Why are there so many flatfishes? Jaw asymmetry, diet, and diversification in the Pleuronectiformes
Abstract
Flatfishes (Actinopterygii: Pleuronectiformes) are a diverse group of teleost fishes, with
over 700 species in the order. Jaw asymmetry and diet have been thought to contribute to
flatfish diversity but this has not yet been tested in a comparative framework. Here I use
geometric morphometric and comparative methods to test whether ocular-blind side
asymmetry in flatfish head morphology contributed to flatfish diversification. I find that
the repeated convergent evolution of similar morphology, jaw function, and diet likely
contribute to the high diversity of flatfishes.