Salmonidae
mountain whitefish
Prosopium williamsoni
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.
mountain whitefish
Epinephelidae
Moustache grouper
Hyporthodus chabaudi
Engraulidae
Moustached thryssa
Thryssa mystax
Pempheridae
Mozambique sweeper
Pempheris cuprea
Cichlidae
Mozambique tilapia
Oreochromis mossambicus
Umbridae
mud-minnow
Umbra pygmaea
Monacanthidae
Mudbank filefish
Paramonacanthus sulcatus
Gobiidae
Mudslope goby
Acentrogobius vanderloosi
Mugilidae
Mullet
Mugil margaritae
Apogonidae
Multi-barred cardinalfish
Nectamia luxuria
Pomacanthidae
Multicolor angelfish
Centropyge multicolor
Pomacentridae
Multispine damselfish
Neoglyphidodon polyacanthus
Epinephelidae
multispotted grouper
Epinephelus gabriellae
Cyprinidae
Muscat garra
Garra shamal
Pempheridae
Muscat sweeper
Pempheris muscat
Cyprinidae
Mussullah barb
Hypselobarbus mussullah
Cichlidae
Mweru tilapia
Oreochromis mweruensis
Serranidae
Mya Than Tun’s perchlet
Chelidoperca myathantuni
Bramidae
Myers' pomfret
Brama myersi
Epinephelidae
Mystery grouper
Epinephelus lebretonianus
Pomacanthidae
Nahacky's angelfish
Centropyge nahackyi
Labridae
Nahacky's wrasse
Cirrhilabrus nahackyi
Cyprinidae
Naked schizothoracin
Oxygymnocypris stewartii
Labridae
Narcissus pencil wrasse
Pseudojuloides pluto
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.