Original description:
- Heckel, Johann Jakob. 1848. "Eine neue Gattung von Poecilien mit rochenartigem Anklammerungs-Organe". Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde in Berlin. 1:289-303 (ffm04582)
Type species: Xiphophorus hellerii Heckel, 1848 (subsequent designation).
Described species included (35):
valid: 24 synonym: 11- Xiphophorus hellerii Heckel, 1848 (valid)
- Limia couchiana Girard, 1859 (valid)
- Platypoecilus maculatus Günther, 1866 (valid)
- Xiphophorus guntheri Jordan & Everman, 1896 (synonym)
- Xiphophorus montezumae Jordan & Snyder, 1899 (valid)
- Xiphophorus jalapae Meek, 1902 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus variatus Meek, 1904 (valid)
- Xiphophorus brevis Regan, 1907 (synonym)
- Xiphophorus strigatus Regan, 1907 (synonym)
- Xiphophorus malinche Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1910 (valid)
- Xiphophorus rachovii Regan, 1911 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus nigra Brind, 1914 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus pulchra Brind, 1914 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus rubra Brind, 1914 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus xiphidium Hubbs & Gordon, 1932 (valid)
- Platypoecilus maculatus aurata Stoye, 1935 (synonym)
- Platypoecilus maculatus sanguinea Stoye, 1935 (synonym)
- Xiphophorus pygmaeus Hubbs & Gordon, 1943 (valid)
- Xiphophorus clemenciae Alvarez, 1959 (valid)
- Xiphophorus helleri alvarezi Rosen, 1960 (valid)
- Xiphophorus montezumae cortezi Rosen, 1960 (valid)
- Xiphophorus variatus evelynae Rosen, 1960 (valid)
- Xiphophorus milleri Rosen, 1960 (valid)
- Xiphophorus pygmaeus nigrensis Rosen, 1960 (valid)
- Xiphophorus gordoni Miller & Minckley, 1963 (valid)
- Xiphophorus andersi Meyer & Schartl, 1980 (valid)
- Xiphophorus montezumae birchmanni Lechner & Radda, 1987 (valid)
- Xiphophorus meyeri Schartl & Schröder, 1988 (valid)
- Xiphophorus marmoratus Obregón-Barboza & Contreras-Balderas, 1988 (synonym)
- Xiphophorus continens Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990 (valid)
- Xiphophorus multilineatus Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990 (valid)
- Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl Rauchenberger, Kallman & Morizot, 1990 (valid)
- Xiphophorus kallmani Meyer & Schartl, 2003 (valid)
- Xiphophorus mixei Kallman, Walter, Morizot & Kazianis, 2004 (valid)
- Xiphophorus monticolus Kallman, Walter, Morizot & Kazianis, 2004 (valid)