The 6th International Polychaete Conference took place in Curitiba, Brazil, from August 2–7, 1998, drawing together 145 scientists and 20 guests from 29 countries. Hosted at the Teatro da Reitoria, the event featured 42 oral presentations and 78 posters spanning taxonomy, ecology, reproduction, molecular biology, and phylogeny. A mid-week excursion offered a scenic trip to the Paraná coast and the Center for Marine Studies in Portal do Sul.

Workshops held before the conference—including one in Rio de Janeiro and a course on cladistics at Portal do Sul—welcomed students and researchers from across the globe. A special session honored Dr. Edmundo Ferraz Nonato, a pioneer of Brazilian polychaetology. The peer-reviewed proceedings were published in the Bulletin of Marine Science and included 45 accepted papers. Curitiba’s warm hospitality and a vibrant academic program made IPC 6 a memorable and formative meeting for many in the polychaete research community.