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The class Diplopoda consists of 2 subclasses, 16 orders, and 145 families. Forty-nine families, comprising around 213 genera and 910 nominal species, occur in North America (=the US and Canada), but hundreds more await description particularly in the families Glomeridae (Glomerida); Parajulidae (Julida); Atopetholidae (Spirobolida); Cleidogonidae, Trichopetalidae, and Striariidae (Chordeumatida); and Xystodesmidae, Polydesmidae, and Nearctodesmidae (Polydesmida). Of these 49 families, 39 are indigenous (17 of which are endemic), 5 are wholly introduced, and 5 contain both native and allochthonous species. As the Diplopoda is more speciose than the Chilopoda, the taxonomy is necessarily more complex, and additional categories are required: Infraclass, Subterclass, and Infraorders in the Polydesmida: Polydesmidea (see family-level classification below, taken from Shelley (2003)). Families represented in North America are marked with asterisks (*); "E" denotes an endemic family, "Int." one that is wholly introduced, and "N, I" one with both native and introduced species.

Class Diplopoda de Blainville in Gervais, 1844
Subclass Penicillata Latreille, 1831
Order Polyxenida Verhoeff, 1934
                       Superfamily Polyxenoidea Lucas, 1840
                          Family Hypogexenidae Schubart, 1947
                        Family Lophoproctidae Silvestri, 1897
                        Family Polyxenidae Lucas, 1840*
                       Superfamily Synxenoidea Silvestri, 1923
                          Family Synxenidae Silvestri, 1923
Subclass Chilognatha Latreille, 1802/1803
     Infraclass Pentazonia Brandt, 1833
     Superorder Limacomorpha Pocock, 1894
              Order Glomeridesmida Cook, 1895
              Family Glomeridesmidae Latzel, 1884
           Superorder Oniscomorpha Pocock, 1887
              Order Glomerida Brandt, 1833
                        Family Doderiidae Silvestri, 1904
                        Family Glomeridae Leach, 1815*
                        Family Glomeridellidae Cook, 1896
            Order Sphaerotheriida Brandt, 1833
                        Family Sphaerotheriidae C. L. Koch, 1847
                        Family Zephroniidae Gray in Jones, 1843
Infraclass Helminthomorpha Pocock, 1887
        Subterclass Colobognatha Brandt, 1834
        Order Platydesmida Cook, 1895
              Family Andrognathidae Cope, 1869*
                        Family Platydesmidae DeSaussure, 1860
            Order Polyzoniida Cook, 1895
              Family Hirudisomatidae Silvestri, 1896*
                        Family Polyzoniidae Newport, 1844*
                        Family Siphonotidae Cook, 1895* Int.
            Order Siphonocryptida Cook, 1895
              Family Siphonocryptidae Pocock, 1894
            Order Siphonophorida Hoffman, 1980
              Family Siphonophoridae Newport, 1844*
                        Family Siphonorhinidae Cook, 1895*
Subterclass Eugnatha Attems, 1898
           Superorder Juliformia Attems, 1926
              Order Julida Brandt, 1833
                 Superfamily Blaniuloidea C. L. Koch, 1847
                          Family Blaniulidae C. L. Koch, 1847* N, I
                        Family Galliobatidae Brolemann, 1921
                        Family Okeanobatidae Verhoeff, 1942*
                        Family Zosteractinidae Loomis, 1943* E
                       Superfamily Juloidea Leach, 1814
                          Family Julidae Leach, 1814* Int.
