Parent taxon: Echinodermata according to J. J. Sepkoski 2002
Sister taxa: Arkarua, Asterozoa, Blastoidea, Blastozoa, Camptostromoidea, Coronata, Crinoidea, Ctenocystoidea, Ctenoimbricata, Cyclocystoidea, Cystoidea, Diploporita, Discoidea, Echinoconus, Echinozoa, Edrioasteroidea, Eleutherozoa, Graciacystis, Helicoplacoidea, Holothuroidea, Homoiostelea, Homostelea, Iheringiana, Macrocystellidae, Parablastoidea, Paracrinoidea, Pediculacaudinidae, Pelmatozoa, Peripneustes, Scoteinocystis, Scutellidae, Scutellinidae, Semperitidae, Stylophora, Tubocaudinidae
Subtaxa: Acantholepis, Adocetocystis, Amecystis, Anartiocystis, Apiocystites, Arachnocystites, Brockocystis, Callocystites, Caryocrinites, Caryocystites, Cheirocrinus, Cheirocystella, Cheirocystis, Coelocystis, Coronocystis, Corylocrinus, Cuniculocystis, Cystoblastus, Deltacystis, Echinoencrinites, Echinosphaerites, Erinocystis, Eutretocystis, Glansicystis, Glaphyrocystis, Glyptocystella, Glyptocystites, Hadrocystis, Hallicystis, Heliocrinites, Hemicosmites, Hesperocystis, Heterocystites, Homocystites, Jaekelocystis, Juglandocrinus, Lepadocystis, Lepocrinites, Leptocystis, Lingulocystidae, Lipsanocystis, Lovenicystis, Mimocystites, Oocystis, Orocystites, Osculocystis, Pirocystella, Plethoschisma, Pleurocystites, Pleurocystitidae, Polycosmites, Praepleurocystis, Protocystis, Prunocystites, Pseudocrinites, Ptychocosmites, Pygecystis, Regulaecystis, Rhipidocystis, Rhombifera, Schizocystis, Scoliocystis, Sphaerocystites, Staurocystis, Stichocystis, Stribalocystites, Strobilocystites, Tanaocystis, Tetracystis, Thomacystis, Tricosmites, Tyrridiocystis, Ulrichocystis
Ecology: stationary intermediate-level epifaunal suspension feeder