Fossils of the single and type species, H. banksii, have been discovered in deposits of Silurian age in Herefordshire and Shropshire, England.

Herefordopterus is classified in Hughmilleriidae, a pterygotioid family that is differentiated by their streamlined bodies, the enlargement of its medium-sized chelicerae and the presence of paired spines on the walking appendages.

[2] Herefordopterus stands out for its great resemblance to Hughmilleria with derived (more "advanced") elements reminiscent of Slimonidae and Pterygotidae, such as its number of gnathobasic teeth or the ornamentation of the telson.

Salter noted a scale-like sculpturing on its forward margin and related the species to H. lanceolatus (now tentatively placed in the genus Nanahughmilleria).

He decided to dedicate the specific name banksii to Richard Banks of Kington, who found several well-preserved specimens of Himantopterus and sent them to Salter.

[2] The separation of H. banksii as an independent genus was predicted by Størmer in 1973, when he noticed that the morphology of the type B genital appendage was more similar to that of Parahughmilleria.

The new study helped to redistribute erroneously assigned material, to reinterpret the morphology of H. banksii and to question the basality and phylogenetic position of Hughmilleria with respect to Slimonidae and Pterygotidae.

Tetlie erected a new genus due to the obvious similarity with Hughmilleria with several derived characteristics shared with the slimonids and pterygotids.

In addition, the poorly known species Hughmilleria acuminata, previously known only by two telsons, was synonymized with Herefordopterus due to being anteriorly wide.