Diagnosis: 37-40 lateral line scales; terminal canal bearing scales of upper branch do not descend scale rows; 2 series of scales between upper lateral line and anterior part of lower; 15-17 gill-rakers along lower limb of first arch; entire premaxillary oral valve; 28 vertebrae; inferior vertebral apophysis of standard Tylochromis type; lower pharyngeal jaw never extremely robust with mill-like molariform teeth extending over dentigerous surface; 10-15 relatively stout outer row teeth and usually only one inner row on lower jaw (Ref. 52346).

Description: relatively deep bodied with a curved back (Ref. 52307, 52346). Predorsal profile steep (Ref. 52307, 52346), rising at an angle of about 55-60° to the horizontal; from nape to caudal peduncle, dorsum strongly recurved and body flattened along ventrum; most specimens without a well developed fleshy bulge in interorbital region; straight-snouted appearance; deepest body depth usually a little behind origin of dorsal fin, below 3rd-4th dorsal fin spine; mouth more or less along horizontal when closed; entire premaxillary oral valve; lips well developed and fleshy; lower pharyngeal jaw robust and heavily ossified; inferior vertebral apophysis of standard Tylochromis type; broad, crenate rakers along lower limb of first arch, widely spaced anteriorly but crowded and overlapping towards angle of arch; epibranchial rakers along upper limb of first arch relatively elongate; 37-40 lateral line scales; 2 series of scales between upper lateral line and anterior part of lower; upper branch of lateral line ends a little in front of end of dorsal fin; terminal canal bearing scales do not descend scale rows; dorsal and ventral branches of lateral line on caudal fin often difficult to distinguish but extend about 2/3 of length of fin; median branch frequently missing, rarely extending halfway along fin when present; dorsal fin spines increase gradually in length to 5th-6th and then are more or less equal in length; anal fin rounded with a relatively long base; pectoral fins extend to third anal spine but rarely beyond that, even in large specimens; first branched pelvic ray produced and filamentous, rarely reaching beyond level of first anal fin spine; caudal fin strongly emarginate and finely scaled almost to fin periphery (Ref. 52346).

Coloration: body green-yellowish, often reddish in lower parts of flanks (Ref. 52307). With or without blackish vertical stripes (Ref 52346). Spiny part of dorsal exhibits a reddish coloration; upper parts of caudal fin greenish, lower parts more reddish (Ref. 52307). Unpair fins with or without black spots (Ref. 52307, 52346). Nape band and opercular blotch present (Ref. 52346). Preserved juveniles: typically rather pale with dark nape stripe and strong opercular blotch, and 6-7 thin vertical stripes along flank and caudal peduncle, extending down beyond midline (Ref. 52346). Preserved adults: tend to be darker than juveniles; vertical stripes less pronounced but usually still present; scales of caudal peduncle and flank ringed in dark brown resulting in a series of horizontal striations passing along scale rows in large fish, particularly males; longitudinal striping most pronounced on caudal peduncle; dorsal fin dark smoky brown spotted with numerous rows of pale non-ocellate maculae; anal fin of mature males also smoky brown and typically with a few pale non-ocellate maculae which are absent in females; mature males exhibit typical caudal fin striping and spotting of all Tylochromis species (Ref. 52346).