Chaetodontidae
Brown-banded butterflyfish
Roa modesta
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.
Brown-banded butterflyfish
Epinephelidae
brown-marbled grouper
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus
Gobiidae
Brown-red coralgoby
Gobiodon fuscoruber
Gobiidae
Brownband shrimpgoby
Tomiyamichthys zonatus
Chaetodontidae
brownburnie
Chaetodon blackburnii
Epinephelidae
brownspotted grouper
Epinephelus chlorostigma
Microdesmidae
Brunei dartfish
Navigobius vittatus
Labridae
Bubblefin wrasse
Halichoeres nigrescens
Gobiidae
Bucchich's goby
Gobius bucchichi
Cichlidae
Buettikofer's Cichlid
Pelmatochromis buettikoferi
Pomacentridae
buff chromis
Chromis xutha
Pseudochromidae
Bugeye dottyback
Amsichthys knighti
Acanthuridae
Bulbnose unicornfish
Naso tonganus
Mormyridae
Bulldog
Marcusenius lucombesi
Mormyridae
Bulldog
Marcusenius macrolepidotus
Priacanthidae
bulleye
Cookeolus japonicus
Apogonidae
Bulls-eye cardinalfish
Apogonichthyoides atripes
Pomacentridae
bumphead damselfish
Microspathodon bairdii
Labridae
bumphead parrotfish
Bolbometopon muricatum
Molidae
Bumphead sunfish
Mola alexandrini
Chaetodontidae
Burgess' butterflyfish
Chaetodon burgessi
Engraulidae
Burma hairfin anchovy
Setipinna wheeleri
Badidae
Burmese Badis
Badis ruber
Ailiidae
Burmese garua
Clupisoma prateri
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.