Order Molpadida Haeckel, 1896

Diagnosis (emended from Pawson and Liao 1992). Tentacles 15, digitate; body stout, lacking tube feet, usually with an evident tail; anal papillae, tentacle ampullae and respiratory trees present; ossicles may include tables, cups, rods, perforated plates and modified anchors; phosphatic bodies often present.

Remarks. Rods may be present with perforated plates, as in Paracaudina australis (Semper, 1868), and rods are not necessarily fusiform (spindle-shaped). We have emended the diagnosis of Pawson and Liao 1992 in these two respects.