Pholidae, the gunnels, have elongate, compressed bodies which resemble that of blennies. There is a single continuous dorsal fin, which has a base that is roughly double the length to that of the anal fin, the dorsal fin extends from the head to the caudal fin.
In terms of their physical appearance, Pholidae, or gunnels, share similarities with blennies in having elongated and compressed bodies. A notable feature is the single dorsal fin that runs from the head to the tail, with its base being substantially longer than that of the anal fin.