Original description as Gerres peruvianus:
- Cuvier, Georges & A. Valenciennes. 1830. "Tome Sixième. Livre sixième. Partie I. Des Sparoïdes; Partie II. Des Ménides". Histoire naturelle des poissons. 6:1-559 (ffm00466)
Conservation: Diapterus peruvianus is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (LC) least concern (2010).