Ribbonfish is a long, slender marine fish that belongs to the family Trachipteridae. It is well-known for its ribbon-like appearance and elongated body. However, the term ribbonfish is not the only name given to this species. It is also referred to as bandfish, beltfish, hairtail, cutlassfish, and sometimes simply as ribbon. These names are commonly used interchangeably and depend on the region where the fish is found. Bandfish is the term used in the Mediterranean, while cutlassfish is more common in the US. Hairtail refers to ribbonfish mostly found in Asia, and beltfish is often used in South Africa.