Original description as Crenicichla tendybaguassu:
Lucena C. A. S. & S. Kullander; 1992; "The Crenicichla (Teleostei: Cichlidae) species of the Uruguai River drainage in Brazil"; Ichthyological Explorations of Freshwaters; pp 97-160.
Taxonomic history:
Crenicichla tendybaguassu, et al, 1992, original combination.
Type locality: Rio Piratinim, Fazenda dos Hinz, CoÃmbra, municÃpio Santo Angelo, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.