# Sphaeromatidae

Sphaeromatidae is a family of isopods, often encountered on rocky shores and in shelf waters in temperate zones. The family includes almost 100 genera and 619 known marine species (and about 65 in fresh water). Within these genera, there are groups that share distinctive morphologies; further research may reclassify these genus-groups as separate families.

## Description

Many species have a dorsoventrally compressed body shape, often with a vaulted dorsum, and some are strongly flattened (scale-like).

## Ecology

Sphaeromatidae are browsers or detritus feeders. Xynosphaera appear to have incisory mandibles; Xynosphaera colemani burrows into the tissue of alcyonacean corals. Some genera of Sphaeromatidae associate with sponges, particularly Oxinasphaera.

## Genera

The family contains the following genera:
* Afrocerceis Müller, 1995
* Agostodina Bruce, 1994
* Amphoroidea H. Milne-Edwards, 1840
* Amphoroidella Baker, 1908
* Apemosphaera Bruce, 1994
* †Archaeosphaeroma Novák, 1872
* Artopoles Barnard, 1920
* Austrasphaera Bruce, 2003
* Beatricesphaera Wetzer & Bruce, 1999
* Benthosphaera Bruce, 1994
* Bilistra Sket & Bruce, 2004
* Botryias Richardson, 1910
* Bregmotypta Bruce, 1994
* Caecocassidias Kussakin, 1967
* Caecosphaeroma Dollfus, 1896
* Calcipila Harrison & Holdich, 1984
* Campecopea Leach, 1814
* Cassidias Richardson, 1906
* Cassidina H. Milne-Edwards, 1840
* Cassidinella Whitelegge, 1901
* Cassidinidea Hansen, 1905
* Cassidinopsis Hansen, 1905
* Ceratocephalus Woodward, 1877
* Cerceis H. Milne-Edwards, 1840
* Cercosphaera Bruce, 1994
* Chitonopsis Whitelegge, 1902
* Chitonosphaera Kussakin & Malyutina, 1993
* Cilicaea Leach, 1818
* Cilicaeopsis Hansen, 1905
* Cliamenella Kussakin & Malyutina, 1987
* †Cyclosphaeroma Woodward, 1890
* Cymodetta Bowman & Kuhne, 1974
* Cymodoce Leach, 1814
* Cymodocella Pfeffer, 1887
* Cymodopsis Baker, 1926
* Diclidocella Bruce, 1995
* Discerceis Richardson, 1905
* Discidina Bruce, 1994
* Dynamene Leach, 1814
* Dynamenella Hansen, 1905
* Dynameniscus Richardson, 1905
* Dynamenoides Hurley & Jansen, 1977
* Dynamenopsis Baker, 1908
* Dynoides Barnard, 1914
* †Eocopea Iverson & Chivers, 1984
* †Eosphaeroma Woodward, 1879
* Eterocerceis Messana, 1990
* Exocerceis Baker, 1926
* Exosphaeroides Holdich & Harrison, 1983
* Exosphaeroma Stebbing, 1900
* Geocerceis Menzies & Glynn, 1968
* Gnorimosphaeroma Menzies, 1954
* Harrieta Kensley, 1987
* Haswellia Miers, 1884
* Hemisphaeroma Hansen, 1905
* Heterodina Schotte & Kensley, 2005
* †Heterosphaeroma Munier-Chalmas, 1872
* Holotelson Richardson, 1909
* Ischyromene Racovitza, 1908
* Isocladus [sv] Miers, 1876
* †Isopodites von Ammon, 1882
* Juletta Bruce, 1993
* Koremasphaera Bruce, 2003
* Kranosphaera Bruce, 1992
* Lekanesphaera Verhoeff, 1943
* Leptosphaeroma Hilgendorf, 1885
* Makarasphaera Bruce, 2005
* Margueritta Bruce, 1993
* Maricoccus Poore, 1994
* Merozoon Sket, 2012
* Monolistra Gerstaecker, 1856
* Moruloidea Baker, 1908
* Naesicopea Stebbing, 1893
* Neonaesa Harrison & Holdich, 1982
* Neosphaeroma Baker, 1926
* Oxinasphaera Bruce, 1997
* Paracassidina Baker, 1911
* Paracassidinopsis Nobili, 1906
* Paracerceis Hansen, 1905
* Paracilicaea Stebbing, 1910
* Paradella Harrison & Holdich, 1982
* Paraimene Javed & Ahmed, 1988
* Paraleptosphaeroma Buss & Iverson, 1981
* Parasphaeroma Stebbing, 1902
* Parisocladus Barnard, 1914
* Pedinura Bruce, 2003
* Pistorius Harrison & Holdich, 1982
* Platycerceis Baker, 1926
* Platynympha Harrison, 1984
* Platysphaera Holdich & Harrison, 1981
* Pooredoce Bruce, 2009
* †Protosphaeroma Bachmayer, 1949
* Pseudocerceis Harrison & Holdich, 1982
* Pseudosphaeroma Chilton, 1909
* Ptyosphaera Holdich & Harrison, 1983
* Scutuloidea Chilton, 1883
* Sphaeramene Barnard, 1914
* Sphaeroma Latreille, 1802
* Sphaeromopsis Holdich & Jones, 1973
* Stathmos Barnard, 1940
* Striella Glynn, 1968
* Syncassidina Baker, 1928
* Thermosphaeroma Cole & Bane, 1978
* Tholozodium Eleftheriou, Holdich & Harrison, 1980
* †Triassphaeroma Basso & Tintori, 1995
* Waiteolana Baker, 1926
* Xynosphaera Bruce, 1994
* Zuzara Leach, 1818