They lived during the late Lower Cambrian and species occurred on all paleocontinents.

Palmer and Repina[1] assigned Gabriellus and Callavia to the Olenelloidea, but the ocular lobes in these two genera circumscribe the entire lateral border of the frontal lobe of the glabella, and thus, do not belong to this superfamily, but to the Judomioidea.

Geyer[2] assigned Cambropallas to the Olenelloidea, but it lacks the diagnostic features and appears to be closely related to Andalusiana, and is now considered to be an advanced member of the Nevadioidea.

[4] As with most early trilobites, the Olenelloidea have an almost flat exoskeleton, that is only thinly calcified, and has crescent-shaped eye ridges.

As part of the Olenellina suborder, the Olenelloidea lack dorsal sutures.