Mecistocephalidae is a monophyletic family of centipedes in the order Geophilomorpha. This family is the only family in the monotypic suborder Placodesmata. Most species in this family live in tropical or subtropical regions, but some occur in temperate regions. This family is the third most diverse in the order Geophiliomorpha (after Geophilidae and Schendylidae), with about 170 species, including about 130 species in the genus Mecistocephalus.

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