Subfamily Tanarctinae Renaud-Mornant, 1980

Diagnosis (following Jørgensen & Kristensen 2001): Halechiniscids with strongly telescopic legs that have lance-like tibia and conical tarsus. External claw always simple with a prominent calcar; the internal claw may have a small dorsal spur. Leg I–III sense organs are spines; leg IV sense organs strongly modified to long clava-like or bifurcate appendages. Epicuticle may have small dorso-lateral ‘hour-glass’ or very long rod-like pillars. The two dorso-lateral spherical seminal receptacles with spindle-shaped ventral ducts open close to or lateral for the female gonopore.

Type genus: Actinarctus Schulz, 1935

Additional genera: Tanarctus Renaud-Debyser, 1959; Zioella Renaud-Mornant, 1987 .