Muraenidae
banded moray
Gymnothorax rueppelliae
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
SCROLL
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.
banded moray
Pomacentridae
Banded parma
Parma polylepis
Gobiidae
Banded reef goby
Priolepis cincta
Pomacentridae
banded sergeant
Abudefduf septemfasciatus
Pleuronectidae
Banded-fin flounder
Azygopus pinnifasciatus
Ambassidae
Banded-tail glassy perchlet
Ambassis urotaenia
Apogonidae
Bandfin cardinalfish
Pristiapogon taeniopterus
Gobiidae
Bandtail snubnose goby
Pseudogobius hoesei
Mormyridae
Bane Mormyrid
Petrocephalus bane
Apogonidae
Banggai cardinalfish
Pterapogon kauderni
Banjosidae
banjofish
Banjos banjos
Chaetodontidae
bank butterflyfish
Prognathodes aya
Chaetodontidae
barberfish
Johnrandallia nigrirostris
Carangidae
Barcheek trevally
Craterognathus plagiotaenia
Plesiopidae
Barebelly longfin
Acanthoplesiops psilogaster
Pomacentridae
Barhead damsel
Neoglyphidodon thoracotaeniatus
Siganidae
Barhead spinefoot
Siganus virgatus
Apogonidae
Barless cardinalfish
Taeniamia ataenia
Latidae
barramundi
Lates calcarifer
Pomacanthidae
Barred angelfish
Centropyge multifasciata
Ophidiidae
barred cusk-eel
Lepophidium staurophor
Cyprinidae
barred danio
Devario pathirana
Callanthiidae
Barred groppo
Grammatonotus pelipel
Opistognathidae
Barred Jawfish
Opistognathus fossoris
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.