[1] These centipedes are found in subarctic and temperate regions of Asia, North America, and western Europe.

[2] The taxon Arctogeophilus was first proposed in 1909 by the Austrian myriapodologist Carl Attems as a subgenus within the genus Geophilus.

[7][4][8] The North American species A. melanonotus is notable for its large size, reaching 50 mm in length.

[8] The Russian species A. macrocephalus can have as few as 35 leg pairs,[5] the minimum number recorded in this genus.

[2] The North American species A. atopus can have as many as 69 leg pairs,[9][8] the maximum number recorded in this genus.