Placodermi - Phlyctaeniiformes
Parent taxon: Arthrodira according to R. van der Laan 2019
Sister taxa: Acanthaspida, Actinolepidiformes, Actinolepidoidei, Actinolepina, Africanaspis, Antarctolepis, Arctonema, Arenipiscis, Aspidichthys, Atlantidosteus, Brachydeirina, Callognathus, Carolowilhelmina, Coccosteina, Coccosteoidei, Copanognathus, Cosmacanthus, Cravenaspis, Diplognathus, Erikaspis, Errolosteus, Eskimaspis, Euarthrodira, Eubrachythoraci, Glyptaspis, Grazosteus, Heintzosteus, Heterostiina, Hollardosteus, Holonematina, Huaningichthys, Incisoscutoidea, Kartalaspis, Kimberleyichthys, Kueichowlepis, Kunmingolepis, Laurentaspis, Lurapullaspis, Machaerognathus, Mediaspidae, Murmur, Operchallosteus, Overtonaspis, Pachyosteidae, Pachyosteina, Parawilliamsaspis, Phlyctaenina, Pholidosteidae, Phylctaeniida, Phyllolepida, Platyaspis, Prescottaspidae, Qataraspis, Squamatognathus, Stegophthalami, Taemasosteus, Taunaspis, Temnothoraci, Timanosteus, Toombalepis, Toombsosteus, Tyriolepis, Wheathillaspis, Wuttagoonaspina, Brachythoracoidei, Phyllolepidoidei
Subtaxa: Arctaspididae Arctolepididae Brachythoraci Gronlandaspididae Holonematidae Phlyctaeniidae Phlyctaenioidei
Ecology: nektonic carnivore