DIAGNOSIS. — Carapace elongate, triangular or cuneate, sometimes with unusually projected antero-lateral margins; rostrum bifid or singular, long or short; eyes without true orbits, supraorbital eave weak, without intercalated spine, eyestalks short or absent, eyes protected by very long rostrum or preorbital spine, sometimes a postorbital spine present but not cupped to protect eye; merus and ischium of maxilliped equally wide; pereiopods 3-5 often very short compared to 1 and 2 (after Schweitzer et al. 2020).
INCLUDED SUBFAMILIES. — Epialtinae MacLeay,1838; Periacanthinae Lőrenthey in Lőrenthey & Beurlen, 1929; Pisinae Dana, 1851; Pliosomatinae Števčič, 1994; Tychinae Dana, 1851; Wahraniinae n. subfam. (this study).