Caesionidae
blue and gold fusilier
Caesio caerulaurea
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.
blue and gold fusilier
Epinephelidae
blue and yellow grouper
Epinephelus flavocaeruleus
Liparidae
Blue Atacama snailfish
Paraliparis selti
Haemulidae
blue bastard
Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus
Polynemidae
blue bobo
Polydactylus approximans
Cichlidae
Blue discus
Symphysodon aequifasciatus
Nomeidae
blue driftfish
Psenes pellucidus
Microdesmidae
blue gudgeon
Ptereleotris microlepis
Microdesmidae
Blue hana goby
Ptereleotris hanae
Polynemidae
blue salmon
Eleutheronema tetradactylum
Kyphosidae
blue sea chub
Kyphosus cinerascens
Stomiidae
Blue Snaggletooth
Astronesthes cyaneus
Cichlidae
Blue spotted tilapia
Oreochromis leucostictus
Carangidae
Blue trevally
Ferdauia ferdau
Acanthuridae
Blue unicorn
Naso caeruleacauda
Pomacentridae
blue-and-yellow chromis
Chromis limbaughi
Pomacentridae
Blue-axil chromis
Pycnochromis caudalis
Grammatidae
Blue-backed basslet
Lipogramma idabeli
Apogonidae
Blue-eye siphonfish
Siphamia cyanophthalma
Pomacentridae
Blue-green chromis
Chromis viridis
Pomacentridae
Blue-green damselfish
Pomacentrus callainus
Acanthuridae
blue-lined surgeonfish
Acanthurus mata
Labridae
Blue-razor wrasse
Iniistius trivittatus
Siganidae
blue-spotted spinefoot
Siganus corallinus
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.