Labridae
Blue-striped orange tamarin
Anampses femininus
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-striped orange tamarin
Labridae
Blue-throated fairy-wrasse
Cirrhilabrus cyanogularis
Alosidae
blueback herring
Alosa aestivalis
Chaetodontidae
Blueblotch butterflyfish
Chaetodon plebeius
Nemipteridae
Bluecheek threadfin bream
Nemipterus sugillatus
Labridae
bluechin parrotfish
Scarus ghobban
Pomacentridae
bluedotted damselfish
Pristotis cyanostigma
Pomacanthidae
Blueface angelfish
Chaetodontoplus personifer
Carangidae
bluefin trevally
Caranx melampygus
Plesiopidae
Bluegill longfin
Plesiops corallicola
Pomacanthidae
Bluegirdled angelfish
Pomacanthus navarchus
Chaetodontidae
bluelashed butterflyfish
Chaetodon bennetti
Holocentridae
bluelined squirrelfish
Sargocentron tiere
Acanthuridae
bluelined surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigroris
Serranidae
Bluelip hamlet
Hypoplectrus affinis
Microdesmidae
Bluemargin dartfish
Ptereleotris caeruleomarginata
Pomacanthidae
bluering angelfish
Pomacanthus annularis
Labridae
Blueside wrasse
Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
Sparidae
blueskin seabream
Polysteganus coeruleopunctatus
Acanthuridae
Bluespine unicornfish
Naso unicornis
Pomacentridae
Bluespot damsel
Pomacentrus grammorhynchus
Pomacanthidae
Bluespotted angelfish
Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus
Epinephelidae
Bluespotted seabass
Cephalopholis taeniops
Labridae
bluespotted wrasse
Anampses caeruleopunctatus
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.