In the past, they have sometimes been considered to belong in a separate family, Phlebotomidae, but this alternative classification has not gained wide acceptance.

Anne Yue-Hashimoto has proposed an alternative classification based on a wider sampling of features:

Under an alternative classification, they are considered the only living representatives of a separate, archaic suborder called "Archidiptera".

However, no alternative classification was proposed and the species is thus technically "unassigned to genus."

This turmoil in taxonomy has led to many alternative classifications.

These regions are not always used, and alternative classifications are possible.

Several alternative classifications have been forwarded, though there is no consensus in the field.

In his study Anthony distinguished three alternative classifications of organization:

An alternative classification has been proposed by Valentin (Cotton, 1954).

For some clades, a number of alternative classifications are used.