Pomacentridae
Tomato clownfish
Amphiprion frenatus
FISH SPECIES
Flat-bodied Fish
Compare fish with laterally compressed, dorsoventrally depressed or asymmetrical body plans across habitats.
FISH ATLAS / FIELD GUIDEFlat FishIN THIS CHAPTER01 / Characteristics02 / Lifestyle03 / Species04 / Field notes
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01 / NATURAL HISTORY
Characteristics
Flattened body forms represent two distinct evolutionary paths: laterally compressed forms engineered for agility in narrow vertical spaces, and dorsoventrally depressed or asymmetrical forms specialized for living flush against the ocean floor.
- 01Laterally compressed maneuvering
- 02Dorsoventrally flattened resting
- 03Benthic sediment concealment
02 / LIFESTYLE
Lifestyle
Laterally compressed fishes like butterflyfishes and batfishes orient vertically to dart through intricate reef branches, using broad median fins to execute instantaneous, low-radius pivot turns. In stark contrast, depressed rays and asymmetrical flatfishes bury beneath sediment with only elevated eyes exposed, remaining completely motionless until striking passing prey from underneath.
OBSERVATION INDEX
- Zero-radius turns in structural cover
- Sediment concealment with raised eyes
- Undulatory pectoral propulsion on bottoms
03 / SPECIES
Representative species
Discover representative species illustrating the ecological diversity, morphologies and adaptations of this group.
Tomato clownfish
Epinephelidae
tomato hind
Cephalopholis sonnerati
Gempylidae
Tonga escolar
Tongaichthys robustus
Leiognathidae
toothpony
Gazza minuta
Carangidae
torpedo scad
Megalaspis cordyla
Mullidae
Torres goatfish
Upeneus torres
Apogonidae
Transparent cardinalfish
Apogon crassiceps
Gobiidae
Transparent dwarfgoby
Eviota pellucida
Cyprinidae
Tras
Barbodes tras
Cyprinidae
Travancore yellow barb
Puntius nelsoni
Dinematichthyidae
Trilobed viviparous brotula
Dinematichthys trilobatus
Pempheridae
Trincomalee sweeper
Pempheris pathirana
Pempheridae
Trindade sweeper
Pempheris gasparinii
Pomacentridae
triplespot chromis
Chromis trialpha
Lobotidae
tripletail
Lobotes surinamensis
Malacanthidae
Triton tilefish
Hoplolatilus erdmanni
Acropomatidae
Tropical lanternbelly
Acropoma leobergi
Pristigasteridae
tropical longfin herring
Neoopisthopterus tropicus
Percichthyidae
Tropical nightfish
Guyu wujalwujalensis
Mormyridae
Trunkfish
Cyphomyrus psittacus
Mormyridae
Trunkfish
Hippopotamyrus pictus
Mormyridae
Trunkfish
Marcusenius senegalensis
Mormyridae
Trunkfish
Mormyrus tapirus
Cichlidae
Tsimoly
Paretroplus tsimoly
04 / FIELD NOTES
A closer look
What is the evolutionary difference between a ray and a flounder?
A ray is a cartilaginous fish flattened from top to bottom (dorsoventrally depressed) with eyes on top and gill slits on the underside; a flounder is a bony fish that lies on its side, whose eye migrates during larval development to make the body asymmetrical.
Why do disk-shaped fish like angelfish and discus have tall bodies?
A laterally compressed disc shape provides high vertical stability and exceptional turning agility, allowing fish to twist into narrow vertical crevices and maneuver between tangled roots or coral branches without losing control.