The type species of Rhencus is Pristipoma panamensis which Fishbase still places 'within the genus Pomadasys.[3] Molecular studies now suggest that Pomadasyssensu lato is paraphyletic with the two Rhencus species being basal alongside Pomadasys argenteus, one reason Pomadasys was paraphyletic.[4] The genus Rhencus Jordan & Evermann, 1896 was revived to include the species listed above,[5] the name Pristipoma being unavailable as its type species is Lutjanus hasta, a junior synonym of P. argenteus.[4]
