For many years the African river martin was the sole member of its genus and subfamily until the discovery of the white-eyed river martin, "Pseudochelidon eurystomina", by Thai ornithologist Kitti Thonglongya in 1968. Although some authorities follow Brooke in placing that species in a separate genus "Eurochelidon" due to its significant differences from the African species, it remains a member of the same subfamily. Genetic studies confirmed that the two river martins form a distinct clade from the typical swallows in the Hirundininae subfamily.