Original description as Metriaclima chrysomallos:
ZooBank:6977C5A5-9627-4EC3-97DC-0C829581A126.
- Stauffer, Jay Richard Jr. & N.J. Bowers, K.A. Kellogg, K.R. McKaye. 1997. "A revision of the blue-black Pseudotropheus zebra (Teleostei: Cichlidae) complex from Lake Malawi, Africa, with a description of a new genus and ten new species". The Proceedings of the Academy Natural Sciences Philadelphia. 148; pp 189-230 (crc00049)
Conservation: Metriaclima chrysomallos is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (NT) near threatened (2018). Since the type locality seems to be restricted to a small bay at the southern end of Mumbo Island, the population there is estimated to be less than 1000 individuals, probably much less. Mumbo Island is part of Lake Malawi National Park and as such the population is protected. Fortunately the island is far off the mainland shore so the species seems to be relatively safe at the moment. The Near Threatened designation is for all species where total numbers are fewer than 1000 individuals. The populations along the eastern shore of the lake are much larger and are not threatened at the present time.