[1] Genetic analysis has been used to suggest Brachycnemina is a monophyletic group diverging within the paraphyletic Macrocnemina.

[1] Brachycnemia species habitate most environments, ranging from shallow tropical reefs to cold seeps in the deep sea.

[2] Due to the members of this suborder being loosely collected, there are no standard characteristics uniting them besides slight morphological, ecological and phylogenetic differences.

[3] This suborder counts with 3 taxonomic families, namely Neozoanthidae, which is monogeneric; Sphenopidae, which includes sand-encrusted and colonial specimens like the commonly found Palythoa and Sphenopus, itself found in a few discrete areas; and Zoanthidae, whose belonging species do not show sand encrustation.

[4] Palythoa and Zoanthus are two of the most common coral genera and are intensively studied for their bioactive compounds.