Guides to Australian Annelida aims to make the biodiversity data on Australian annelid fauna more widely accessible through keys and identification guides.  Specialist taxonomic literature is difficult to access and to use, especially by non-taxonomists. This topical collection will provide a resource to facilitate identification of the phylum Annelida, at various taxonomic levels. Guides will assemble keys, reviews and other identification resources catering for the non-specialist, with an initial focus on the marine annelid (‘polychaete’) families – in particular, four families that encompass some of the most ecologically important and most frequently encountered species, and about 30% of all polychaete genera: Nereididae, Polynoidae, Serpulidae and Terebellidae.

Guides to Australian Annelida is the outcome of a 4-year research project collaboration between three Australian Museums (Australian Museum, Museum Victoria, Museum & Art Gallery Northern Territory), supported by a grant from the Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.