Sabellaria Lamarck, 1818

Type species. Sabella alveolata Linnaeus, 1767; by monotypy.

Diagnosis (modified after Kirtley 1994; Capa et al. 2012). Operculum completely divided into two lobes. Three rows of opercular paleae. Outer paleae geniculate with flat blades, margins smooth or denticulate, sometimes with a medial plume (or medial spike). One or two shapes of middle paleae. Middle paleae slightly to strongly geniculate with various shapes: blades ovate, sub-triangular, oblanceolate, clavate, and falciform. Inner paleae usually strongly geniculate. Nuchal spines, when present, resembling three to six pairs of straight spines. Multiple compound tentacular. Median ridge with lateral eyespots. Median organ conspicuous or small with marginal eyespots. Three parathoracic segments.