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 A hierarchical classification of a group is the key to our accumulated knowledge. Since Linnaeus, the delineations of groups at various levels and their positions in the hierarchy are based on shared (morphological) similarities, some of which may be symplesiomorphies in today's view. But many groups, such as the orders in the class Diplopoda, have remained stable since their introduction. Ongoing systematic research on a group leads to a significant increase of described species. Delineations of taxa are modified, and consequently, taxon names and ranks change. While such name changes are often somewhat naively decried as a 'bad habit of taxonomists', it is imperative to assert that such name changes are the result of badly needed progress in the systematics of the organisms in question.
 Name changes do hamper access to the legacy data in the literature, especially for the non-taxon expert. We provide a set of six tables facilitating access to the current classification of the Diplopoda (Shelley, 2003) as well as to great classical monographs by Attems, Brölemann, Pocock, and Silvestri (cited in the Bibliography) .
The current classification of the Diplopoda employs the following ranks:
Class Diplopoda
Subclass Penicillata, Chilognatha
Infraclass Pentazonia, Helminthomorpha
Subterclass Colobognatha, Eugnatha
Superorder Juliformia, Nematophora,
 Merocheta
Order, indicated by the ending –ida, as in Spirobolida
Suborder, indicated by the ending –idea, as in Chordeumatidea
Infraorder, Polydesmoides, Oniscodesmoides, only in the order
Polydesmida
Superfamily, indicated by the ending –oidea as in
Polydesmoidea
Family, indicated by the ending –idae as in Glomeridae
Subfamily, indicated by the ening –inae, as in
Chelodesminae
tribe, indicated by the ending –ini as in Sphaerotheriini
Tables 1, 2 and 3 are based on Shelley's (2003) 'revised, annotated family-level classification' (Arthropoda Selecta, 11(3), 187-207). Tables 4, 5 and 6 are based on Hoffman's (1980) Classification of the Diplopoda (Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle, Genève, 237pp). Tables 4, 5 and 6 are provided here for convenience, no nomenclatorial actions are intended; they do not contain complete synonymies, but merely list frequently used older taxon names and their current valid counterpart. In tables 4a, 5a, and 6a taxon names are arranged in alphabetical order of the currently used taxon names; in tables 4b, 5b, and 6b the taxa are arranged in alphabetical order of the synonyms.
The following tables are available as a downloadable pdf by clicking on the acrobat icon 
Table 1: Family-level classification of the Diplopoda 87 KB
Table 2: Supra-familial classification of the Diplopoda 51 KB
Table 3: Valid millipede families in alphabetical order 119 KB
Tables 4a, 4 b: Supra-familial taxon names and their synonyms 24 KB
Tables 5a, 5b: Family synonyms 219 KB
Tables 6a, 6b: Synonyms of subfamilies and tribes 176 KB
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