Platycephaloidei was first recognised and named as a taxonomic grouping in 1943 by the Japanese ichthyologist Kiyomatsu Matsubara.

[2] Other authorities classify the families that make up Patycephaloidei in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World as two suborders; the Platycephaloidei, consisting of the families Bembridae, Parabembridae (separated from Bembridae), Platycephalidae, Hoplichthyidae and Plectrogeniidae (treated as a subfamily of Scorpaenidae in Fishes of the World) and the Trigloidei, including the families Triglidae and Peristediidae.

[3] The name of the suborder is taken from that of the type genus Platycephalus which means "flat head".

[2] The flatheads of the family Platycephalidae are the largest fishes within this taxon with some attaining lengths of 70 cm (28 in).

The Trigloidei are more widely distributed and are also demersal fishes occurring on the continental shelf on sand or mud substrates.