The family is sometimes called the Gobionellidae, but Oxudercidae has priority.

The species in this family have a cosmopolitan distribution in temperate and tropical areas and are found in marine and freshwater environments, typically in inshore, euryhaline areas with silt and sand substrates.

This family has many species which occur in fresh water, and a number of species found on wet beaches and are able to live for a number of days out of water.

They have eyes located on the top of their heads on short stalks.

One species, Gillichthys mirabilis, usually stays in the water, but surfaces to gulp air when the oxygen levels in the water are low; it holds the air in its buccopharynx, which is highly vacularised to facilitate respiratory exchange.