Abstract
An overview of polynoid scale worms known to occur on cold-water coral reefs of the northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea is given, including a key for identification of species. Harmothoe oculinarum (Storm, 1879), H. vesiculosa Ditlevsen, 1917, and Leucia violacea (Storm, 1879) comb. nov. are redescribed. A lectotype is designated for H. vesiculosa and the generic status of Leucia violacea (Storm, 1879) comb. nov. and Neolagisca jeffreysi (McIntosh, 1876) comb. nov. are changed. The biogeography of the species is discussed.