Gempylidae
Sea gemfish
Rexea solandri
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.
Sea gemfish
Anthiadidae
sea goldie
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Gobiidae
Sea Pen Goby
Bryaninops earlei
Labridae
seagrass wrasse
Novaculoides macrolepidotus
Apogonidae
Seale's cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus sealei
Gobiidae
Seapen goby
Lobulogobius morrigu
Anthiadidae
Seaver splitfin
Luzonichthys seaver
Pomacentridae
Sebae anemonefish
Amphiprion sebae
Pomacanthidae
semicircle angelfish
Pomacanthus semicirculatus
Cyprinidae
Senegal minnow
Raiamas senegalensis
Sparidae
Senegal seabream
Diplodus bellottii
Antennariidae
Senegalese frogfish
Fowlerichthys senegalensis
Gobiidae
Senou's goby
Asterropteryx senoui
Gobiidae
Sentinel Shrimpgoby
Stonogobiops medon
Scorpaenidae
Serrated deepwater scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis crenulata
Cyprinidae
Seven khramulya
Capoeta capoeta
Stichaeidae
Seven-lined prickleback
Ernogrammus zhirmunskii
Epinephelidae
Sevenbar grouper
Hyporthodus ergastularius
Apogonidae
Sevenstriped cardinalfish
Ostorhinchus novemfasciatus
Pomacentridae
Seychelles anemonefish
Amphiprion fuscocaudatus
Chaetodontidae
Seychelles butterflyfish
Chaetodon madagaskariensis
Pempheridae
Seychelles silver sweeper
Pempheris argyrea
Pempheridae
Seychelles sweeper
Pempheris ternay
Alosidae
shad
Alosa fallax
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.