Mylacris lucifugum was named by Scudder (1884). Its type specimen is Lacoe 2017, a tegmen, and it is an impression. Its type locality is D Coal; Port Griffith switchback, near Pittston, which is in a Westphalian D terrestrial siliciclastic in the Llewellyn Formation of Pennsylvania.

It was recombined as Orthomylacris lucifuga by Handlirsch (1906), Handlirsch (1906), Handlirsch (1922); it was recombined as Orthomylacris lusifuga by Handlirsch (1920); it was corrected as Mylacris lucifuga by Scudder (1895), Durden (1969).