Taxonomy and systematics[edit]Taxonomically, polychaetes are thought to be parap hyletic,[17] meaning that the group excludes some descendants

of its most recent common ancestor. Groups that may be descended from the polychaetes include the oligochaetes (earthworms and leeches), sipunculans, and echiurans. The Pogonopho ra and Vestimentifera were once considered separate phyla, but are now classifie d in the polychaete family Siboglinidae. Much of the classification below matches Rouse & Fauchald, 1998, although that p aper does not apply ranks above family. Older classifications recognize many more (sub)orders than the layout presented here. As comparatively few polychaete taxa have been subject to cladistic analys is, some groups which are usually considered invalid today may eventually be rei nstated. These divisions given below were shown to be mostly paraphyletic in recent years . Basal or incertae sedis Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Diurodrilidae Histriobdellidae Nerillidae Parergodrilidae Potamodrilidae Psammodrilidae Spintheridae Polygordiidae Protodrilidae Protodriloididae Saccocirridae

Subclass Aciculata Family Levidoridae Order Amphinomida Family Amphinomidae Family Euphrosinidae Order Eunicida Family Dorvilleidae Family Eunicidae Family Hartmaniellidae Family Ichthyotomidae Family Lumbrineridae Family Oenonidae Family Onuphidae Order Myzostomida Family Endomyzostomatidae Family Myzostomida incertae sedis Family Myzostomidae Order Phyllodocida Suborder Aphroditiformia Family Acoetidae

Family Aphroditidae Family Eulepethidae Family Iphionidae Family Pholoidae Family Polynoidae Family Sigalionidae Suborder Glyceriformia Family Glyceridae Family Goniadidae Family Lacydoniidae Family Paralacydoniidae Suborder Nereidiformia Family Antonbruunidae Family Chrysopetalidae Family Hesionidae Family Nereididae Family Pilargidae Family Syllidae Suborder Phyllodocida incertae sedis Family Iospilidae Family Nautiliniellidae Family Nephtyidae Family Typhloscolecidae Family Tomopteridae Suborder Phyllodociformia Family Alciopidae Family Lopadorhynchidae Family Phyllodocidae Family Pontodoridae Subclass Canalipalpata Order Sabellida Family Caobangidae Family Fabriciidae Family Oweniidae Family Sabellariidae Family Sabellidae Family Serpulidae Family Siboglinidae (formerly the phyla Pogonophora & Vestimentifera) Order Spionida Family Chaetopteridae Suborder Spioniformia Family Aberrantidae Family Apistobranchidae Family Heterospionidae Family Longosomatidae Family Magelonidae Family Poecilochaetidae Family Spionidae Family Trochochaetidae Family Uncispionidae Order Terebellida Suborder Cirratuliformia Family Acrocirridae (sometimes placed in Spionida) Family Cirratulidae (sometimes placed in Spionida) Family Ctenodrilidae (sometimes own suborder Ctenodrilida) Family Fauveliopsidae (sometimes own suborder Fauveliopsida) Family Flabelligeridae (sometimes suborder Flabelligerida) Family Flotidae (sometimes included in Flabelligeridae)

Family Poeobiidae (sometimes own suborder Poeobiida or included in Flabelligerid a) Family Sternaspidae (sometimes own suborder Sternaspida) Suborder Terebellomorpha Family Alvinellidae Family Ampharetidae Family Pectinariidae Family Terebellidae Family Trichobranchidae Subclass Scolecida Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Family Arenicolidae Capitellidae Cossunidae Maldanidae Opheliidae Orbiniidae Paraonidae Scalibregmatidae