The Dorvilleidae are divided into eight genera: Dorvillea, Schistomeringos (new name), Protodorvillea, Meiodorvillea (new genus), Exallopus (new genus), Ophryotrocha, Parophryotrocha, and Apophryotrocha (new genus). Periodic maxillary replacement is found to occur in a manner which makes many often cited maxillary characters taxonomically unreliable. Therefore, the pharyngeal characters of all the type-species are redescribed or newly described. The discovery of new forms and the present interpretation of hard jaw parts permit construction of a phylogenetic scheme with Dorvillea as the most primitive genus containing living species. Suggestions are given for the advantageous use of the phenomenon of maxillary replacement in autecological investigation.
Evidence is presented against the cosmopolitan distribution of Schistomeringos rudolphi, a species often noted in nearshore pollution studies. Newly described species are Dorvillea batia, Schistomeringos mediofurca, Meiodorvillea apalpata, Exallopus cropion, Ophryotrocha profunda, and Apophryotrocha mutabiliseta, all from the deep North Pacific. A key to the genera is provided, as are listings of all the known species within each genus