Thorell, 1859
Females
Body more or less flattened, often leaf-like. Two ocular lenses present on anterior Ce. Ce and Pd1 fused (Copilia) or separate; Pd3 and 4 may be expanded laterally into rounded lateral plates. Ur may be slender or tapering gradually from width of posterior Pr, of 3-5 somites (in Sapphirina fused Ur2 and 3 have obvious demarcation between somites); Ur1 (Pd5) small or may be fused to Ur2; genital apertures paired, located laterally or dorsolaterally on anterior part of Gns; CR leaf-shaped or in form of narrow, elongate rod, with 4-5 setae. Eggs carried in paired sacs. A1 short with at most 6 segments. A2 uniramous, 5-segmented, prehensile, terminated by claw. Md with 1 large terminal toothed element usually with 1-2 small setae at its base. Mx1 small with 1 lobe, with 4 spines. Mx2 claw-like, 1-segmented; drawn out into process armed with 3 major elements: 1 long spinous seta and 2 variously spinulose additional setae. Mxp claw-like 3-segmented, Basis with 2 inner edge spines; Enp1 fused with Enp2 and in form of claw which bears 2 proximal setae. P1-3 biramous with both rami 3-segmented; P4 with 3-segmented Exp and Enp 1-segmented (Copilia 0,1,1), 2-segment (Vettoria 0-1; 0,1,1) and 3-segmented (Sapphirina). Spine and seta formula typically: Spine and seta Sapphirinidae.
P5 1-segmented with 2 small terminal setae and small basal seta on each side, or 1 spine and seta, or respresented by 3 setae alone (Vettoria). P6 represented by 3 small rounded appendages (Sapphirina), or single seta (Vettoria);
Males
Body shape usually different from that of female, usually more leaf-shaped with no distinct break in width between the Pr and Ur. Ur of 6 somites, Ur1 and anal somite often covered by adjacent Ur somites; genital apertures paired, located ventrolaterally near posterior border of the Gns; CR leaf- or rod-shaped. A1 never geniculate. A2 more slender than in female. Md may be reduced. Mxp final hook is longer in male than female, 4-segmented. P2 Enp3 distal part with modified spines in Sapphirina. P6 represented by 3 setules in Sapphirina.
This family contains three genera of which only the first two have been taken in the Atlantic Ocean and have been reviewed by Lehnhofer (1926, 1929):
Genus Sapphirina J. V. Thompson, 1829
Genus Copilia Dana, 1849
GenusVettoria Wilson, 1924