Cirrhitidae
swallowtail hawfish
Cyprinocirrhites polyactis
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.
swallowtail hawfish
Engraulidae
Swatow thryssa
Thryssa adelae
Characidae
São Francisco Tetra
Tetragonopterus franciscoensis
Cichlidae
T-Bar Cichlid
Amatitlania sajica
Chaetodontidae
Tahiti butterflyfish
Chaetodon trichrous
Pomacentridae
Tahitian reef-damsel
Pomachromis fuscidorsalis
Cyprinidae
Tail eyed puntius
Puntius ocellus
Labridae
Tail-spot wrasse
Halichoeres melanurus
Mullidae
Tailbar goatfish
Upeneus caudofasciatus
Antennariidae
Tailjet frogfish
Abantennarius analis
Etmopteridae
Tailspot lanternshark
Etmopterus caudistigmus
Labridae
Tailspot Wrasse
Halichoeres sanchezi
Cyprinidae
Taiwan ku fish
Onychostoma alticorpus
Sparidae
Taiwan picnic seabream
Acanthopagrus taiwanensis
Dorosomatidae
Taiwan Sardinella
Sardinella hualiensis
Sparidae
Taiwan tai
Argyrops bleekeri
Anomalopidae
Taiwanese flashlight fish
Protoblepharon mccoskeri
Serranidae
Taiwanese perchlet
Chelidoperca formosa
Acanthuridae
Taiwanese Unicornfish
Naso tergus
Carangidae
talang queenfish
Scomberoides commersonnianus
Pomacentridae
Talbot's demoiselle
Chrysiptera talboti
Pseudochromidae
Tanaka's dottyback
Lubbockichthys tanakai
Latidae
Tanganyika lates
Lates angustifrons
Cichlidae
Tanganyika tilapia
Oreochromis tanganicae
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.