Pomacentridae
Guinean damselfish
Microspathodon frontatus
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.
Guinean damselfish
Gerreidae
Guinean striped mojarra
Gerres nigri
Apogonidae
Gular cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus gularis
Pomacentridae
Gulf damselfish
Pristotis obtusirostris
Neosebastidae
Gulf gurnard perch
Neosebastes bougainvillii
Dorosomatidae
Gulf herring
Herklotsichthys lossei
Alosidae
Gulf menhaden
Brevoortia patronus
Engraulidae
Gulf of Carpenteria anchovy
Stolephorus carpentariae
Sparidae
Günther's karanteen
Crenidens macracanthus
Labridae
Günther's wrasse
Pseudolabrus guentheri
Cyprinidae
Hadhramaut himri
Carasobarbus exulatus
Balistidae
Hairfin triggerfish
Abalistes filamentosus
Trichiuridae
hairtail
Aphanopus carbo
Trichiuridae
hairtail
Trichiurus lepturus
Pomacentridae
Half-and-half chromis
Pycnochromis iomelas
Apogonidae
Half-barred cardinal
Fibramia thermalis
Apogonidae
Half-lined cardinal
Ostorhinchus semilineatus
Chaetodontidae
Half-moon barred butterflyfish
Roa semilunaris
Pomacanthidae
halfbanded angelfish
Genicanthus semicinctus
Gobiidae
Halfbarred goby
Amblygobius semicinctus
Epinephelidae
halfmoon grouper
Epinephelus rivulatus
Engraulidae
Hamilton's thryssa
Thryssa hamiltonii
Epinephelidae
hamlet
Epinephelus striatus
Cyprinidae
Hampala barb
Hampala macrolepidota
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.