Mullidae
Narrow-tail goatfish
Upeneus stenopsis
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.
Narrow-tail goatfish
Gobiidae
Nasal-bar pygmygoby
Trimma nasa
Engraulidae
Natal anchovy
Stolephorus holodon
Pomacentridae
Natal sergeant
Abudefduf natalensis
Labridae
nebulous wrasse
Halichoeres nebulosus
Belonidae
Needlefish
Strongylura leiurus
Carangidae
needlescaled queenfish
Scomberoides tol
Gobiidae
Needlespine coral goby
Gobiodon acicularis
Engraulidae
Neglected grenadier anchovy
Coilia neglecta
Terapontidae
Neil's grunter
Scortum neili
Pempheridae
Nesogallica Sweeper
Pempheris nesogallica
Epinephelidae
netfin grouper
Epinephelus miliaris
Dinematichthyidae
New guinea viviparous brotula
Diancistrus novaeguineae
Labridae
New Guinea wrasse
Anampses neoguinaicus
Antennariidae
New Guinean frogfish
Abantennarius dorehensis
Engraulidae
New Jersey anchovy
Thryssa encrasicholoides
Pomacentridae
New Zealand black angelfish
Parma alboscapularis
Clupeidae
New Zealand blueback sprat
Sprattus antipodum
Trachichthyidae
New Zealand giant sawbelly
Hoplostethus melanopeza
Clupeidae
New Zealand sprat
Sprattus muelleri
Cichlidae
Nguti Cichlid
Etia nguti
Dorosomatidae
Nicaragua gizzard shad
Dorosoma chavesi
Mullidae
Niebuhr’s goatfish
Upeneus niebuhri
Pomacentridae
night sergeant
Abudefduf taurus
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.