The term was originally defined by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon as a section of the genus Merulius in 1801.

[1] Serpula forms a clade with at least two other closely related genera, Austropaxillus and Gymnopaxillus, the three composing the family Serpulaceae.

Using molecular clock analysis, the split between Austropaxillus and Serpula has been estimated to have occurred about 34.9 mya, roughly coinciding with the separation of South America and Australia from Antarctica.

[5] The members of the genus Serpula form flat brown fruit bodies that cover the surface they are growing on (known as the substrate).

The fungal hyphae penetrate the wood and release enzymes that break down structural polysaccharides such as cellulose.