pilot fish
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About Our Definitions: All forms of a word (noun, verb, etc.) are now displayed on one page.pilot fish
nounDefinition of PILOT FISH
: a pelagic carangid fish (Naucrates ductor) that has dark stripes and often swims in company with a shark
See First Known Use of PILOT FISH
1634
Rhymes with PILOT FISH
angelfish, anglerfish, archerfish, bony fish, butterfish, candlefish, cuttlefish, damselfish, devilfish, flying fish, guitarfish, jellyfish, John Bullish, ladyfish, lantern fish, lionfish, microfiche, muttonfish, needlefish, overfish, paddlefish, parrot fish, puffer fish, rainbow fish, ribbonfish, silverfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, zebra fish
pilot fish
noun (Concise Encyclopedia)Widely distributed species (Naucrates ductor, family Carangidae) of carnivorous fish that inhabits warm and tropical open seas. It is slender and has a forked tail, a lengthwise keel on each side of the tail base, and a few small spines in front of the dorsal and anal fins. It may grow to 2 ft (60 cm) but is usually about 14 in. (35 cm) long. Five to seven distinctive vertical dark bands mark the bluish body. Pilot fishes follow sharks and ships, apparently to feed on parasites and leftover scraps. It was formerly thought that they were leading, or “piloting,” the larger fishes to food.
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