Sciaenidae
Small scale lunate caudal fin croaker
Atractoscion microlepis
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.
Small scale lunate caudal fin croaker
Gobiidae
small-eyed goby
Austrolethops wardi
Gerreidae
Small-eyed whipfin mojarra
Gerres microphthalmus
Lampridae
Smalleye Pacific Opah
Lampris incognitus
Trichiuridae
Smallhead hairtail
Eupleurogrammus muticus
Ateleopodidae
Smallmouth jellynose
Parateleopus indicus
Carangidae
Smallmouth scad
Alepes apercna
Holocentridae
smallmouth squirrelfish
Sargocentron microstoma
Polynemidae
Smallmouth threadfin
Polydactylus microstoma
Epinephelidae
Smallscaled grouper
Epinephelus polylepis
Pristidae
smalltooth sawfish
Pristis pectinata
Dorosomatidae
Smalltoothed pellonula
Pellonula leonensis
Pomacentridae
Smith's damsel
Pomacentrus smithi
Cepolidae
Smith-Vaniz’s bandfish
Owstonia smithvanizi
Pomacentridae
Smokey chromis
Chromis fumea
Epinephelidae
smooth grouper
Dermatolepis striolata
Dorosomatidae
smoothbelly sardinella
Amblygaster leiogaster
Pempheridae
Smoothscale sweeper
Pempheris leiolepis
Gasterosteidae
Smoothtail ninespine stickleback
Pungitius laevis
Gempylidae
snake mackerel
Gempylus serpens
Osphronemidae
Snakeskin gourami
Trichopodus pectoralis
Pomatomidae
snapper
Pomatomus saltatrix
Mormyridae
Sneaky Bulldog
Marcusenius pongolensis
Labridae
Sneaky wrasse
Pteragogus turdus
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.