Pomacentridae
Footballer demoiselle
Amblypomacentrus annulatus
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.
Footballer demoiselle
Microstomatidae
Forgotten argentine
Nansenia oblita
Latidae
Forktail lates
Lates microlepis
Gobiidae
Forktail pygmygoby
Trimma hoesei
Siganidae
forktail rabbitfish
Siganus argenteus
Labridae
Forsten's parrotfish
Scarus forsteni
Chaetodontidae
Four-banded butterflyfish
Chaetodon hoefleri
Scophthalmidae
four-spot megrim
Lepidorhombus boscii
Chaetodontidae
foureye butterflyfish
Chaetodon capistratus
Epinephelidae
foursaddle grouper
Epinephelus spilotoceps
Scorpaenidae
Fourspine scorpionfish
Scorpaenodes quadrispinosus
Chaetodontidae
Fourspot butterflyfish
Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
Apogonidae
Fragile cardinalfish
Zoramia viridiventer
Apogonidae
Frail cardinalfish
Cercamia cladara
Apogonidae
Frans' cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus franssedai
Pomacanthidae
French angelfish
Pomacanthus paru
Chaetodontidae
French butterflyfish
Prognathodes marcellae
Engraulidae
Freshwater anchovy
Thryssa scratchleyi
Cichlidae
Freshwater angelfish
Pterophyllum scalare
Pomacentridae
freshwater demoiselle
Neopomacentrus taeniurus
Pomacentridae
Freshwater gregory
Stegastes otophorus
Clupeidae
Freshwater herring
Potamalosa richmondia
Dorosomatidae
Freshwater sardinella
Sardinella tawilis
Ophidiidae
Fringed cusk-eel
Lepophidium wileyi
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.