Original description as Apistogramma atahualpa:
ZooBank:8868A6BB-B427-4DC8-A242-8512C286AB7E.
- Römer, Uwe. 1997. "Diagnoses of two new dwarf cichlids (Teleostei; Perciformes) from Peru, Apistogramma atahualpa and Apistogramma panduro n. spp". Buntbarsche Bulletin. (n. 182), pp. 9-14 (crc00360)
Conservation: Apistogramma atahualpa is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (DD) data deficient (2014).