Descrizione originale come Tilapia bythobates:
ZooBank:89C533FB-19EE-43EE-9D83-250EC647CDD0.
- Stiassny, Melanie & U.K. Schliewen, W.J. Dominey. 1992. "A new species flock of cichlid fishes from Lake Bermin, Cameroon with a description of eight new species of Tilapia (Labroidei: Cichlidae)". Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters. 3(4):311-346 (crc00363) (riassunto)
Conservazione: Coptodon bythobates è valutata dalle organizzazioni internazionali di salvaguardia delle specie a rischio come (CR) Situazione critica di pericolo (2010). Coptodon bythobates is currently under major threat from oil plantations and slash-and-burn agriculture leading to sedimentation and pollution in Lake Bermin. There is also a potential threat from the lake 'burping' CO2 — as in Lake Nyos and Lake Barombi-Mbo. In addition, deforestation of the surroundings of the crater may cause more wind which could lead to the lake turning of its stratified layers, with the lower layer being very low in oxygen and high in organic matter. Higher winds may cause currents in the lake which could cause this lower layer to mix with the upper layer where the fish live. This would cause a massive decrease in oxygen in the water and kill the fish (Moelants, 2010).