Dana, 1953
Females
Ce and Pd1 separate, sometimes with hook on lateral borders, anterior Ce sometimes has anterior crest; Pd4 and 5 fused or separate, usually with asymmetrical expansions. R bifurcate, sometimes with widened base incorporating lens. Eyes usually large, with 1 or 2 pairs of dorsal chitinous lenses and 1 ventral lens. Ur of 1-3 somites, often asymmetrical; genital apparatus comprising a common genital pore contained within a median genital aperture, copulatory pore contained within median genital aperture; CR with up to 6 setae. A1 16-24-segmented. A2 Coxa and Basis separate with 1 and 2 setae respectively; Enp much larger than Exp; Exp usually 5-segmented, segment 2 elongate; Exp with 1, 3, 2, 2, 4 setae in Anomalocera patersoni, terminal segment atrophied or rudimentary; proximal segment of Enp with 2 setae, more or less fused to Basis, compound distal segment bilobed with 9, 7 setae or with setation reduced. Md gnathobase with 5-7 teeth, Basis with 4 setae, Exp 5-segmented with 1, 1, 1, 1, 2 setae and Enp 2-segmented with 3 and 6 setae and of similar size. Mx1 Li1 large with 8-10 spines and setae; Li2 as long as Li1 and with 3 setae; Li3 short with 3 setae; Li4 with 2 setae; proximal Enp segment fused to Basis, Enp segments with 2, 2, 5 setae or reduced; Exp relatively small, sometimes atrophied with 9 setae; Le2 with 1 seta; Le1 with 7-8 setae. Mx2 with long, strong setae although sometimes rudimentary on proximal part of limb; Li1-5 usually with 4, 3, 3, 3, 2 setae; Enp setation 1, 1, 2, 2. Mxp small, 5- or 6-segmented with Coxa large with inner border lobed and with 0, 2, 2, 2/3 long setae; Basis and Enp short, Basis with 2 or 3 setae, free Enp 3- or 4-segmented with 2, 2, 2+1, 3 setae or with setation reduced. P1-4 Exp 3-segmented. Enp of P1, 2- or 3-segmented; of P2-4 2-segmented
Spine and seta formula typically of the following form, although setation may be reduced.
P5 not natatory, Coxa fused with the intercoxal sclerite; Basis with 1 outer seta; Exp 2-segmented, segment 1 with 2 outer spines and inner distal spinous process, segment 2 with 1 or 2 spines plus an apical spinous process, or Exp may be 1-segmented and armed with spinous processes or tapering to a point; Enp 1-segmented with simple or bifid apex, or absent.
Males
Ur of 4-5 somites, genital opening on the left; free Ur somites sometimes with asymmetrical processes. A1 prehensile on the right, middle section swollen, terminating in 2-4 segments distal to the joint. Mouthparts identical to those of the female. P5 asymmetrical, Coxa and intercoxal sclerite usually fused to form transverse plate, sometimes with Coxa free on right side only; right leg subchelate, comprising unarmed Coxa, Basis with 1 seta, and 2-segmented Exp: Exp1-2 swollen with outer process and spine, Exp3 forming subchela. Left P5 comprising Basis with 1 seta; Exp1 elongate with 1 seta; Exp2 and 3 partly fused with up to 4 outer and distal spines on apical segment.
The family includes eight genera:
Genus Anomalocera Templeton, 1937
Genus Calanopia Dana 1853
Genus Epilabidocera Wilson, 1932
Genus Ivellopsis Claus, 1893 (see Wickstead and Krishnaswamy, 1964)
Genus Labidocera Lubbock, 1853
Genus Pontella Dana, 1846
Genus Pontellina Dana, 1853
Genus Pontellopsis Brady, 1883.
The genera Anomalocera, Epilabidocera, and Ivellopsis have not been recorded from the South Atlantic.