Dorosomatidae
Brazilian sardinella
Sardinella brasiliensis
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.
Brazilian sardinella
Sciaenidae
Brazilian stardrum
Stellifer menezesi
Gobiidae
brick goby
Priolepis inhaca
Apogonidae
Bridled cardinalfish
Pristiapogon fraenatus
Epinephelidae
Bridled grouper
Epinephelus heniochus
Labridae
bridled parrotfish
Scarus frenatus
Sparidae
Bridled seabream
Acanthopagrus catenula
Priacanthidae
bright glasseye
Heteropriacanthus fulgens
Bramidae
Brilliant pomfret
Eumegistus illustris
Apogonidae
Broadbanded cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus fasciatus
Apogonidae
Broadbanded cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus quadrifasciatus
Hapalogenyidae
Broadbanded velvetchin
Hapalogenys analis
Cyprinidae
Broadstripe Shiner
Pteronotropis euryzonus
Apogonidae
Broadstriped cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus angustatus
Epinephelidae
Brokenbar Grouper
Epinephelus craigi
Siganidae
Bronze-lined rabbitfish.
Siganus insomnis
Atherinopsidae
brook silverside
Labidesthes sicculus
Pomacentridae
Brown chromis
Azurina multilineata
Pomacentridae
Brown damsel
Pomacentrus opisthostigma
Pomacentridae
Brown demoiselle
Neopomacentrus filamentosus
Pseudochromidae
Brown dottyback
Pseudochromis fuscus
Paralepididae
Brown slender barracudina
Stemonosudis adenensis
Acanthuridae
brown surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigrofuscus
Chaetodontidae
brown-and-white butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys zoster
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.