[3][4][5] Despite being a relatively small group with inconspicuous forms, Atheliaceae members show great diversity in life strategies and are widespread in distribution.

Additionally, being a group strictly composed of largely corticioid fungi, they may also provide insights on the evolution of fruiting body forms in basidiomycetes.

Traditionally, the classification of basidiomycetes placed significant emphasis on readily observable features, such as the construction of the basidiocarp or the hymenophore.

In a 2004 phylogenetic study based on molecular and morphological characters, representatives of Atheliaceae genera Piloderma, Athelia, Tylospora, Byssocorticium, Athelopsis, and Amphinema formed a monophyletic clade.

[9] Subsequently, the order Atheliales was found to be closely related to the Agaricales and Boletales, forming the monophyletic group known as the subclass Agaricomycetidae (class Agaricomycotina) in a 2007 study.

[10] Pucciniomycotina Ustilaginomycotina Tremellomycetes Dacrymycetes Auriculariales Sebacinales Cantharellales Trechisporales Geastrales Gomphales Hysterangiales Phallales Hymenochaetales Corticiales Gloeophyllales Polyporales Thelephorales Russulales Agaricales Atheliales Boletales List of genera and number of species based on the 10th edition of Ainsworth & Bisby's "Dictionary of the Fungi" (2008):[1] Atheliaceae consists of strictly corticioid fungi which resemble thin crusts with soft basidiocarps that are loosely attached to the substrate.