Chaetodontidae
Black butterflyfish
Chaetodon flavirostris
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.
Black butterflyfish
Apogonidae
Black cardinalfish
Apogonichthyoides melas
Gobiidae
Black coral goby
Bryaninops tigris
Gobiidae
Black coralgoby
Gobiodon ater
Pomacentridae
Black damselfish
Chrysiptera niger
Balistidae
black durgon
Melichthys niger
Siganidae
Black foxface
Siganus niger
Carangidae
black jack
Caranx lugubris
Sparidae
Black Margined Seabream
Acanthopagrus omanensis
Cichlidae
Black pin cichlid
Teleocichla preta
Carangidae
black pomfret
Parastromateus niger
Scorpaenidae
black scorpionfish
Scorpaena porcus
Alosidae
Black Sea shad
Alosa maeotica
Stomiidae
Black snaggletooth
Astronesthes indicus
Gempylidae
black snake mackerel
Nealotus tripes
Muraenidae
Black snake moray
Uropterygius xenodontus
Gempylidae
black snoek
Thyrsitoides marleyi
Holocentridae
black squirrelfish
Neoniphon opercularis
Acanthuridae
Black surgeonfish
Acanthurus gahhm
Cichlidae
Black tilapia
Oreochromis placidus
Cyprinidae
Black-backed hampala : fisheries
Hampala siamensis
Pomacentridae
Black-banded demoiselle
Amblypomacentrus breviceps
Sillaginidae
Black-banded Whiting
Sillago nigrofasciata
Epinephelidae
Black-dotted grouper
Epinephelus stictus
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.