Pomacentridae
Rock damselfish
Plectroglyphidodon sindonis
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.
Rock damselfish
Epinephelidae
Rock grouper
Epinephelus fasciatomaculosus
Labridae
rockmover wrasse
Novaculichthys taeniourus
Pomacentridae
Rodrigues Demoiselle
Pomacentrus rodriguesensis
Paralepididae
Rofen’s barracudina
Lestidium rofeni
Pomacentridae
Rolland's demoiselle
Chrysiptera rollandi
Engraulidae
Ronquillo's anchovy
Stolephorus ronquilloi
Epinephelidae
Rooster hind
Hyporthodus acanthistius
Badidae
Rose Dario
Dario kajal
Pseudochromidae
Rose Island basslet
Pseudoplesiops rosae
Acropomatidae
Rosy seabass
Doederleinia berycoides
Paralepididae
Rothschild's barracudina
Stemonosudis rothschildi
Gempylidae
Roudi escolar
Promethichthys prometheus
Bramidae
rough pomfret
Taractes asper
Bothidae
Rough-scaled flounder
Psettina gigantea
Synagropidae
Roughspine seabass
Parascombrops serratospinosus
Scorpaenidae
Round scorpionfish
Neomerinthe erostris
Osphronemidae
Round tail paradisefish
Macropodus ocellatus
Epinephelidae
Round-tailed Basslet
Liopropoma terecaudum
Holocentridae
Roundhead soldierfish
Ostichthys convexus
Gobiidae
Roux's pygmy-goby
Pandaka rouxi
Epinephelidae
Roving Coralgrouper
Plectropomus marisrubri
Pseudochromidae
Royal dottyback
Pictichromis paccagnellae
Gempylidae
royal escolar
Rexea prometheoides
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.