argentine, any fish of the family Argentinidae, small, outwardly smeltlike fishes found in deeper waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The family is usually placed in the order Osmeriformes. Argentines of the species Argentina silus are silvery fishes about 45 cm (18 inches) long; they live about 145–545 m (480–1,800 feet) below the surface and are sometimes caught by fishermen.
The true smelts (family Osmeridae) were formerly considered part of the Argentinidae.