Stout Beardfish are associated with soft-bottom habitats, where they use their chin barbels (beard) to probe the sediments for food.

Although beard fishes consist of a single extant genus, Polymixia, of deep-sea marine ray-finned fish they are named for their pair of long hyoid barbels.

These fish are found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific Ocean. 

Bottom-dwelling fish, found down to about 800 m (2,600 ft) depth. Most are relatively small fish, although one species is over 40 cm (16 in) in length.

Estuary to the Abyss: Exploring Along the Latitude 31-30 Transect: August 20 – September 1, 2004