[4] When Edward Dickinson and James Van Remsen, Jr. updated the Howard and Moore Complete Checklist of the Birds of the World for the 4th edition in 2013 they based their classification on these results and placed three of the nine clades in the subfamily Trochilinae.

The clades were placed in separate tribes which they named Mellisugini (bees), Lampornithini (mountain gems) and Trochilini (emeralds).

[7] Molecular phylogenetic studies by Jimmy McGuire and collaborators published between 2007 and 2014 determined the relationships between the major groups of hummingbirds.

[9] Florisuginae – topazes Phaethornithinae – hermits Polytminae – mangoes Heliantheini – brilliants Lesbiini – coquettes Patagoninae – giant hummingbird Lampornithini – mountain gems Mellisugini – bees Trochilini – emeralds The cladogram below shows the relationships between the genera and is based on a molecular phylogenetic study by Yuyini Licona-Vera and Juan Francisco Ornelas published in 2017.

[3] The males of most species in the tribe Mellisugini have specialized tail feathers that produce sounds during their courtship display.