Original description:
- Heckel, Johann Jakob. 1840. "Johann Natterer's neue Flussfische Brasilien's nach den Beobachtungen und Mittheilungen des Entdeckers beschrieben (Erste Abtheilung, Die Labroiden)". Annalen des Wiener Museums der Naturgeschichte. 325-471 (crc00007)
Type species: Chaetobranchus flavescens Heckel, 1840 (subsequent designation).
Described species included (7):
valid: 2 synonym: 5- Chaetobranchus flavescens Heckel, 1840 (valid)
- Chaetobranchus bruneus Heckel, 1840 (synonym)
- Centrarchus cyanopterus Jardine, 1843 (synonym)
- Chromys ucayalensis Castelnau , 1855 (synonym)
- Chaetobranchus robustus Günther, 1862 (synonym)
- Geophagus badiipinnis Cope, 1872 (synonym)
- Chaetobranchus semifasciatus Steindachner, 1875 (valid)