New Jersey Institute of Technology. Newark, United States. Position. Professor (Assistant).Brooke E Flammang. A recent shipboard video reveals that the deep-sea melamphaeid fish Scopelogadus beanii is…
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Brooke-Flammang
+ 1 more evidence source
info
“these rear-moras could be practicing, “coprophagy — “Latin for eating poop””
SINGLE SOURCE
While the study is corroborated, the specific hypothesis that they are practicing 'coprophagy' (eating poop) is not explicitly confirmed across multiple independent sources in the provided evidence; the evidence focuses more on the act of diving and potential parasitism.
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web search NEUTRAL — While the remora’s presence inside the ray is most likely brief, it could interfere with waste discharge or reproduction, or even damage the cloaca’s lining. This may mean the relationship between rem…
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/11/science/a-fish-that-hitch…
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web search NEUTRAL — Remoras Are Diving Into Manta Ray ‘Buttholes’.“Cloacal Diving” Observed In Remoras As They’re Filmed Entering The Private Parts Of Manta Rays For The First Time.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…
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web search NEUTRAL — New studies reveal remoras may be parasitic hitchhikers, entering hosts' bodies and reducing grazing in sea turtles.Yeager’s research expands on this, describing remoras swimming inside the cloacae of…
https://xeber.world/en/article/what-are-you-doing-in-there-f…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.