Epinephelidae
Coral hind
Cephalopholis miniata
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.
Coral hind
Gobiidae
Coral sea pascua goby
Pascua marecoralliensis
Apogonidae
Coral siphonfish
Siphamia corallicola
Pomacentridae
Corazon's damsel
Pomacentrus vatosoa
Mormyridae
Cornish jack
Mormyrops anguilloides
Pristigasteridae
Coromandel ilisha
Ilisha filigera
Pomacanthidae
Cortez angelfish
Pomacanthus zonipectus
Albulidae
Cortez bonefish
Albula gilberti
Pomacentridae
Cortez damselfish
Stegastes rectifraenum
Badidae
Cory Badis
Badis corycaeus
Apogonidae
Cream-spotted cardinalfish
Ozichthys albimaculosus
Gobiidae
creamback dwarfgoby
Eviota dorsogilva
Pomacentridae
Creole damsel
Pomacentrus agassizii
Trichiuridae
crested hairtail
Tentoriceps cristatus
Lutjanidae
Crimson jobfish
Pristipomoides filamentosus
Plesiopidae
crimsontip longfin
Plesiops coeruleolineatus
Chaetodontidae
Crochet butterflyfish
Chaetodon guentheri
Pomacentridae
Cross' damsel
Neoglyphidodon crossi
Apogonidae
crosseyed cardinalfish
Fowleria aurita
Bothidae
Crosseyed flounder
Neolaeops microphthalmus
Holocentridae
crown squirrelfish
Sargocentron diadema
Pempheridae
Crown sweeper
Pempheris ufuagari
Histiophrynidae
Cryptic anglerfish
Histiophryne cryptacanthus
Apogonidae
Cryptic cardinalfish
Apogonichthyoides umbratilis
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.