The family Caulophrynidae includes globose bathypelagic anglerfishes, the females of which are easily distinguished from those of allied families by the absence of an expanded escal bulb, the presence of only two pectoral radials, extremely long dorsal- and anal-fin rays, only eight caudal-fin rays, and neuromasts of the acoustico-lateralis system located at the tips of elongate filaments. Two genera and five species are recognized. The family is nearly wordwide in distribution; however, individual species are so rare that full and true ranges are unknown.