See text The Centroceratidae is the ancestral family of the Trigonoceratoidea and of the equivalent Centroceratina; extinct shelled cephalopods belonging to the order Nautilida The Centroceratidae, which range from the Middle Devonian to the Lower Permian, are characterized by gyroconic, evolute tarphyceraconic, and involute nautiliconic shells with compressed whorls, typically with a quadrangular whorl section in which the flanks converge on venter that is much narrower than the dorsum and ventral and umbilical shoulders are sharply angular, or rarely rounded.

Centroceras, the type genus, is evolute with only a few, rapidly expanding whorls and wide, perforate umbilicus.

The surface is covered with alternating striae and lirae; fine, parallel "scratches" and "wires" Strophiceras has a probably gyroconic shell with a higher than wide, compressed, subrectangular whorl section with slightly arched dorsum and venter and flattened flanks.

Carlloceras has a moderately involute shell with a compressed trapezoidal whorl section, nearly flat ventral and lateral areas, and slight dorsal impression.

Diorugoceras is very involute and smooth, with a compressed whorl section with broad, slightly convex flanks that converge toward a concave venter.