| Platytroctidae | |
|---|---|
| Legless searsid (Platytroctes apus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Argentiniformes |
| Family: |
Platytroctidae Roule, 1916 |
| Genera | |
|
Barbantus |
|
Barbantus
Holtbyrnia
Matsuichthys
Maulisia
Mentodus
Mirorictus
Normichthys
Pectinantus
Persparsia
Platytroctes
Sagamichthys
Searsia
Searsioides
The tubeshoulders are a family, the Platytroctidae, of marine smelts. They are found throughout the world, except for the Mediterranean Sea. Tubeshoulders live at moderate depths of 300 to 1,000 m (980 to 3,280 ft), and some have light-producing organs. They are generally small to medium fish, ranging from 9 to 33 cm (3.5 to 13.0 in) in length.