Dorosomatidae
middling thread herring
Opisthonema medirastre
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.
middling thread herring
Pomacentridae
Midget chromis
Pycnochromis acares
Pomacanthidae
Midnight angelfish
Centropyge nox
Pseudochromidae
Midnight dottyback
Manonichthys paranox
Lutjanidae
Midnight snapper
Macolor macularis
Hemerocoetidae
Midwater sand-diver
Pteropsaron longipinnis
Trichiuridae
Mikhailin's scabbardfish
Aphanopus mikhailini
Gobiidae
Miller's damsel
Asterropteryx ensifera
Pomacentridae
Miller's damselfish
Pomacentrus milleri
Chaetodontidae
Millet butterflyfish
Chaetodon miliaris
Cyprinidae
Mindanao rasbora
Rasbora philippina
Gobiidae
Miniature snubnose goby
Pseudogobius minimus
Scorpaenidae
minor scorpionfish
Scorpaenodes minor
Chaetodontidae
Mirror butterflyfish
Chaetodon speculum
Pomacentridae
Mirror-scale Chromis
Chromis planesi
Pomacentridae
Miry's damselfish
Neopomacentrus miryae
Epinephelidae
Misty grouper
Hyporthodus mystacinus
Lethrinidae
Mitchell’s Emperor
Lethrinus mitchelli
Priacanthidae
Miyake bigeye
Priacanthus zaiserae
Cichlidae
Moga
Hypsophrys nicaraguensis
Cyprinidae
Moltrecht's minnow
Aphyocypris moltrechti
Apogonidae
Moluccan cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus moluccensis
Apogonidae
Moluccen cardinal
Ostorhinchus monospilus
Labridae
Mombasa pencil wrasse
Pseudojuloides edwardi
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.