Description:

Dorsal spines: 5 - 6; Dorsal rays: 25 - 29; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 15 - 17. 

Body elongate, barely compressed and fusiform. head profile tapers sharply above anterior half of upper jaw to produce a nearly blunt snout. Posterior end of upper jaw located at anterior rim of eye. Teeth minute, in a band in upper and lower jaws. Scales very small and ctenoid (rough). Lateral line without scutes. Caudal peduncle with well developed fleshy keels and with dorsal and ventral peduncular grooves.   
Colour: Body dark to pale bluish, with 6-7 broad, dark bars; white tips on caudal lobes and on second dorsal and anal lobes.

Size:

Maturity: Lm: unknown.  Range: unknown
Max length : 70.0 cm TL. Common length : 40.0 cm TL.

Habitat and Ecology:

Oceanic species (depth 1-150 m) with a semi-obligate commensal relationship with sharks, rays, other bony fishes and turtles. Young are usually associated with jellyfish and drifting seaweed. Feed on scraps of host's left overs, ectoparasites and excrement; also on small fishes and invertebrates. Eggs are pelagic. Larvae are epipelagic in ocean waters. 

Fishery Status:

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not typically caught in the artisanal fishery. The young specimen shown here was caught in a mackerel net.

Notes:
References:

Carpenter, K.E.(ed.) (2002). The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 3: Bony fishes part 2 (Opistognathidae to Molidae), sea turtles and marine mammals. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. Rome, FAO. 2002. pp. 1375-2127.
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2025). FishBase. Naucrates ductor, Pilotfish. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Naucrates-ductor.html (13/12/25). 
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. et al. (2015). Naucrates ductor (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List 2015: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T190452A16643992.en. (13/12/25).
 

Citation:

Nevill, J.E.G. & Bamboche, Y.(2025). Naucrates ductor, Pilotfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/naucrates-ductor-linnaeus-1758/