                        Family Rhopaloiulidae Attems, 1926
                        Family Trichoblaniulidae Verhoeff, 1911
                        Family Trichonemasomatidae Enghoff, 1991
                       Superfamily Nemasomatoidea Bollman, 1893
                        Family Chelojulidae Enghoff, 1991* E
                        Family Nemasomatidae Bollman, 1893* N, I
                        Family Pseudonemasomatidae Enghoff, 1991
                        Family Telsonemasomatidae Enghoff, 1991* E
                       Superfamily Paeromopodoidea Cook, 1895
                        Family Aprosphylosomatidae Hoffman, 1961* E
                        Family Paeromopodidae Cook, 1895* E
                       Superfamily Parajuloidea Bollman, 1893
                        Family Mongoliulidae Pocock, 1903
                        Family Parajulidae Bollman, 1893*
            Order Spirobolida Cook, 1895
                 Suborder Spirobolidea Cook, 1895
                    Family Allopocockiidae Keeton, 1960*
                        Family Atopetholidae Chamberlin, 1918*
                        Family Floridobolidae Keeton, 1959* E
                        Family Hoffmanobolidae Shelley, 2001
                        Family Messicobolidae Loomis, 1968
                        Family Pseudospirobolellidae Brölemann, 1913
                        Family Rhinocricidae Brölemann, 1913
                        Family Spirobolellidae Brölemann, 1913
                        Family Spirobolidae Bollman, 1893*
                        Family Typhlobolellidae Hoffman, 1969
                 Suborder Trigoniulidea Brölemann, 1913
                        Family Pachybolidae Cook, 1897
                        Family Trigoniulidae Attems, 1909
            Order Spirostreptida Brandt, 1833
                 Suborder Cambalidea Cook, 1895
                        Family Cambalidae Bollman, 1893*
                        Family Cambalopsidae Cook, 1895
                        Family Glyphiulidae Chamberlin, 1922
                        Family Pericambalidae Silvestri, 1909
                 Suborder Epinannolenidea Chamberlin, 1922
                        Family Choctellidae Chamberlin & Hoffman, 1950* E
                        Family Iulomorphidae Verhoeff, 1924
                        Family Pseudonannolenidae Silvestri, 1895
                 Suborder Spirostreptidea Brandt, 1833
                 Superfamily Odontopygoidea Attems, 1909
                        Family Atopogestidae Hoffman, 1980
                        Family Odontopygidae Attems, 1909
                       Superfamily Spirostreptoidea Pocock, 1894
                        Family Adiaphorostreptidae Hoffman, 1977
                        Family Harpagophoridae Attems, 1909
                        Family Spirostreptidae Pocock, 1894*
           Superorder Nematophora Verhoeff, 1913
            Order Callipodida Pocock, 1894
                 Suborder Callipodidea Pocock, 1894
                        Family Callipodidae Bollman, 1893
                 Suborder Schizopetalidea Hoffman, 1973
                        Family Abacionidae Shelley, 1979*
                        Family Caspiopetalidae Lohmander, 1931
                        Family Dorypetalidae Verhoeff, 1900
                        Family Paracortinidae Wang & Zhang, 1993
                        Family Schizopetalidae Verhoeff, 1909*
                 Suborder Sinocallipodidea Shear, 2000
                        Family Sinocallipodidae Zhang, 1993
              Order Chordeumatida Pocock, 1894
                 Suborder Chordeumatidea Pocock, 1894
                       Superfamily Chordeumatoidea C. L. Koch, 1847
                        Family Chordeumatidae C. L. Koch, 1847
                        ?Family Speophilosomatidae Takakuwa, 1949
                 Suborder Craspedosomatidea Cook, 1895
                       Superfamily Anthroleucosomatoidea Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Anthroleucosomatidae Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Haasiidae Hoffman, 1980
                        Family Origmatogonidae Verhoeff, 1914
                        Family Vandeleumatidae Mauriès, 1970
                       Superfamily Brannerioidea Cook, 1896
                        Family Brachychaeteumatidae Verhoeff, 1911
                        Family Branneriidae Cook, 1896* E
                        Family Chamaesomatidae Verhoeff, 1913
                        Family Golovatchiidae Shear, 1992
                        Family Heterolatzeliidae Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Kashmireumatidae Mauriès, 1982
                        Family Microlympiidae Shear & Leonard, 2003* E
                        Family Macrochaeteumatidae Verhoeff, 1914
                        Family Niponiosomatidae Verhoeff, 1941
                        Family Tingupidae Loomis, 1966* E
                        Family Trachygonidae Cook, 1896
                       Superfamily Cleidogonoidea Cook, 1896
                        Family Biokoviellidae Mršic, 1992
                        Family Cleidogonidae Cook, 1896*
                        Family Entomobielziidae Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Lusitaniosomatidae Schubart, 1953
                        Family Opisthocheiridae Ribaut, 1913
                        Family Trichopetalidae Verhoeff, 1914*
                       Superfamily Craspedosomatoidea Gray in Jones, 1843
                        Family Attemsiidae Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Craspedosomatidae Gray in Jones, 1843* Int.
