According to Eschmeyer (online Catalog of Fishes, 2004) Metriaclima was "Incorrectly treated as valid as Metriaclima Stauffer, Bowers, Kellogg and McKay 1997" and should be a synonym "of Maylandia Meyer and Foerster 1984." Eschmeyer does, however, recognize some valid species, but lists their parent as Cichlidae