They first appeared in the uppermost Cambrian (upper Furongian), and persisted until the end of the Middle Devonian (Givetian).

[2] The subfamily Cheirurina with 269 species in 38 genera occur from the Floian to the Givetian and are probably monophyletic.

The Cyrtometopinae were present between the Floian and the Upper Katian, enveloping 22 species in 5 genera, of which the monophyly is unclear.

The possibly paraphyletic Eccoptochilinae with 67 species in 13 genera are known between the Floian and upper Katian.

The Pilekiinae are the earliest subfamily and therefore certainly paraphyletic, occurring in the upper Furongian and going extinct in the Darriwilian with 56 known species assigned to 19 genera.