                        Family Haplobainosomatidae Verhoeff, 1909
                       Superfamily Haaseoidea Attems, 1899
                        Family Haaseidae Attems, 1899
                       Superfamily Mastigophorophylloidea Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Altajellidae Mikhaljova & Golovatch, 2001
                        Family Hoffmaneumatidae Golovatch, 1978
                        Family Mastigophorophyllidae Verhoeff, 1899
                       Superfamily Neoatractosomatoidea Verhoeff, 1901
                        Family Neoatractosomatidae Verhoeff, 1901
                       Superfamily Verhoeffioidea Verhoeff, 1899
                        Family Verhoeffiidae Verhoeff, 1899
                 Suborder Heterochordeumatidea Shear, 2000
                       Superfamily Conotyloidea Cook, 1896
                        Family Adritylidae Shear, 1971* E
                        Family Conotylidae Cook, 1896*
                       Superfamily Diplomaragnoidea Attems, 1907
                        Family Diplomaragnidae Attems, 1907
                       Superfamily Heterochordeumatoidea Pocock, 1894
                        Family Eudigonidae Verhoeff, 1914
                        Family Heterochordeumatidae Pocock, 1894
                        Family Megalotylidae Golovatch, 1978
                        Family Metopidiotrichidae Attems, 1907
                        ?Family Peterjohnsiidae Mauriès, 1987
                       Superfamily Pygmaeosomatoidea Carl, 1941
                        Family Lankasomatidae Mauriès, 1978
                        Family Pygmaeosomatidae Carl, 1941
                 Suborder Striariidea Cook, 1896
                       Superfamily Caseyoidea Verhoeff, 1909
                        Family Caseyidae Verhoeff, 1909*
                        Family Urochordeumatidae Silvestri, 1909* E
                       Superfamily Striarioidea Bollman, 1893
                        Family Apterouridae Loomis, 1966* E
                        Family Rhiscosomididae Silvestri, 1909* E
                        Family Striariidae Bollman, 1893* E
            Order Stemmiulida Cook, 1895
                        Family Stemmiulidae Pocock, 1894
           Superorder Merocheta Cook, 1895
            Order Polydesmida Pocock, 1887
                 Suborder Leptodesmidea Brölemann, 1916
                 Superfamily Chelodesmoidea Cook, 1895
                        Family Chelodesmidae Cook, 1895
                       Superfamily Platyrhacoidea Pocock, 1895
                        Family Aphelidesmidae Brölemann, 1916
                        Family Platyrhacidae Pocock, 1895
                       Superfamily Rhachodesmoidea Carl, 1903
                        Family Rhachodesmidae Carl, 1903
                        Family Tridontomidae Loomis & Hoffman, 1962
                       Superfamily Sphaeriodesmoidea Humbert & DeSaussure, 1869
                        Family Campodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Holistophallidae Silvestri, 1909
                        Family Sphaeriodesmidae Humbert & DeSaussure, 1869
                       Superfamily Xystodesmoidea Cook, 1895
                        Family Eurymerodesmidae Causey, 1951* E
                        Family Euryuridae Pocock, 1909* E
                        Family Gomphodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Oxydesmidae Cook, 1895
                        Family Xystodesmidae Cook, 1895*
                 Suborder Dalodesmidea Hoffman, 1980
                        Family Dalodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Vaalogonopodidae Verhoeff, 1940
                 Suborder Strongylosomatidea Brölemann, 1916
                        Family Paradoxosomatidae Daday, 1889* Int.
                 Suborder Polydesmidea Pocock, 1887
                    Infraorder Oniscodesmoides Simonsen, 1990
                       Superfamily Oniscodesmoidea DeSaussure, 1860
                        Family Dorsoporidae Loomis, 1958
                        Family Oniscodesmidae DeSaussure, 1860
                       Superfamily Pyrgodesmoidea Silvestri, 1896
                        Family Ammodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Cyrtodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Pyrgodesmidae Silvestri, 1896* N, I
                    Infraorder Polydesmoides Pocock, 1887
                       Superfamily Haplodesmoidea Cook, 1895
                        Family Doratodesmidae Cook, 1896
                        Family Haplodesmidae Cook, 1895* Int.
                       Superfamily Opisotretoidea Hoffman, 1980
                        Family Opisotretidae Hoffman, 1980
                       Superfamily Polydesmoidea Leach, 1815
                        Family Cryptodesmidae Karsch, 1880
                        Family Polydesmidae Leach, 1815* N, I
                       Superfamily Trichopolydesmoidea Verhoeff, 1910
                        Family Fuhrmannodesmidae Brölemann, 1916
                        Family Macrosternodesmidae Brölemann, 1916* N, I
                        Family Nearctodesmidae Chamberlin & Hoffman, 1950*
                        Family Trichopolydesmidae Verhoeff, 1910
   Helminthomorpha incertae sedis
            Order Siphoniulida Cook, 1895
                        Family Siphoniulidae Pocock, 1894

Shelley, R. M. 2003 (2002). A revised, annotated, family-level classification of the Diplopoda.
            Arthropoda Selecta, 11(3):187-207.

download list of families (4.3KB .txt file)