Shells of the Anomphalidae are rounded, almost discoidal, low-spired trochospiral inform, possibly with a globular body whorl.

The shell surface is generally smooth, ornamentation consisting of fine transverse lyrae or growth lines parallel to the aperture lip.

[2] The Anomphalidae differ from the Euomphalcea to which they have been reassigned [3] in being more trochoidal, in lacking the angulation on the upper whorl surface characteristic of Euomphalacea, and in having the inner shell layer seemingly nacreous.

Added to Anomphalus, Cycloscena, Eiselia, and Isonema in the Anomphalinae are: Antirotiela Cossmann 1918, given in the Treatise as a synonym for Anomphalus Contained within the Pycnomphalinae in addition to Pycnomphalus, Turbocheilus, Sosiolites, Strapariella, and Tychonia: Pycnotrochus, from the Upper Silurian of Europe, was removed from the Sinuopeidae (Pleurotomariacea); the lip has a sinus more characteristic of the original family.

Turbinopsis, from the Lower Devonian of North America, was removed from the Palaeotrochidae (Palaeotrochacea); has a spiral chord not found on typical Anomphalidae and an aperture with a thicker, wider lip, also atypical.