Abstract: Based on extensive morphological studies of the Chinese fossil osteoglossomorphs as well as the representatives of the major lineages of living osteoglossomorphs, I present the result of a cladistic analysis of 65 characters in 31 taxa, conducted using PAUP software ( version 4. Ob10) . Strict consensus tree of 16 equally parsimonious trees ( tree length of 206 steps, consistency index of 0. 4320 , retention index of 0. 7194) shows that the Chinese Early Cretaceous osteoglossomorphs (Jiuquanichthys, Lycoptera, Kuyangichthys, Jinanichthys, Tongxinichthys, Xixiaichthys, Kuntulunia and Huashia) are mostly stem-groups of the superorder at different levels; Eohiodon and Jiaohichthys are interpreted as sister group rather than generally accepted Eohiodon and Hiodon; Osteoglossiformes consists of Thaumaturus, Notopteroidei and Osteoglossoidei; Notopterids are more closely related to mormyrids than to osteoglossids; Ostariostoma is the sister group to Notopteridae; Osteoglossoidei is coextensive with Osteoglossidae; Paralycoptera is a sister group to Osteoglossinae + Phareodontinae] . The suggestion of a sister group relationship between Paralycoptera and [Osteoglossinae + Phareodontinae) extends the range of Osteoglossidae back to Early Cretaceous.