鲳科，为辐鳍鱼纲鲈形目鲳亚目的一个种。本科鱼广泛分布于各大洋温暖水域。水深约20至60公尺。

本科鱼体椭圆形而侧扁或延长，被小或中型圆鳞。口小，前颔骨略能伸缩，吻钝圆且凸起。上下颔有细齿，侧线1条，背鳍1枚；尾柄两侧无隆起棱脊。尾鳍深分叉，成长后有缺腹鳍者。

The family Stromateidae of butterfishes contains 15 species of fish in three genera. Butterfishes live in coastal waters off the Americas, western Africa and in the Indo-Pacific.

The endemic New Zealand species Odax pullus is commonly called butterfish, but is from a separate family Odacidae. The Japanese butterfish Psenopsis anomala is from the separate family Centrolophidae.