Bothidae
Kithara's flounder
Laeops kitaharae
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.
Kithara's flounder
Cyprinidae
Klapanunggal blind cave barb
Barbodes klapanunggalensis
Melanotaeniidae
Klasio Rainbowfish
Melanotaenia klasioensis
Mugilidae
Klunzinger's mullet
Planiliza klunzingeri
Labridae
Kner's wrasse
Halichoeres kneri
Labridae
Knife razorfish
Cymolutes praetextatus
Labridae
Knothead parrotfish
Chlorurus oedema
Bothidae
Kobe flounder
Crossorhombus kobensis
Salmonidae
kokanee
Oncorhynchus nerka
Acanthuridae
Kole tang
Ctenochaetus strigosus
Mormyridae
Kolente stonebasher
Hippopotamyrus paugyi
Nemipteridae
Komodo whiptail
Pentapodus komodoensis
Dorosomatidae
Koningsberger's herring
Herklotsichthys koningsbergeri
Albulidae
Korean bonefish
Albula koreana
Stichaeidae
Korean prickleback
Dictyosoma tongyeongensis
Stichaeidae
Korean prickleback
Eulophias koreanus
Gobiidae
Korechika's dwarfoby
Eviota korechika
Sisoridae
Koshi Nangra
Nangra assamensis
Sisoridae
Kosi nangra
Nangra nangra
Bagridae
Krishna mystus
Hemibagrus maydelli
Apogonidae
Kupang cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus wassinki
Labridae
Kwa-Zulu Natal Wrasse
Halichoeres zulu
Pempheridae
Kwazulu sweeper
Parapriacanthus kwazulu
Labridae
Laboute's wrasse
Cirrhilabrus laboutei
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.