Original description as Heros melanurus:
ZooBank:6FF32937-307E-441E-91EB-AB4C6F90BAF1.
- Günther, Albert C. L. G. 1862. "Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the Acanthopterygii, Pharyngognathi and Anacanthini in the collection of the British Museum". Catalogue of the fishes in the British Museum. 4; i-xxi + 1-534 (ffm00035)
Synonyms (2):
- Heros melanopogon Steindachner, 1864, with type locality at Central America. Determiner: Regan, 1905
- Cichlasoma synspilum Hubbs, 1935, with type locality at San Pedro de Martir, a tributary of Río Usumacinta, Departamento Petén, Guatemala. Determiner: McMahan, 2011
Conservation: Vieja melanurus is not evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species. Vieja melanurus remains stable in most of its range.