It includes six species,[1] commonly known as beaked geckos, all of which are endemic to the arid zone of the Australian outback.

[3][4][5] They can be characterized by their long bodies and narrow heads with enlarged scales at the tip of the snout.

Rhynchoedura species are widespread and occupy a range of dry woodland, shrubland, grassland, and desert environments, and none are currently considered to be at risk of extinction.

The genus was traditionally regarded as monotypic, with the single species Rhynchoedura ornata named by Albert Günther in 1867.

In 2011 an extensive revision sampling the population across Australia found overlooked genetic diversity in the genus and named four new cryptic species.