The gastrocotylids are known by their rather very diffuse distribution, and a marqued preference for scombroid fishes and carangids.

[3] The Gastrocotylidae Price, 1943 was erected to separate Gastrocotyle and its allies.,[1] named and described by reference to a diagram of the clamp type alone[4] Sproston agreed on the importance of the difference in clamp structure in microcotylids, however, she reduced the Gastrocotylidae to sub-family status included in Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879.

[4] Price's name was employed for the family as the latest was recognizable, and Gastrocotyle Van Beneden & Hesse, 1863 was designated the type genus.

[4] Dawes and Chauhan also considered earlier Gastrocotylidaeas a valid and useful family.

[9] According to Lebedev (1986) [10] and the World Register of Marine Species,[2] the family includes 2 subfamilies: