括有约五十个物种。The representatives of the subfamily have fused pelvic fins and 拉长了的背鳍和臀鳍与尾鳍相连，前后背鳍有鳍膜相连本亚科与有密切关连的鰕虎亚科的分别在于：本亚科物种的鱼鳔在成长后会消失；另外牠们也没有location of the uppermost rays of the pectoral fins within the fin membrane.。但，Catalog of Fishes仍然只承认鰕虎科传统的五个亚科，