Apogonidae
Many-banded cardinal-fish
Apogonichthyoides brevicaudatus
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.
Many-banded cardinal-fish
Bothidae
Many-spotted lefteye flounder
Arnoglossus polyspilus
Cichlidae
Manyara tilapia
Oreochromis amphimelas
Epinephelidae
Manyline perch
Liopropoma multilineatum
Epinephelidae
Maori rockcod
Epinephelus undulatostriatus
Histiophrynidae
Marble-mouthed frogfish
Lophiocharon lithinostomus
Apogonidae
Marbled cardinalfish
Fowleria marmorata
Epinephelidae
marbled grouper
Dermatolepis inermis
Labridae
marbled parrotfish
Leptoscarus vaigiensis
Muraenidae
Marbled reef-eel
Uropterygius marmoratus
Siganidae
marbled spinefoot
Siganus rivulatus
Chaetodontidae
Margined coralfish
Chelmon marginalis
Telmatherinidae
Marine sailfin silverside
Kalyptatherina helodes
Labridae
Marjorie's Wrasse
Cirrhilabrus marjorie
Adrianichthyidae
Marmorated medaka
Oryzias marmoratus
Pomacentridae
Marquesan Damselfish
Plectroglyphidodon sagmarius
Monacanthidae
Marquesan Filefish
Pervagor marginalis
Epinephelidae
Marquesan grouper
Epinephelus irroratus
Pomacentridae
Marquesan Sergeant
Abudefduf conformis
Pomacentridae
Marquesan white-tail chromis
Pycnochromis abruptus
Carangidae
Marquesas dart
Trachinotus macrospilus
Caesionidae
Marr's fusilier
Pterocaesio marri
Pseudochromidae
Marshall Is. dottyback
Pseudochromis marshallensis
Gobiidae
Masago snubnose goby
Pseudogobius masago
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.