The genus was circumscribed by Finnish lichenologist Edvard August Vainio in 1890. Historically, it has at times been considered as a synonym of genus Thelenella. Families in which the genus has previously been classified are the Verrucariaceae, Strigulaceae, and the Aspidotheliaceae, a monogeneric family circumscribed especially to contain this genus. Modern molecular phylogenetic analysis has shown its placement in the family Thelenellaceae, allied with the order Ostropales.
