Chilognatha is a subclass of the class Diplopoda, which includes the vast majority of extant millipedes, about 12,000 species.

The classification of Chilognatha presented below is based on Shear, 2011,[1] and Shear & Edgecombe, 2010[2] (extinct groups).

Recent cladistic and molecular studies have challenged the traditional classification schemes above, and in particular the position of the orders Siphoniulida and Polyzoniida is not yet well established.

[3] The placement and positions of extinct groups (†) known only from fossils is tentative and not fully resolved.

[3][2] After each name is listed the author citation: the name of the person who coined the name or defined the group, even if not at the current rank.