Kyphosidae
Silver drummer
Kyphosus sydneyanus
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.
Silver drummer
Terapontidae
Silver Grunter
Mesopristes iravi
Serrasalmidae
silver mylossoma
Mylossoma albiscopum
Cyprinidae
Silver rasbora
Rasbora argyrotaenia
Apogonidae
Silver siphonfish
Siphamia argentea
Pempheridae
silver sweeper
Pempheris oualensis
Pempheridae
Silver sweeper
Pempheris schwenkii
Apogonidae
Silverbelly cardinalfish
Jaydia photogaster
Malakichthyidae
Silverbelly seaperch
Malakichthys wakiyae
Apogonidae
Silvermouth siphonfish
Jaydia argyrogaster
Holocentridae
silverspot squirrelfish
Sargocentron caudimaculatum
Pomacentridae
silverstripe chromis
Chromis alta
Cyprinidae
Simav Barbel
Barbus niluferensis
Apogonidae
Similar cardinalfish
Nectamia similis
Pomacentridae
Similar damsel
Pomacentrus similis
Mullidae
Sinai goatfish
Parupeneus sinai
Pempheridae
Sinai sweeper
Pempheris orbis
Gobiidae
Sinarapan
Mistichthys luzonensis
Pomacentridae
Sinclair's demoisselle
Chrysiptera sinclairi
Dorosomatidae
sind sardinella
Sardinella sindensis
Labridae
Singapore parrotfish
Scarus prasiognathos
Pomacentridae
singlebar devil
Plectroglyphidodon leucozona
Chaetodontidae
Singular bannerfish
Heniochus singularius
Pomacanthidae
Sixbar angelfish
Pomacanthus sexstriatus
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.