The name "humeralis" means "relating to the shoulder" (to the humerus), in reference to the distinct humeral patches that the fish sports.

[5] The specific epithet originates from the presence of a distinct humeral patch near each of B. humeralis's pectoral fins, which are its main distinguishing trait.

[9] Bryconops and its sister genera Piabucus and Iguanodectes are considered members of the relatively recent family Iguanodectidae, which was named in research by Oliveria et al.

[10] As a result, some resources (such as ITIS and ADW)[11][12] still list B. humeralis as a member of the family Characidae, which is where Bryconops was previously classified.

[15] (Microbial decay is responsible for blackwater conditions; the breakdown of organic material releases trapped tannins into the environment.