The Gobiidei are a very diverse group of fish comprising nine families with about 270 genera and 2,210 species. There have been a variety of studies undertaken using morphological, osteological and molecular characters of adults to investigate phylogenetic relationships within the group. Larval developmental series collected from southern Australian waters of 10 genera of F. Gobiidae (210 genera, 1,950 spp) Arenigobius, Afurcagobius, Favonigobius, Gobiopterus, Paedogobius, Psuedogobius, Redigobius, Nesogobius, Bathygobius and Tasmanogobius, and two genera of F. Eleotridae (35 genera 155 sp) Hypseleotris and Philypnodon were assessed. For larval development series of species from these 12 genera, ontogenetic changes in morphometric characters and pigmentation patterns and the size at development of fins, notochord flexion and transition to juveniles for each genus will be described and compared. There was considerable variation in these larval characters between the two families and between genera. The larval development characters are assessed to determine similarities and differences between genera and then compared with the proposed lineages for these genera based on adult characters.