Argentiniformes is an
order of
ray-finned fish whose distinctness was recognized only fairly recently. In former times, they were included in the
Osmeriformes (typical
smelt and allies) as
suborder Argentinoidei. That term refers only to the suborder of marine smelts and
barreleyes in the classification used here, with the
slickheads and allies being the Alepocephaloidei. These suborders were treated as
superfamilies Argentinoidea and Alepocephaloidea, respectively, when the present group was still included in the Osmeriformes.