Macrosternodesmidae

Macrosternodesmidae is a family of flat-backed millipedes in the order Polydesmida. Some authorities deem Macrosternodesmidae to be a junior synonym of Trichopolydesmidae. Others accept Macrosternodesmidae as a valid family but disagree regarding the genera included in this family.

== Taxonomy == In 1916, the French myriapodologist Henry W. Brölemann proposed Macrosternodesmini as a tribe to include the monotypic European genus Macrosternodesmus, which he had described earlier in 1908. In 1980, the American biologist Richard L. Hoffman elevated this tribe name to family status as Macrosternodesmidae. In 2013, however, the Russian zoologist Sergei I. Golovatch deemed Macrosternodesmidae to be a junior synonym of Trichopolydesmidae. In 2017, the biologists William A. Shear and James M. Reddell rejected this proposed synonymy and retained Macrosternodesmidae as a valid family mostly endemic to North America but also including Macrosternodesmus and three other monotypic European genera.