Blenniidae
Springer’s coral blenny
Ecsenius springeri
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.
Springer’s coral blenny
Squalidae
spurdog
Squalus acanthias
Anthiadidae
Square-spot fairy basslet
Pseudanthias pleurotaenia
Acanthuridae
Squarenose unicornfish
Naso mcdadei
Blenniidae
squiggly blenny
Cirripectes quagga
Labridae
Squire's fairy wrasse
Cirrhilabrus squirei
Pempheridae
Sri Lanka sweeper
Pempheris trinco
Cyprinidae
Sri Lanka Western Laubuka
Laubuka varuna
Labridae
St. Brandon’s sandy
Novaculops alvheimi
Pomacentridae
St. Helena chromis
Chromis sanctaehelenae
Pomacentridae
Staghorn damsel
Amblyglyphidodon curacao
Gobiidae
Star-spangled goby
Kelloggella avaiki
Serranidae
Star-spotted perchlet
Chelidoperca stella
Epinephelidae
Star-studded grouper
Hyporthodus niphobles
Pomacentridae
Starck's demoiselle
Chrysiptera starcki
Labridae
stareye parrotfish
Calotomus carolinus
Synanceiidae
Stargazing stonefish
Trachicephalus uranoscopus
Epinephelidae
starspotted grouper
Epinephelus hexagonatus
Plesiopidae
Steene's prettyfin
Steeneichthys plesiopsus
Gobiidae
Steinhardt’s shrimp-goby
Cryptocentrus steinhardti
Triglidae
Stellar gurnard
Lepidotrigla longipinnis
Siganidae
stellate rabbitfish
Siganus stellatus
Scorpaenidae
Stellate scorpionfish
Scorpaenodes barrybrowni
Anthiadidae
Stocky anthias
Pseudanthias hypselosoma
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.