Original description as Gerres mexicanus:
- Steindachner, Franz. 1863. "Ueber eine neue Gerres-Art aus Mexiko". Verhandlungen der K.-K. zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien. 13:383-384 (ffm00465)
Conservation: Diapterus mexicanus is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (LC) least concern (2009).