# Pilot fish (*Naucrates ductor*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/pilot-fish  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The pilot fish (Naucrates ductor) is a bony fish in the family Carangidae, part of the order Carangiformes. It was named by (Linnaeus, 1758) and belongs to the genus Naucrates within the class Teleostei. The IUCN Red List assesses the pilot fish globally as Least Concern (LC), which is not a threatened category. Other English names for it include Pilot, Sucker, Pilotfish, Rudderfish and Pilot-fish.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | marine |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Teleostei
- order: Carangiformes
- family: Carangidae
- genus: Naucrates
- species: *Naucrates ductor* (Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms: *Gasterosteus antecessor*, *Gasterosteus ductor*, *Hemitripteronotus quinque-maculatus*, *Hemitripteronotus quinquemaculatus*, *Nauclerus abreviatus*, *Nauclerus annularis*, *Nauclerus brachycentrus*, *Nauclerus compressus*, *Nauclerus leucurus*, *Nauclerus triacanthus*, *Naucrates angeli*, *Naucrates cyanophrys*, *Naucrates ducter*, *Naucrates fanfarus*, *Naucrates indicus*, *Naucrates indicus*, *Naucrates noveboracensis*, *Naucrates polysarcus*, *Naucrates serratus*, *Scomber caeruleoalbus*, *Scomber ductor*, *Scomber ductor plumierii*, *Scomber koelreuteri*, *Seriola dussumieri*, *Seriola succincta*, *Seriola succinta*, *Thynnus pompilus*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the pilot fish?

The pilot fish is a bony fish. It belongs to the family Carangidae in the order Carangiformes.

### What is the scientific name of the pilot fish?

The scientific name of the pilot fish is Naucrates ductor, in the genus Naucrates.

### Who named the pilot fish and when?

The pilot fish was named by Linnaeus in 1758, written as (Linnaeus, 1758).

### Is the pilot fish endangered?

No. The pilot fish is listed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List in a global assessment, which is not a threatened category.

### What are other names for the pilot fish?

Other English names for the pilot fish are Pilot, Sucker, Pilotfish, Rudderfish and Pilot-fish.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Pilot fish (Naucrates ductor). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/pilot-fish