Together with the armadillos, which are in the order Cingulata, pilosans are part of the larger superorder Xenarthra, a defining characteristic of which is the presence of xenarthrals (extra formations between lumbar vertebrae). In the past, Pilosa was regarded as a suborder of the order Xenarthra, while some more recent classifications regard Pilosa as an order within the superorder Xenarthra.
Pilosans, along with armadillos in the Cingulata order, are part of the larger group Xenarthra, distinguished by the presence of xenarthrals. Previously, Pilosa was viewed as a subgroup within Xenarthra, but recent classifications now consider it an independent order under the superorder.