ribbonfish

Member of a family of marine fish. They have elongated and compressed bodies which have a ribbonlike appearance. They are pelagic (open sea) fishes.

There is no anal fin, but the dorsal fin is as long as the body, and the ventral fins have from one long ray to nine smaller ones. Ribbonfish are seldom found alive, and are usually seen floating dead on the surface of the ocean.

The dealfish Trachypterus arcticus, occurs in the north Atlantic. The oarfish also belongs to this family.

Classification Ribbonfish are in the family Trachypteridae, order Lampridiformes, class Osteichthyes.