Diagnosis: body depth 29.3-31.6% of standard length; interorbital space 17.6-19.0% of head length; 16 dorsal-fin spines; 28 or 29 lateral-line scales (Ref. 53405).

Description: body elongate, slender (Ref. 52307, 53405). Head relatively large; snout pointed (Ref. 52307). Dorsal profile of head slightly arched over occiput and almost straight on snout (Ref. 53405). Dorsal part of cheek with 3-4 rows of scales; section of the infraorbital canal of head lateral line system with 5 pores on lachrymal; infraorbital bones series complete with lachrymal and 4 additional bones; neurocranial apophysis for upper pharyngeal jaws of Tilapia-type (Ref. 59154). Outer and inner jaw teeth unicuspid, pharyngeal jaw teeth mixed bi- and tricuspid; no micro-gillrakers; scales cycloid (Ref. 53405). 17-21 scales in upper part of lateral line, 7-10 in lower part; upper lateral line at its highest point (8th pored scale) separated from dorsal fin base by 2.5 or by 2 large and 1 small scale; last pored scales separated from fin base by 1-1.5 scales; chest scales smaller than those on anteroventral aspects of flanks; first ray of pelvic fin longest in both sexes; caudal fin in some specimens of both sexes with very short, symmetrically produced streamers (Ref. 59154).

Coloration: living specimens: ground coloration light brown in both sexes, dorsal part of body and head somewhat darker than rest of body; mature females with more extensive silvery coloration in dorsal fin than males; males only show a very small silvery band on upper edge of dorsal fin; pelvic fins, anal fin and lower part of caudal fin in females reddish, yellowish in males; stressed individuals, juveniles and semiadults with 1 horizontal bar in the middle of the body and some short, broad vertical bars directly below the dorsal fin, ending approximately in the middle of the body (Ref. 59154). Preserved specimens: greyish or beige with black opercular spot; dark midlateral band extending from opercular spot to caudal peduncle; 5-6 dark cross bars on body (darker on back), first located just before dorsal fin; distal margin of spinous part of dorsal fin blackish; soft part of dorsal fin greyish with transparent rays; tips of pelvic fins and distal margin of anal fin blackish; caudal fin grey; pectorals hyaline (Ref. 53405).