Zanthopsis sternbergi was named by Rathbun (1926) [This species was classified as new by Rathbun 1926; however, it is now known as Xandarocarcinus sternbergi.]. Its type specimen is USNM 73390 and is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Kellys Ranch, 5 mi N (sic) of Carlsbad Station, Santa Fe Railway, which is in a Campanian marine horizon in the Point Loma Formation of California. It is the type species of Xandaros, Xandarocarcinus.

It was recombined as Xandaros sternbergi by Bishop (1988), Schweitzer and Feldmann (2002), Schweitzer et al. (2002), Schweitzer et al. (2010); it was recombined as Xandarocarcinus sternbergi by Karasawa et al. (2011), Schweitzer et al. (2012), Luque et al. (2017).