Family Gorgonocephalidae Ljungman, 1867

Diagnosis. Arms simple, or branching, coiled. Disc five lobed or circular, covered with skin and/or various shaped external ossicles. Hooklets borne on at least middle to distal portion of aboral arms. Teeth spiniform. Radial shields narrow, multi-layered. Ventral arm plates limited to basal few arm segments. Up to more than ten arm spines. Genital slits usually small, approximately one half of the height of the disc.