Parent taxon: Metazoa according to S. M. Adl et al. 2005
See also Kiessling 2003 and Sepkoski 2002
Sister taxa: Bilateria, Diploblastica, Homoblastica, Hyolithelminthida, Namalia, Vertebrosa, Westgardia, Silicispongea, Odontogriphidae, Tentaculitoidea, Bomakellia, Lidaconus, Armillifera, Persimedusites, Nemiana, Inaria, Epitheliozoa, Mesozoa, Hiemalora, Funisia, Limacites, Gephyrea, Eodiorygma, Silicea, Tetraradialomorpha, Kuckaraukia, Cnidaria, Parazoa, Kimberellomorpha, Kinzeriidae, Arboreomorpha, Yangtziramulus, Atalotaenia, Protolyellia, Parviscopa, Spygoria, Nectocarididae, Ventogyrus, Rangeomorpha, Kullingia, Proarticulata, Deuteronectanebos, Lazaichnus, Dictyorhabdus, Lomosovis, Pentaradialomorpha, Sentularia, Beltanelliformis, Goettingenia, Ovatoscutum, Siphonoconcha, Khasaktidae, Yunnanomedusa, Bronicella, Primocandelabrum, Paracharnia, Subtilicyathus, Trichoplax, Pseudovendia, Yelovichnus, Euradiculata, Triradialomorpha, Oligoopilionus, Muricassis, Mawsonites, Somatohelix, Rhizostomites, Xidazoon, Hadryniscala, Petalonamae, Chondroplon, Bilaterialomorpha, Megathrix, Palaeacmaea, Erniettomorpha, Hadrynichorde, Eumetazoa, Problematica, Convolutubus
Subtaxa: Alasonia Aphlebospongia Archaeocyatha Ausia Batchatocyathus Bicyathus Bortepesia Calcarea Clathrispongia Codites Coniatopenia Cornuaspongia Coronacollina Cotyliscus Cribricyatha Cribroscyphia Cuneiphycus Cupulochonia Cupulospongia Cyclospongia Demospongiae Diestosphecion Diplostomella Disjectoporidae Dyocopanon Eocoryne Eocyathispongia Glenodictyum Heteractinida Hexactinellida Holocoelia Homoscleromorpha Lamellispongia Limnoretheles Megalelasma Microcoryne Monotheles Nabaviella Oligoplagia Palaeophragmodictya Pharetronida Pilosphecion Plectinia Polyactinellidae Polycnemiseudea Psephidia Pulchrilaminida Radicispongia Rauffia Rugoconites Sclerospongiae Scribroporella Scyphia Shitangspongia Sinoflabrum Sparsispongia Sphinctozoa Spirocyathidae Stromatofungia Stromatoporoidea Taraxaculum Textispongia Thalamospongia Thectardis Toriscodermia Tragos Trammeria Tubispongia
Ecology: stationary epifaunal suspension feeder