 This subfamily is monophyletic.This group is considered by Nelson, 2016 "Fishes of the World" to be a subfamily of the family Melanotaeniidae.When treated as a family it has been placed by some authorities in a suborder Melanotaenioidei which includes the sister groups Bedotiidae and Melanotaeniidae, as well as Pseudomugilidae (including Telmatherininae).