Genus Chaetonotus Ehrenberg, 1830

Typus generis: Chaetonotus larus (Müller, 1773) Terra typica: Denmark

A polyphyletic taxon, with only one apparently monophyletic subgenus ( Chaetonotus (Zonochaeta) Remane, 1927) encompasses 165 nominal freshwater species and 44 nominal marine species (Kånneby et al. 2012, 2013; Todaro & d'Hondt 2013). Present in benthic, interstitial, peryphytic and rarely semiplanktonic habitats.