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A world catalogue and taxonomic keys of the subfamily Nicomachinae (Polychaeta: Maldanidae) are provided. Threegenera and 32 species are listed, complete with original references, synonyms, additional references, type localities, andtaxonomic remarks for those species which present some problem. Nicomache interstricta Ehlers, 1908 is transferred tothe genus Lumbriclymene Sars, 1872. Nicomache inornata Moore, 1903, Petaloproctus crosnieri Rullier, 1964, andPetaloproctus crenatus Chamberlin, 1919 are considered incertae sedis. Only three species of Nicomachinae have abroad geographical distribution.

Two new maldanid polychaetes were collected from the Ponta do Cabo Branco beach, Paraíba, Brazil, and represent the first record of the genus Nicomache for the southwest Atlantic. Nicomache (Nicomache) lanai sp. nov. has 22 setigerous segments, two pre-anal asetigerous segments, a dark beige colour on setigers 4–17, an anteriorly rounded prostomium forming a tall, arched keel, elliptical nuchal grooves that open posteriorly, 4–7 acicular spines on setigers 1–3, and an anal funnel with triangular equal-sized anal cirri, with concave sides. Nicomache (Nicomache) brasiliensis sp. nov. also has 22 setigerous and two pre-anal asetigerous segments, but the entire body is light-pink coloured. The prostomium is rounded anteriorly, but is longer, broadening posteriorly, forming a low, straight subterminal keel. This species has parallel nuchal grooves, with a sharp anterior angle, has only 4–6 acicular spines on setigers 1–3, and an anal funnel with short tapering, equal-sized anal cirri with convex sides.

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Polynoid scale-worms have been found living as commensals with deep-water antipatharians (commonly known as black corals) in the Potiguar Basin, off Rio Grande do Norte State, Northeastern Brazil. In this paper two polychaete species and four black corals species are redescribed. Benhamipolynoecf.antipathicola and Parahololepidellacf.greeffi, and the black coral Stylopathesadinocrada Opresko, 2006 are recorded for the Southwestern Atlantic. Benhamipolynoecf.antipathicola was first described from off New Zealand and the Malay Archipelago, as symbiont with the black coral Stylopathestenuispina (Silberfeld, 1909). It was later reported for the North Atlantic, off Florida, associated with Stylopathescolumnaris (Duchassaing, 1870). In our study, B.cf.antipathicola was found in association with the black coral S.adinocrada. Parahololepidellacf.greeffi was first described as a free-living from shallow waters off São Tomé and Cabo Verde Islands, West Africa, and later reported as symbiont with the black coral Tanacetipathescf.spinescens in the same location. Our data expand both the geographical distribution and the host range of this species which is reported for the first time as symbiont with Tanacetipathesbarbadensis (Brook, 1889), T.tanacetum (Pourtalès, 1880) and T.thamnea (Warner, 1981) in Brazil. The aim of this study is to discuss commensal associations between two species of scale-worm polynoids and black corals found in the Southwestern Atlantic, and also reporting their global distribution. Finally, we provided an updated list of the commensal polynoids and their black coral hosts.

One specimen of the Atlantic polychaete Hydroides similoides is here reported as the first record for Brazil. After being first described from the Caribbean region (Puerto Rico-Venezuela), the range of distribution of this species is now extended to the Picãozinho reefs, State of Paraíba, Brazil (south-western Atlantic).

Polynoidae is a diverse group of polychaetes known as scale-worms, found in different marine regions. However this rich family is little studied in Brazil, especially along the northeastern coast of the country. We report Chaetacanthus magnificus, a first record for the northeastern coast of Brazil, establish this species as valid, differentiating it from other synonyms found in several studies which report polychaetes in Central and South America. The polychaetes found by Project Algae of Paraíba are in the collection of Laboratory of Marine Invertebrates Paulo Young, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil.KEY WORDSPolychaetes, Polynoidae, scale-worm, South America, new record