Pristigasteridae
American coastal pellona
Pellona harroweri
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.
American coastal pellona
Serranidae
Amethyst anthias
Mirolabrichthys pascalus
Gobiidae
Amur goby
Rhinogobius similis
Engraulidae
anchoveta
Cetengraulis mysticetus
Dorosomatidae
anchovy
Sardinella aurita
Ehiravidae
Anchovy sprat
Clupeonella engrauliformis
Pomacentridae
Andaman damsel
Pomacentrus alleni
Pseudochromidae
Andaman dottyback
Pseudochromis andamanensis
Engraulidae
Andhra anchovy
Stolephorus andhraensis
Pempheridae
Andilana sweeper
Pempheris andilana
Pomacanthidae
angelfish
Holacanthus bermudensis
Cichlidae
Angolan Tilapia
Oreochromis angolensis
Labridae
Angular flasher
Paracheilinus angulatus
Anablepidae
Anitápolis livebearer
Jenynsia weitzmani
Pseudochromidae
Anna's dottyback
Pseudoplesiops annae
Sparidae
annular sea bream
Diplodus annularis
Loricariidae
anthrax pleco
Pseudolithoxus anthrax
Alepocephalidae
Antillean smooth-head
Talismania antillarum
Cyprinidae
Apalachee shiner
Pteronotropis grandipinnis
Anthiadidae
Aphrodite anthias
Tosanoides aphrodite
Apogonidae
Apogon fragilis
Zoramia fragilis
Pempheridae
Aqaba sweeper
Pempheris tilman
Labridae
Aquamarine wrasse
Cirrhilabrus aquamarinus
Pomacanthidae
Arabian angelfish
Pomacanthus asfur
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.