Muraenidae
barred moray
Echidna polyzona
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.
barred moray
Anthiadidae
Barred red bass
Sayonara japonica
Liopropomatidae
Barred soapfish
Diploprion bifasciatus
Siganidae
Barred spinefoot
Siganus doliatus
Labridae
barred wrasse
Hemigymnus fasciatus
Epinephelidae
barred-chest grouper
Epinephelus faveatus
Muraenidae
Barredfin moray
Gymnothorax zonipectis
Pomacentridae
Barrier Reef Anemonefish
Amphiprion akindynos
Pomacentridae
Barrier reef chromis
Chromis nitida
Haemulidae
Bastard grunt
Pomadasys incisus
Plesiopidae
Batan longfin
Beliops batanensis
Callanthiidae
Batangas groppo
Grammatonotus brianne
Dorosomatidae
Batangas Sardinella
Sardinella pacifica
Gobiidae
Batanta mud goby
Acentrogobius limarius
Engraulidae
Bates' sabretooth anchovy
Lycengraulis batesii
Ephippidae
batfish
Platax orbicularis
Labridae
Batu coris
Coris batuensis
Gobiidae
Beachrock mangrovegoby
Mugilogobius littoralis
Leptobramidae
Beachsalmon
Leptobrama muelleri
Dinematichthyidae
Beagle cusk
Beaglichthys macrophthalmus
Dinematichthyidae
Beate's coralbrotula
Diancistrus beateae
Pomacentridae
beaubrummel
Stegastes flavilatus
Pomacentridae
beaugregory
Stegastes leucostictus
Labridae
Beau’s wrasse
Cirrhilabrus beauperryi
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.