Gempylidae
snoek
Thyrsites atun
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.
snoek
Labridae
snooty wrasse
Cheilinus oxycephalus
Muraenidae
Snowflake moray
Echidna nebulosa
Epinephelidae
Snowy grouper
Hyporthodus niveatus
Epinephelidae
snubnose grouper
Epinephelus macrospilos
Carangidae
snubnose pompano
Trachinotus blochii
Grammistidae
Soapfish
Pogonoperca punctata
Grammistidae
Socorro soapfish
Rypticus courtenayi
Gobiidae
Socotra hole-hiding goby
Hetereleotris nasoramosa
Macrouridae
Soela whiptail
Nezumia soela
Sparidae
soldierbream
Argyrops filamentosus
Soleidae
solenette
Buglossidium luteum
Chaetodontidae
Somali butterflyfish
Chaetodon leucopleura
Epinephelidae
Somali grouper
Epinephelus indistinctus
Pomacentridae
sombre damselfish
Pomacentrus aquilus
Pseudochromidae
Soot-tail Dottyback
Pseudochromis fuligifinis
Ophidiidae
Sooty cusk-eel
Lepophidium zophochir
Stomiidae
Sooty dragonfish
Photonectes margarita
Alepisauridae
South Ocean daggertooth
Anotopterus vorax
Pseudochromidae
Southeast Asian blackstripe dottyback
Pseudochromis perspicillatus
Sparidae
Southern black bream
Acanthopagrus butcheri
Stromateidae
Southern Butterfish
Peprilus crenulatus
Ehiravidae
Southern Caspian sprat
Clupeonella grimmi
Pomacentridae
Southern demoiselle
Chrysiptera notialis
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.