Unplaced Families  -  Various

    Fifteen unplaced families and three subclasses are what makes up the Class: Polychaeta as of late 2023.    The unplaced familes contain species that are either obviously or, deemed to be Bristle Worms but their taxonomic affinities have not as yet been established beyond family level.  Their could be a number of reasons for this. For instance, the species may be a quite recent discovery and detailed research on the organism is still forthcoming.  Or, a revision of other groups may have found the species to have been misplaced or, even just separated from its' former group to establish a new taxon.

      The  Catalogue of Life  however, places these fifteen families in an un named Infraclass of a fourth unnamed Subclass of Polychaeta.  Which ever way, the species within unplaced taxons are still relevant even if few if any records exist or even though there is only very limited information available about them.   This does mean though, that their status at any locality is not often certain.  
Whereas Australia-wide there are likely to be more, below are listed five families all containing  species that could possibly or, are likely to be residents of the Northern Rivers area.  

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     These families will not be dealt with further until sigthings are made in the Northern Rivers.  For those who would like to find out more, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility would have to be the  your best starting point.  There, one will find original descriptions of species as well as detailed record maps, if available at all.

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Family:  Magelonidae

      Magelona sp.     (likely occurrence)

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Family:  Oweniidae

      Galatyhowenia sp.     (possible occurrence)

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      Owenia sp.     (possible occurrence)

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Family:  Polygordiidae

      Polygordius sp.​     (likely occurrence)

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Family:  Protodrilidae

      Protodrilus sp.​     (likely occurrence)

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Family:  Saccocirridae

      Saccocirrus sp.

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Taxonomy:

Phylum:   Annelida    (Segmented Worms) 
                    > Class:   Polychaeta    (Polychaete Worms)
                                                                      > Unplaced Families in the Class: Polychaeta
                                                                                > Family:   Magelonidae
                                                                                          > Genus:   Magelona  *  

                                                                                > Family:   Oweniidae
​                                                                                          > Genus:   Galatyhowenia   ^
​                                                                                          > Genus:   Owenia  ^

                                                                                > Family:   Polygordiidae
​                                                                                          > Genus:   Polygordius   *

                                                                                > Family:   Protodrilidae
​                                                                                          > Genus:   Protodrilus   *

                                                                                > Family:   Saccocirridae
​                                                                                          > Genus:   Saccocirris

*   =   likely
^   =   possibly

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References  and  links:

       https://www.catalogueoflife.org/
       https://www.gbif.org/species/2320536​
       https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/47490-Polychaeta
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Photographic  contributions:

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