Description: Body slightly elongated and laterally compressed, oval in cross-section; profile of predorsal region convex; body profile straight to slightly convex from insertion of last dorsal-fin ray to caudal-fin origin; lower part of body convex; maximum body depth reached just in front of dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 129519). Head anteriorly pointed in lateral profile; mouth small and subterminal; eye large, situated on dorso-lateral part of head, closer to tip of snout than to posterior end of operculum; interorbital distance smaller than eye diameter; nostrils closer to anterior border of eye than to tip of snout (Ref. 129519). Dorsal-fin origin located anterior to midbody and slightly anterior to vertical through pelvic-fin insertion; about two or four lateral line scales between verticals through dorsal-fin origin and pelvic-fin insertion; distal profile of dorsal fin nearly straight; distal profile of pectoral fin slightly concave; third pectoral-fin ray longest, extending beyond anterior pelvic-fin insertion, remaining rays gradually decreasing in length; third pelvic ray also always longest; tip of pelvic fin passing beyond urogenital opening, reaching or falling short, about one or two scales, of anal-fin origin; specimens from Fungwe and Mwanza rivers with three anteriormost pelvic-fin rays slightly thicker than other rays; adipose fin well developed, its origin at level of vertical through last branched anal-fin ray; caudal fin bifurcates with equal-sized lobes or lower lobe slightly larger than upper; dorsal fin with 3 unbranched and 11-12 branched rays, anal fin with 3 unbranched and 8-9 branched rays, pectoral fin with 12-13 rays, pelvic fin with 9 rays (Ref. 129519). Lateral line complete, straight and at mid-lateral position, from behind operculum to middle of caudal-fin base; three or four lateral line scales extending on caudal fin and also smaller than scales below dorsal fin; scales on lateral line 41-46, scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin 4-5, scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin 4-5, predorsal scales 10-13, scales between anus and anal-fin origin 5-8, scales between dorsal and adipose fin 11-14, circumpeduncular scales 15-16 (Ref. 129519).

Colouration: Colouration in life: living or freshly caught specimens characterised by yellowish to pale-brown overall ground colouration of head and body; dorsal area of head and snout bright yellow from anterior portion of upper lip to tip of supraoccipital spine; head laterally with dark stripe running from tip of snout to anterior margin of eye; upper half of iris black, lower half white; white-yellowish ring around pupil; black spot on operculum; ventral region of head white; dorsal region of body darker than ventral region; scales on dorsal region of body with melanin along distal border resulting in overall reticulated colour pattern; mid-lateral part of flank with indistinct silver longitudinal stripe; eight to 10 vertical blackish bars on flank largely under lateral line, each covering two scale rows above the lateral line, two to three on the lateral line end up to four scale rows below the lateral line; number, position and shape of bars varying from one side to the other, but the difference in numbers never exceeding one bar; in general, two or three bars in front of dorsal fin, three ventral to dorsal-fin base, two or three between dorsal and adipose fins, and two on caudal peduncle; anterior bars slightly longer than posterior ones; two or three posteriormost bars nearly as high as wide; last bar on caudal peduncle extending slightly posteriorly over base of medial caudal-fin rays and partially confluent with precaudal spot; fins with transparent membranes and blackish rays (Ref. 129519). In preserved specimens, overall colour of body yellowish to brownish with lighter coloured venter; bars on flank and pigmentation on dorsal region scales more evident and turning brown in freshly preserved specimens than in living or freshly caught specimens (Ref. 129519).