Décrit initialement sous Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos:
ZooBank:79187367-5D03-4E62-92D3-F799E3E8CD70.
- Bowers, Nancy & J. Stauffer. 1997. "Eight new species of rock-dwelling cichlids of the genus Melanochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi, Africa". Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters. 8(1):49-70 (crc00126)
Conservation: Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos est évalué par l\'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature dans la Liste Rouge des espèces menacées comme étant (CR) en danger critique (2018). It is endemic to Likoma Island and even around that island only occurs on the rocky shores along the northeastern corner of it. It thus has a very restricted distribution with the population at Maingano Island heavily exploited for the ornamental fish trade. It is too small to be of any value as food fish, hence it suffers no threats to its existence from local fishermen, but it does so from the ornamental fish trade. Currently very few individuals seem to be around at Maingano Island and P. cyaneorhabdos is in urgent need of protection.