Scorpaenidae
Eastern Mombasa Lionfish
Pteropterus paucispinula
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.
Eastern Mombasa Lionfish
Albulidae
Eastern Pacific bonefish
Albula esuncula
Scorpaenidae
Eastern Queen scorpionfish
Scorpaena regina
Scorpaenidae
Eastern red scorpionfish
Scorpaena cardinalis
Chaetodontidae
Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish
Chaetodon baronessa
Labridae
eclipse-spot razor wrasse
Iniistius bakunawa
Adrianichthyidae
Egg-carrying buntingi
Adrianichthys oophorus
Schilbeidae
Egyptian butter catfish
Schilbe uranoscopus
Pseudochromidae
Eichler’s Dottyback
Pseudochromis eichleri
Labridae
Eight-lined wrasse
Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
Chaetodontidae
eightband butterflyfish
Chaetodon octofasciatus
Epinephelidae
Eightbar grouper
Hyporthodus octofasciatus
Gobiidae
Eightbar reefgoby
Priolepis fallacincta
Apogonidae
eightspine cardinalfish
Neamia octospina
Anthiadidae
Elegant Anthias
Caprodon unicolor
Lebiasinidae
Elegant copella
Copella compta
Mormyridae
Elephant Fish
Pollimyrus isidori
Mormyridae
Elephant snout
Mormyrus hasselquistii
Mormyridae
Elephantfish
Petrocephalus levequei
Pomacentridae
Ellen’s damselfish
Chrysiptera ellenae
Pempheridae
Elliptical sweeper
Pempheris ellipse
Gobiidae
Elongate coralgoby
Gobiodon prolixus
Pseudochromidae
Elongate dottyback
Pseudochromis elongatus
Pleuronectidae
Elongate flounder
Ammotretis elongatus
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.