Callionymidae
Wonder dragonet
Draculo mirabilis
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.
Wonder dragonet
Pomacentridae
Wood's chromis
Chromis woodsi
Apogonidae
Wood's siphonfish
Siphamia cephalotes
Mormyridae
Wormjawed mormyrid
Campylomormyrus tamandua
Macrouridae
Wularni whiptail
Nezumia wularnia
Cyprinidae
Xingren golden-lined fish
Sinocyclocheilus xingrenensis
Paralepididae
Y-patched barracudina
Lestidium prolixum
Gobionidae
Yalu small gudgeon
Microphysogobio yaluensis
Apogonidae
Yamba Cardinalfish
Foa yamba
Engraulidae
Yangtse grenadier anchovy
Coilia brachygnathus
Gobiidae
Yano's Glidergoby
Valenciennea yanoi
Gobiidae
Yano’s starry goby
Asterropteryx atripes
Caesionidae
yellow and blueback fusilier
Caesio teres
Pomacanthidae
Yellow angelfish
Centropyge heraldi
Pomacentridae
Yellow chromis
Chromis analis
Gobiidae
Yellow clown goby
Gobiodon okinawae
Pomacentridae
Yellow clownfish
Amphiprion sandaracinos
Labridae
Yellow coris
Coris flava
Plesiopidae
Yellow devilfish
Assessor flavissimus
Cirrhitidae
Yellow hawkfish
Cirrhitichthys aureus
Dinematichthyidae
yellow pigmy brotula
Dinematichthys iluocoeteoides
Gobiidae
Yellow pygmygoby
Trimma taylori
Acanthuridae
Yellow tang
Zebrasoma flavescens
Labridae
Yellow wrasse
Halichoeres chrysus
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.