Gobiidae
Head and tailspotted coralgoby
Gobiodon heterospilos
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
SCROLL
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.
Head and tailspotted coralgoby
Acestrorhamphidae
Head-and-tail-light fish
Hemigrammus falsus
Gobiidae
Headspot dwarfgoby
Eviota melasma
Plesiopidae
Headstripe longfin
Plesiops cephalotaenia
Gobiidae
Hector's Goby
Koumansetta hectori
Acropomatidae
Heemstra’s lanternbelly
Acropoma heemstrai
Microdesmidae
Helfrichs' dartfish
Nemateleotris helfrichi
Sphyraenidae
Heller's barracuda
Sphyraena helleri
Gobiidae
Herre's dwarfgoby
Eviota herrei
Dorosomatidae
herring
Opisthonema oglinum
Carangidae
herring scad
Alepes vari
Labridae
Hewett's Coris
Coris hewetti
Plesiopidae
Hiatt's longfin
Acanthoplesiops echinatus
Alosidae
hickory shad
Alosa mediocris
Sciaenidae
high-hat
Pareques acuminatus
Sciaenidae
High-hat
Pareques lineatus
Epinephelidae
Highfin grouper
Epinephelus maculatus
Muraenidae
Highfin moray
Gymnothorax pseudothyrsoideus
Labridae
Highfin parrotfish
Scarus longipinnis
Holocentridae
Highfin soldierfish
Ostichthys hypsipterygion
Labridae
Hilomen's wrasse
Halichoeres hilomeni
Dorosomatidae
Hilsa shad
Tenualosa ilisha
Pempheridae
Hindu Sweeper
Pempheris sarayu
Anthiadidae
Hinomaru perchlet : fisheries
Pelontrus takasei
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.