riba

Ribbonfish, also known as riba, are a group of small, deep-sea fish belonging to the family Trichiuridae. They are characterized by their elongated, ribbon-like bodies and large, flat heads. Ribbonfish are found in all the world's oceans, typically at depths ranging from 100 to 1,000 meters. They are known for their unique feeding behavior, where they use their large mouths to engulf large amounts of water and filter out small prey, such as krill and small fish.

Ribbonfish are important in the marine food web, serving as a food source for larger predators like sharks, tuna, and seabirds. They are also of interest to scientists studying deep-sea ecosystems due to their unique adaptations and ecological roles. Despite their ecological significance, ribbonfish are not commercially fished due to their small size and deep-sea habitat. However, they are sometimes caught as bycatch in deep-sea trawling operations. Conservation efforts for ribbonfish are focused on protecting their deep-sea habitats and reducing bycatch in fisheries.