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: Heros severus Heckel, 1840 (subsequent designation).
Described species included (10):
valid: 5 synonym: 5- Heros efasciatus Heckel, 1840 (valid)
- Heros severus Heckel, 1840 (valid)
- Heros spurius Heckel, 1840 (valid)
- Heros coryphaeus Heckel, 1840 (synonym)
- Heros modestus Heckel, 1840 (synonym)
- Centrarchus notatus Jardine, 1843 (valid)
- Chromys appendiculata Castelnau, 1855 (synonym)
- Chromys fasciata Castelnau, 1855 (synonym)
- Cichlasoma severum perpunctatum de Miranda-Ribeiro, 1918 (synonym)
- Heros liberifer Staeck & Schindler, 2015 (valid)
Potentially undescribed species (2):
- sp. 'red shoulders' (undescribed)
- sp. 'casiquiare' (undescribed)