Oxudercidae facts for kids
Oxudercidae is a fascinating family of fish, a bit like a big group of relatives, that includes many kinds of gobies. These fish were once part of a larger family called Gobiidae. Even though some people might call them Gobionellidae, the name Oxudercidae is the official one.
You can find fish from the Oxudercidae family all over the world, in both warm (tropical) and cooler (temperate) areas. They live in different watery places, from salty ocean waters to fresh rivers and lakes. They especially like coastal areas where the water mixes, and the bottom is soft with mud or sand.
Quick facts for kids Oxudercidae |
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| Gobioides buchanani | |
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| Oxuderces dentatus | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Gobiiformes |
| Family: | Oxudercidae Günther, 1861 |
| Synonyms | |
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Contents
Amazing Fish Adaptations
The Oxudercidae family is quite large, with about 86 different groups (called genera) and around 600 unique types of fish (called species). Many of these species live in fresh water. What's really cool is that some can even survive out of water for several days! You might spot them on wet beaches.
Meet the Mudskippers
This family includes the famous mudskippers. These amazing fish can move surprisingly fast on land. They have special eyes that stick out on short stalks on top of their heads. They can move these eyes up or down and see very well when they are out of the water.
Breathing Out of Water
One interesting fish in this family is the Gillichthys mirabilis. It usually stays in the water. But if the water doesn't have enough oxygen, it comes to the surface to gulp air. It holds this air in a special part of its throat, which has many tiny blood vessels. This helps the fish breathe and get oxygen from the air, just like we do!
Different Groups of Oxudercidae
The Oxudercidae family is divided into four main smaller groups, called subfamilies. Each of these groups has its own unique types of fish.
- Amblyopinae Günther, 1861
- Gobionellinae Bleeker, 1874
- Oxudercinae (this group includes the mudskippers!) Günther, 1861
- Sicydiinae T.N. Gill, 1860
