Polka-dot ribbonfish (Desmodema polystictum)

Scientific name: Desmodema polystictum Ogilby, 1898

The Polka-dot ribbonfish (Desmodema polystictum) is a marine fish of the family Trachipteridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 120-128. Specimens less than 10 cm are silvery in color with many dark spots.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Scientific name: Desmodema polystictum
Family: Trachipteridae (Ribbonfishes)
Order: Lampriformes (Velifers, Tube-eyes and Ribbonfishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 110
Common length: 100.0
Depth range: 0–500 m (0–1640 ft)
Environment: Marine; bathypelagic; depth range 0 - 500 m
Climate: Deep-water
Distribution: Western Pacific: Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand. Eastern Atlantic: 16?11'N (ISH unpublished) to Namibia and South Africa (one specimen washed ashore at Xora River and 1 found in the tide pool at Simonstown, False Bay). Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Cuba. Probably circumtropical.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Assuming tmax>10)

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026