Its position within Ecdysozoa is uncontroversial, but the identity of their closest relatives has been debated. Under the Cycloneuralia hypothesis, the nematoids are considered to be closest to Scalidophora, named for the ring-shaped brains found in these animals.[7] However, this group has seen less support in phylogenetic analyses, with the Cryptovermes hypothesis being more consistently supported,[6][8][9] which groups the nematoids with the panarthropods, although the issue is still not completely settled.
^Hughes, Ian V.; Evans, Scott D.; Droser, Mary L. (November 2024). "An Ediacaran bilaterian with an ecdysozoan affinity from South Australia". Current Biology. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.030.