Family ELLOBIOPHRYIDAE Chatton & Lwoff, 1929

Solitary, stalkless forms; fission anisotomic; members of type-genus are particularly distinguished by the remarkable production, on either side of the scopula, of elongate cylindrical projections which encircle a gill filament of their host and glue themselves together to form a closed circle in firm attachment; Ellobiophrya found only as commensal of a marine lamellibranch mollusc, while species of other two genera are associated with marine fishes.

[I am indebted to Lom (personal communication) for suggesting that Chatton & Lwoff (1929), who proposed the status of "tribe" for their unusual genus, be credited with the familial name.]

Caliperia Laird, 1953. Few species.
Clausophrya Naidenova & Zaika, 1969. Single species.
Ellobiophrya Chatton & Lwoff, 1923. Single species.