Considered a synonym of Poecilia butleri Jordan, 1889
- Parenti, Lynne & J.M. Clayton, J.C. Howe. 1999. "Catalog of type specimens of Recent fishes in the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, 9: Family Poeciliidae (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes)". Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology. (604):1-22 (ffm04565)
Original description as Platypoecilus nelsoni:
- Meek, Seth Eugene. 1904. "The fresh-water fishes of Mexico north of the isthmus of Tehuantepec". Field Columbian Museum Publication. 1-252 (ffm00159)