[2] 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 divided the nine clades into six subfamilies and proposed using the Latin name Polytminae for the "mango" clade, a name that had been introduced by Ludwig Reichenbach in 1849.

[3][4] Pre-molecular studies did not anticipate the existence of this clade, but a common feature is the presence of serrations on the cutting edge of the bill.

[5] 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 phylogenetic relationships between the genera in the subfamily Polytminae, as determined in the 2014 study, are shown below.

[5] Doryfera – lancebills Schistes – daggerbills Colibri – violetears Heliactin – horned sungem Androdon – tooth-billed hummingbird Heliothryx – fairies Polytmus – goldenthroats Avocettula – fiery-tailed awlbill Chrysolampis – ruby-topaz hummingbird Anthracothorax and Eulampis – mangoes and caribs The subfamily includes the following twelve genera:[10]