Sciaenidae
Southern King Weakfish
Macrodon atricauda
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.
Southern King Weakfish
Apogonidae
Southern orange-lined cardinal fish
Ostorhinchus properuptus
Carangidae
southern pompano
Trachinotus africanus
Labridae
Southern tubelip
Labropsis australis
Pomacentridae
Southseas devil
Chrysiptera taupou
Epinephelidae
Spanish flag
Gonioplectrus hispanus
Pseudochromidae
Sparkfin Dottyback
Manonichthys scintilla
Cepolidae
Spearfin Bandfish
Owstonia dorypterus
Epinephelidae
Speckled blue grouper
Epinephelus cyanopodus
Chaetodontidae
Speckled butterflyfish
Chaetodon citrinellus
Cyprinidae
speckled dac
Rhinichthys osculus
Gobiidae
speckled dwarfgoby
Eviota sparsa
Epinephelidae
speckled grouper
Epinephelus magniscuttis
Labridae
speckled maori wrasse
Oxycheilinus arenatus
Serrasalmidae
Speckled piranha
Serrasalmus spilopleura
Latidae
Spikey bass
Hypopterus macropterus
Cichlidae
Spindle hap
Protomelas taeniolatus
Pomacentridae
Spinecheek anemonefish
Amphiprion biaculeatus
Engraulidae
Spined anchovy
Stolephorus tri
Holocentridae
Spinesnout soldierfish
Ostichthys acanthorhinus
Pomacentridae
Spiny chromis
Acanthochromis polyacanthus
Holocentridae
Spiny squirrelfish
Sargocentron lepros
Tetrarogidae
Spiny waspfish
Ablabys macracanthus
Antennariidae
Spiny-tufted frogfish
Abantennarius rosaceus
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.