Diagnosis: Tilapia pra is distinguished from all other Tilapia sensu lato except T. sparrmanii, T. ruweti, T. guinasana, T. baloni, T. brevimanus, T. busumana, Pelmatolapia mariae and Pelmatolapia cabrae, in having bicuspid pharyngeal teeth in the posterior two rows of lower pharyngeal jaw (Ref. 84667). It differs from T. baloni and T. ruweti in having more gill rakers on first ceratobranchial, lower, gill-arch, 10-12 vs. 6-9; from T. guinasana in having a higher number of upper lateral line scales, 18-22 vs. 14-17; and from T. sparrmanii in a combination of a higher number of upper lateral line scales, 18-22 vs. 14-19, a shorter anal fin base, 15.0-18.6% of standard length vs. 18.0-23.8%, and a lower number of vertical stripes, 6-7 vs. 8-9 (Ref. 84667). It further differs from Pelmatolapia mariae and P. cabrae in having fewer scales on the lower lateral line, 8-11 vs. 10-14, and not having spatulate shaped teeth in the outer row of both jaws; from T. brevimanus in having fewer gill rakers on the ceratobranchial gill-arch, 10-12 vs. 12-16, and not having spatulate shaped teeth in the outer row of both jaws; from T. busumana in possessing a longer last dorsal-spine, 16.2-21.3% of standard length vs. 11.6-14.9%, a shorter lower lip length, 8.0-10.7% of standard length vs. 9.6-13.9%, and a shorter lower jaw length, 9.9-13.6% of standard length vs. 10.5-15.2%; in addition, it differs from T. busumana in ground colouration: Tilapia pra possesses a light brown to greyish dorsum and a beige to yellow ventral area vs. a bluish-purple to blackish dorsum and darker on underside of head and body of T. busumana (Ref. 84667).

Description: A medium-sized tilapia; body laterally compressed; head dorsal and ventral profile straight, head length 33.5-39.5% of standard length (Ref. 84667). Head pointed; snout outline obtuse, jaws equal anteriorly; eye moderately large, 7.6-11.8% of standard length; interorbital width greater than eye diameter (Ref. 84667). Greatest body depth at level of first dorsal spine; dorsal line slightly posteroventrally curved; caudal peduncle always deeper than long; on average being 1.4 times deeper than long (Ref. 84667). Body covered with cycloid scales; upper lateral line extending from posterior margin of gill cover to approximately last dorsal ray; two scale rows with or without a small scale at the basis of dorsal fin separate the upper lateral line from the last dorsal spine; lower lateral line originating at level of first dorsal branched rays and terminates midlaterally on caudal peduncle; one or two scales of lower lateral line extending onto caudal fin; two scale rows between upper and lower lateral lines (Ref. 84667). First lower gill-arch with 10-12 gill rakers and first upper gill-arch with 3-5 gill rakers; origin of dorsal fin at level of origin of pelvic fin; dorsal-fin base 54.2-63.7% of standard length; dorsal spines 14-16; dorsal rays 11-12; first dorsal spine always shortest, last dorsal spine always longest; spines always shorter than rays; last dorsal ray most deeply branched; caudal fin outline emarginate; anal-fin base 15.0-18.6% of standard length; anal spines 3; anal rays 8-10; third anal spine always longest; last anal ray most deeply branched; pelvic fin length 29.1-37.6% of standard length; tip of longest pelvic-fin ray mostly crossing anus, rarely reaching first anal spine; pectoral-fin length 32.2-40.7% of standard length; pectoral-fin rays 13-15 (Ref. 84667). Upper and lower outer row in both jaws bicuspid, but some teeth appear unicuspid due to wear; neck of anterior jaw teeth slender, crown expanded and cusps truncated; three to four incomplete inner rows of smaller tricuspid teeth in both jaws; lower pharyngeal jaw as long as broad, anterior keel shorter than toothed area; posterior pharyngeal teeth bicuspid, stout, slightly hooked and regularly arranged, especially over the posterior third of the toothed area; most of the teeth in the anterior two thirds of the toothed area approach the 'kukri' tooth shape (Ref. 84667).

Colouration: Colouration in alcohol: ground colouration light brownish with dark spots at base of each flank scale; chest whitish, upper side of head dark brown; six to seven dark vertical bars on dorsum and sides, the first bar at level of first dorsal spine, the last two on caudal peduncle, and a nape band; vertical bars never bifurcate; in some specimens a longitudinal mid-lateral band is visible; dark preorbital band extending from lachrymal to jaw angle; dark opercular spot; pectoral fins transparent; pelvic fins transparent, anterior margins dark; anal fin greyish, darker basally; caudal fin greyish; dorsal fin greyish, darker basally, 'tilapia spot' well visible at level of fourth vertical bar; some light coloured spots around the 'tilapia spot' (Ref. 84667). Colouration in life: ground colouration on dorsum light brown to greyish and on ventral area beige-yellow to golden, chest and belly pale; lips bluish and upper part of opercular blotch yellowish; light yellow coloured spots around 'tilapia spot; tips of dorsal, caudal and pelvic fin white; body with seven indistinct dark vertical stripes and an nape band; all stripes approximately as wide as the area between stripes (Ref. 84667).