Brodsky, 1950
Females
Ce and Pd1 separate, Pd4 and 5 separate, often produced backward with rounded or acute point. R usually without filaments, in form of blunt or short process, can be bifurcate at its tip. Ur of 4 somites, Gns with slightly protruding ventral process; CR short with 4-5 setae. A1 23-segmented, segments 8-9 and 24-25 fused, 24-segmented in (Temorites discoveryae) with numerous aesthetascs proximally, may be asymmetrically developed (Alloiopodus pinguis). A2 (based on Bathypontia) rami almost equal in length; Coxa and Basis with 1 and 2 setae respectively, Enp1 with 1-2 setae just distal to midlength (1 rather small), Enp2 with 7+9 setae; Exp 7-segmented with 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1+3 setae; other genera have various reductions in segment numbers and setation (Exp 6-segmented in Alloiopodus, Temorites discoveryae, and Zenkevitchiella. Md (based on Bathypontia) gnathobase with large tooth often separated by some distance from numerous small teeth; Basis very large with 3-4 setae; Enp1 and 2 with 2-3 and 8-11 setae respectively; Exp 5-segmented with 1, 1, 1, 1, 1-2 setae respectively; other genera with reduced setation on Enp (Alloiopodus End with 0, 3 setae; Temorites discoveryae 0, 1 setae). Mx1 (based on Bathypontia) Li 1 with 9-10 long straight spines; Li2-4 reduced in size and setation with 1 seta each; Enp absent, Exp well-developed with 10 setae; Le 2 absent, Le1 with 3-4 setae; other genera and species with variously reduced setation (Temorites discoveryae has the greatest reduction: Li1 with 4 spines and setae, Li2-4, Enp, and Le1 and 2 devoid of setae, Exp with 6 setae). Mx2 (based on Bathypontia) large, Li1-5 with 0-1, 1, 2, 2-3, 3-4 setae respectively (one of them enlarged), Enp with 6 enlarged, sometimes flattened, distally serrate setae; other genera with more or less modified setae and in some genera (e.g. Alloiopodus) Basis elongated. Mxp (based on Bathypontia) with with relatively short setae; Coxa Li1-3 with 1-2, 1-2, 3 setae respectively from proximal to distal; Basis with 3 setae at about midlength; Enp 6-segmented, Enp1 almost completely fused to Basis with 1-2 seta, Enp2-5 with 4, 3-4, 2, 2, 2-4 setae respectively. P1 Coxa with inner distal seta. P1-4 with 3-segmented Exp; Enp of P1 1-2-segmented, of P2-4 3-segmented. P1 Exp segments 1 and 2 with or without outer edge spines; Exp segment 3 of P2-4 with 3 outer edge spines. Basis of P3 with a long thin gently curving outer spine extending to the distal border of Exp segment 1.
Spine and seta formula:Spine and seta Bathypontiidae.
P5 of female uniramous, 3-segmented, with two terminal spines, no other armature present (Bathyponthia, Temorites); or biramous with 2-3-segmented Exp and 1-segmented Enp (Zenkevitchiella, Alloiopodus).
Males
A1 19-20-segmented, prehensile on right; terminal part composed of 4 narrow elongate segments, proximal segment characteristically curved. P2 may be symmetrical or asymmetrically developed on each side with Exp2 outer edge spine greatly elongate on one side. P5 of male 3-5-segmented, Enp may or may not be present.
This family contains (Grice and Hülsemann 1967; Fosshagen 1967; Bradford 1969; Schulz, 1996):
Genus Alloiopodus Bradford, 1969
Genus Bathypontia Sars, 1905
Genus Temorites Sars, 1900
Genus Zenkevitchiella Brodsky, 1955
Schulz (1996) considers that the assignment of Foxtonia Hülsemann and Grice, 1963, to this family is not clear. It is possible that Bradyetes florens Grice and Hülsemann, 1967, may also be referred to this family. Only the genus Bathypontia has been recorded from the South Atlantic.