Depth
Cepola · Bony Fish

Red Bandfish

Cepola macrophthalma

15-400m
Depth Range
70cm
Max Size
Mediterranean
Distribution
15-400m
Depth Range
70cm
Max Size
Sandy / Muddy
Habitat
Planktivore
Diet
Solitary
Social
LC
IUCN Status
Moderate
Sighting Likelihood
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
GenusCepola
Speciesmacrophthalma

Bony Fish

Identification & Biology

  • IdentificationExtremely elongated, ribbon-like body that is strongly compressed laterally. Vivid red to orange-red body. Very long dorsal fin runs the entire length of the back. Small head with large eyes.
  • SizeUp to 80 cm total length, commonly 30 to 50 cm.
  • Social HabitLives in burrows in muddy substrates, hovering vertically at the burrow entrance with body oriented head-up.
  • HabitatMuddy and sandy bottoms on the continental shelf. Lives in permanent burrows.
  • Depth15 to 300 m, most common between 30 and 100 m.
  • Feeds OnZooplankton and small invertebrates caught in the water column above its burrow.
  • DistributionEastern Atlantic from Norway to Senegal, including the Mediterranean Sea.
  • DescriptionA strikingly coloured, ribbon-shaped fish that lives in vertical burrows in muddy seabeds. It hovers head-up at the entrance of its burrow, retreating backwards when threatened. Its vivid red colour makes it one of the more dramatic finds on deeper sandy-bottom dives. Groups of burrows can contain dozens of individuals.

Range

Habitat & Distribution

Found over muddy and sandy substrates from 15 to 400 m depth, most common between 40 and 200 m. Constructs and inhabits vertical burrows in soft sediment.

Where Malta divers have spotted this species

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Sightings are logged by divers using our What Did You See? dive-log tool. View the full live sightings map.

Detail

Preferred Environment

Requires fine mud or sandy-mud substrate for burrowing. Typically found on flat sediment plains of the continental shelf where water movement delivers planktonic food.

Encounter Tips

Best approached slowly and calmly. Avoid casting shadows directly over the animal. Neutral buoyancy and patience increase encounter success significantly.

Red Bandfish species card

Biology

Behaviour & Diet

Feeding Strategy

Extends its body from the burrow to capture passing zooplankton, including copepods and small crustacean larvae. Retreats instantly into the burrow if threatened.

Burrow ambush feeder

Reproduction

Spawns from late spring to autumn. Eggs are pelagic and buoyant, hatching into larvae that develop in the plankton before settling to the seabed.

Pelagic spawner

Behaviour & Defence

Retreats rapidly into its deep vertical burrow at the first sign of danger. The burrow can extend over 50 cm into the sediment.

Burrow retreat

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Where to Encounter in Malta

Dive sites where Cepola macrophthalma may be encountered will be added as sighting data is collected.

IUCN Red ListLeast Concern

Conservation Status

This species is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Mediterranean populations face ongoing pressure from fishing activity, habitat degradation, and climate-driven changes.

Source: IUCN Red List
diveshack Mediterranean Marine Life guide