Diagnosis. Head deeper than long, lateral cephalic lobe weak, ventrolateral flap welldeveloped. Epistome and upper lip fused. Antenna 2: peduncular article 1 not greatly enlarged; peduncular article 3 without a distal hook. Mandible: incisors large, asymmetrical, grossly serrate; left lacinia mobilis stemmed, distally cusped; accessory setal row well developed, without distal setal tuft, with more than 5 accessory setae, with intermediate setae; molar a large, broad, weakly setose tongue. Maxilla 1: outer plate narrow with 11 setalteeth in compressed arrangement; palp 2 articulate. Maxilliped: outer plate with apical slender and robust setae, with medial robust setae; palp welldeveloped, unguis present. Gnathopod 1 chelate; coxa reduced; posterior margin of propodus smooth; dactylus simple, without subterminal tooth. Gnathopod 2: posterodistal corner of propodus with medial setae. Pereopods 3 to 5 simple; propodus without distal spurs. Pereopod 5 basis expanded with large serrations on posterior margin. Pereopod 4: coxa deeper than wide, with large posteroventral lobe. Gills: from gnathopod 2 to pereopod 7, not pleated. Uropod 3 biramous, outer ramus 2 articulate. Telson cleft. (after Lowry & Stoddart, 1996, bold type indicates changes).
Generic composition. Podoprion, Chevreux, 1891.
Etymology. The family name was taken from the generic name Podoprion (Gr. Podo, meaning foot; Gr. Prion –os, meaning saw) (Lowry & Stoddart, 1996).
Habitat. Demersal scavengers.
Remarks. The family Podoprionidae Lowry and Stoddart, 1996, has an incisor process and an outer plate of maxilla 1 that is unique among the lysianassoids (Lowry & Stoddart, 1996). Three other genera have a chelate gnathopod 1 similar to Podoprion: Opisa Boeck, 1876; Podoprionella, Sars, 1895; Podoprionides Walker, 1906. The posterior margin of pereopod 5 is armed with large serrations (6–8 in the case of this species). Some species of Podoprionellla, Podoprionides, and some species of Ichnopus Costa, 1853, and Socarnopsis catacumba (Clark & Barnard, 1985), have this character. However, in other respects these taxa are not closely related to Podoprion and therefore the allied generic names are misleading.