Dana, 1853
Small, medium-large and large animals (2-35 mm). Body compact, often more subglobular in female, more slender in male. Integument more or less solid, semi-transparent or opaque. Head large, usually globular. Eyes large (except Bougisia, which is absent in the South Atlantic). First 5 pereonites fused. MD usually with palp and molar, palp sometimes absent in females. P II chelate. P VII not reduced. All UR with free rami. Telson free, small to medium-large.
Fourteen genera, in the South Atlantic 13 genera:
Genus Hyperia Latreille in Desmarest, 1823
Genus Hyperiella Bovallius, 1887
Genus Hyperietta Bowman, 1973
Genus Hyperioides Chevreux, 1900
Genus Hyperionyx Bowman, 1973
Genus Hyperoche Bovallius, 1887
Genus Iulopis Bovallius, 1887
Genus Lestrigonus Milne-Edwards, 1830
Genus Pegohyperia K. Barnard, 1931
Genus Phronimopsis Claus, 1879
Genus Themistella Bovallius, 1887
Genus Themisto Guérin, 1825
All Hyperiidae, except Pegohyperia and Themisto, are associated with gelatinous plankton, mainly with jellyfish. The keys to Hyperiidae species (except genus Hyperoche) and diagnoses of small species (genera Hyperiella, Hyperioides, Lestrigonus, Hyperietta) are modified from Bowman (1973).