Bathyclupeidae
West Atlantic (silver) deepsea herring
Neobathyclupea argentea
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.
West Atlantic (silver) deepsea herring
Chaetodontidae
West Australian butterflyfish
Chaetodon assarius
Pomacentridae
West Australian chromis
Chromis westaustralis
Glaucosomatidae
West Australian dhufish
Glaucosoma hebraicum
Bathyclupeidae
West Pacific (dwarf) deepsea herring
Neobathyclupea gracilis
Pomacentridae
Western Australian demoiselle
Neopomacentrus aktites
Arripidae
Western Australian salmon
Arripis truttacea
Pomacentridae
Western gregory
Plectroglyphidodon obreptus
Dorosomatidae
Western Pacific gizzard shad
Nematalosa come
Pomacentridae
Western scalyfin
Parma occidentalis
Scorpaenidae
Western scorpionfish
Scorpaena onaria
Gerreidae
Western silverbelly
Parequula elongata
Sparidae
Western yellowfin seabream
Acanthopagrus morrisonae
Scophthalmidae
whiff
Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
Gobiidae
Whip coral goby
Bryaninops yongei
Leiognathidae
Whipfin ponyfish
Equulites leuciscus
Gerreidae
whipfin silver-biddy
Gerres filamentosus
Soleidae
Whiskered sole
Monochirus hispidus
Dinematichthyidae
Whiskered viviparous brotula
Alionematichthys piger
Cyprinidae
White Cloud Mountain minnow
Tanichthys albonubes
Epinephelidae
white grouper
Epinephelus aeneus
Acanthuridae
white margin unicornfish
Naso annulatus
Microstomatidae
White pencilsmelt
Nansenia candida
Stromateidae
white pomfret
Pampus argenteus
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.