Monophyly of the Anisochrominae is supported by eight autapomorphies: ectopterygoid and mesopterygoid well separated from palatine; preopercle well separated from skull; dorsal insertion of posterior mandibulohyoid ligament; dentary not forked; medial origin of A1 section of adductor mandibulae; high number of epineural bones; low number of circumpeduncular scales; and low number of lower-limb gill rakers. The subfamily includes a single genus, Anisochromis, with three species, which are distinguished on the basis of various meristic and male coloration characters: A. kenyae Smith from east Africa, the Comoros Islands and Madagascar; A. mascarenensis new species from Réunion and Mauritius; and A. straussi Springer, Smith and Fraser from Saint Brandon's Shoals.