Original description as Tylochromis variabilis:
ZooBank:8D720FD6-D3FA-443B-87BE-4B5D1C6F3B44.
- Stiassny, Melanie. 1989. "A taxonomic revision of the African genus Tylochromis (Labroidei, Cichlidae); with notes on the anatomy and relationships of the group". Koninklijk Museum voor Midden-Afrika, Tervuren, Belgium, Zoologische Wetenschappen. 258:1–161 (crc01017)
Conservation: Tylochromis variabilis is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (LC) least concern (2009).