Most polyglyphanodontians are Late Cretaceous in age, with the highest diversity in the group being known from East Asia.

[4] Early Cretaceous South American taxon Tijubina, and possibly also Olindalacerta, might also fall within Polyglyphanodontia or be closely allied to the group, but if so, they would be two of only four Gondwanan examples of an otherwise Laurasian clade[5] (the other two, and the only unambiguous ones, being Bicuspidon hogreli from the Kem Kem Beds of Morocco and Cryptobicuspidon pachysymphysealis from the Quiricó Formation of Brazil).

Chamopsiids, including Chamops, from North America have tricuspid teeth, and were generally small in size.

Members of the family Polyglyphanodontidae primarily known from Europe and North America (including Polyglyphanodon, Paraglyphanodon, Dicodon and Bicuspidon) have large teeth that are transversely orientated, and were likely herbivorous as well as possibly ominivorous.

Some gilmoreteiids developed a complete lower temporal bar similar to that found in the tuatara, but is otherwise unheard of in lizards.