Original description as Paratilapia polleni:
ZooBank:7E50E078-E9F0-4402-BB56-F4C34E3B9660.
- Bleeker, Pieter. 1868. "Description de trois espèces inédites de Chromidoïdes de Madagascar". Verslagen en Mededeelingen van de Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen te Amsterdam, Afdeeling Natuurkunde. 2:307-309 (crc00015)
Synonyms (1):
- Paracara typus Bleeker, 1878, with type locality at East Madagascar. Determiner: Pellegrin, 1904
- Paratilapia bleekeri Sauvage, 1891, with type locality at Swamps and wetlands of the Imerina, near Antananarivo, Madagascar. Determiner: Pellegrin, 1904
Conservation: Paratilapia polleni is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (VU) vulnerable (2016). Whereas populations in Nosy-Be island appear to be stable for the time being, mainland populations are threatened by rampant deforestation and habitat degradation or destruction throughout their range. Diversion of water for large-scale irrigation projects poses a particular threat to the populations of this species in the basins of the Mananjeba and the Mahavavy du Nord (Ravelomanana, 2016).
Introduction of a number of exotic species, including Micropterus salmoides (large-mouth bass), and Ophiocephalus striatus (snakehead), have also contributed in displacing populations of this species (Reinthal et al., 1991).