In the distant warm seas and oceans, an inconspicuous fish lives with striped sides and a pointed-headed head. Like many other fish, it feeds on crustaceans, small congeners and mollusks. Sometimes sent to migrate.
One could say that the pilot is a fish that does not differ in anything special from many thousands of others. But she also has an amazing feature, which has not so many analogues.
Species affiliation
Pilot - a fish belonging to the order Perch. She is a close relative of horse mackerel. This fish is eaten, but the lion's share of the catch belongs to amateur fishermen, and not to large vessels. The fact is that pilots usually live in small flocks, which are senseless to hunt, because huge flocks of horse mackerels, mackerel and other much more valuable species are found nearby. But this fish sometimes comes across a fishing rod hook. By the way, sometimes it becomes the prey of the Black Sea fishermen.
This fish can reach half a meter in length, but most individuals do not exceed 30 cm in length. Its body is painted in a blue-silver shade, and several dark blue stripes descend from the back to the sides. On the lower surface of the body of the pilot fish there is a pointed fin.
Fancy Pilot Fish Friends
“To whom the bride also mare”, - the well-known janitor Tikhon told Ostap Bender. “And to whom the White Shark is the closest friend, ” the pilot fish would certainly say, if she could speak. Yes, small groups of striped fish spend most of their lives next to the thunder of the seas and oceans. It is noteworthy that completely different types of sharks become the best friends of pilots.
Scientists, researchers of the underwater world, ordinary divers, travelers - who just did not try to find answers to the question about this incomprehensible friendship. But today it is not known for certain why the pilot and shark fish spend their whole lives shoulder to shoulder.
Myths and legends
And there are many versions. To separate the grain from the chaff, you need to understand where the name came from. What is a pilot After all, the fish was so named for a reason. In marine terminology, this word refers to a skipper who is familiar with the underwater terrain and knows how to plot a course. Most likely, this fish owes its name to one of the main misconceptions, which says: the pilot accompanies a visually impaired shark, helping to find food and avoid dangers. For this, they say, the shark allows its little striped guides to pick up crumbs from its royal table.
There is another version. According to her, the pilot eats shark feces or parasites that attach to her skin.
Perhaps the shark serves only for protection? This version has neither evidence nor rebuttal. The shark does not rush to protect the pilots, and hardly anyone will dare to attack the satellites of a dangerous predator. But this assumption raises one question: why is the shark not trying to feast on pilots? After all, this fish is edible, tasty and quite comparable with other prey that makes up the diet of sharks.
And the pilot is a fish, which is often confused with sticky. A lot is known about the relations of sticks and sharks. Of course, you cannot call them real parasitism, because sticking does not harm the shark. But the fact that one fish simply lives off of the second does not cause controversy. She cannot even walk herself. Pilots, on the other hand, are not riders; they simply swim nearby.
Scientific Versions
Although science does not know for certain what connects sharks and fish-pilots, scientists know for sure about what exactly is not and cannot be. The version about the navigation functions is untenable, if only because the sharks have an enviable vision, and the sense of smell is even better, they are well-oriented even in troubled waters.
The version of eating scraps (and even more so parasites and bowel movements) is even more unfounded. Pilots' stomachs have been studied more than once, and scientists have been observing their behavior for a long time. Plying next to the shark, pilots periodically pick up a gaping fish or crustaceans and eat them.
Scientists have also found that if a shark enters into battle with the enemy or becomes prey of hunters, the striped motorcade leaves it instantly, and then proceeds to search for a new patroness.
