Original description as Bathybates leo:
ZooBank:CC7BEF78-439D-4DA9-8BB1-D422EECB0AC5.
- Poll, Max. 1956. "Poissons Cichlidae - Bathybates leo n. sp.". Exploration hydrobiologique du lac Tanganika (1946-1947) - Résultats scientifiques. pp. 397-401 (crc03456)
Conservation: Bathybates leo is evaluated by the international union for the conservation of nature in the iucn red list of threatened species as (LC) least concern (2006).