Original description as Metriaclima nigrodorsalis:
ZooBank:1966EEF9-D03C-4F4A-BF44-BBF33971774F.
- Stauffer, Jay Richard Jr. & K. Black & A.F. Konings. 2013. "Descriptions of five new species of Metriaclima (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Malaŵi, Africa". Zootaxa. v. 3647(n. 1), pp. 101-136. DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3647.1.6 (crc05041) (abstract)
Conservation: Metriaclima nigrodorsalis is not evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species. . Metriaclima nigrodorsalis has a rather wide distribution and also tends to stay close to the substrate, away from fisherman's nets. Since it is also found in somewhat deeper water there appears to be no threat to its existence.