Original description as Harengula jaguana:
- Poey y Aloy, Felipe. 1865. "Peces nuevos de la Isla de Cuba". Repertorio Fisico-Natural de la Isla de Cuba. 1:181-192 (ffm00358)
Conservation: Harengula jaguana is not evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species.