The Dicranophoridae constitute a large group of free-living, predatory, omnivorous or herbivorous, epiphytic-epibenthic and psammobiotic monogonont rotifers, inhabiting the littoral zone of fresh and saline waters, and damp terrestrial habitats. Some species live epizoic and others are endoparasites or ectoparasites of invertebrates; a single species has been reported ectoparasitic on fish.
In this guide the author has attempted to bring together all the available descriptions of dicranophorid rotifers which will hopefully contribute to a taxonomic revision of the family in the near future. The major handicap in attempting a revision actually is the almost complete absence of type material and the restricted availability of specimens for study and scanning electron microscopy.
The section on Ituridae gives diagnoses for seven species.