"Leimacomys" has been transferred back and forth between the Dendromurinae and the Murinae since its discovery. It most closely resembles "Lophuromys" which has been transferred to a newly erected Deomyinae on the basis of molecular data. The association with "Lophuromys" is thought to be due to convergent evolution due to a similar diet (Dieterlen, 1976). Tooth characters resemble dendromurines, "Mystromys" or basal gerbils. Denys et al. (1995) generated a phylogeny that suggested with limited support that "Leimacomys" is a sister taxon to the Gerbillinae.