Diagnosis: A large haplochromine cichlid fish characterized by the following combination of characters: a black bar between the eye and the corner of mouth, rounded orange spots on the anal fin in adult males, scales ctenoid, outer jaw teeth bicuspid, inner teeth tricuspid, 16 scales around the peduncle, no papillose swelling on either side of pharynx, lower limb of first gill arch with 7-8 gill rakers, dorsal fin with 13-14 spines and 9-11 soft rays, anal fin with 3 spines and 8-9 soft rays, 29 or 30 lateral line scales, lower pharyngeal dentition with enlarged molariform teeth in the central rows (Ref. 112399).

Description: Dorsal fin with 13-14 spines and 9-11 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 8-9 soft rays; caudal fin with 23 soft rays; pectoral fin with 13 soft rays; pelvic fin with 6 rays (Ref. 112399). Two lateral lines with 18-20 and 5-11 scales perforated on the upper and lower lateral lines respectively; 27+2 or 28+2 lateral line scales; 5.5 scales between lateral line and origin of first dorsal fin; 10-11 scales between lateral line and midventral body profile; 4 or 5 scales between the pectoral and pelvic fin bases; 2 scales between the upper and lower lateral lines; 16 scales around the peduncle; scales ctenoid (Ref. 112399). Seven to eight gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch, total 10-13 on first gill arch; outer jaw teeth bicuspid; inner teeth tricuspid; no papillose swelling on either side of pharynx; lower pharyngeal bone and dentition: dentigerous surface approximately equilateral, teeth forming the median rows enlarged with molariform and submolariform crowns (Ref. 112399).

Colouration: In life, head and body light brown or silver; a vertical black bar between the front lower part of the eye and the part of the head immediately posterior to the corner of the mouth; two median incomplete horizontal black bars between the eyes; a vertical black bar in the middle of the opercula; a black spot present on the postero-dorsal angle of the opercula; 6-7 black cross bars that descent below the midlines of sides; two or three rounded orange spots clearly apparent on the anal fin, these spots without contrasting border and without translucent surround; no tilapian mark at the beginning of the soft part of the dorsal fin; fine orange spots at the basis of the soft rays of the dorsal fin (Ref. 112399). In preservative, head and body brown with black bars poorly contrasting; spots on anal fin unpigmented (Ref. 112399).