This paper investigates phylogenetic relationships within the Muscicapinae based on analysis of cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene sequences (1 176 bp). Sixteen species representing six of eight putative
Muscicapinae genera were analysed, and
Dicrurus hottentottus
and
Lanius isabellinus
were selected as outgroups. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed using the Bayesian (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods. The results suggest that
Terpsiphone,
Rhipidura and
Culicicapa are distant relatives of the other genera of
Muscicapinae, and
Rhipidura is a close relative of
Culicicapa. Muscicapa is a monophyletic taxon, but the phylogenetic relationships of Muscicapa, Niltava and Ficedula are still uncertain. Our results suggest that
Muscicapa thalassina
should be placed in Niltava. These results resolve the phylogenetic relationships among some genera of Muscicapinae and provide some molecular phylogenetic evidence for taxonomic research of Muscicapinae.