Diagnosis: This species differs from Zaireichthys conspicuus, Z. kunenensis, Z. lacustris and Z. maravensis in the narrower premaxillary tooth patch, less than 33% of mouth width; from Z. monomotapa in shorter lateral line and smaller number of rays in the dorsal fin and caudal fins, II,5 vs. II,6-7 and 11-13 vs. 14-16 respectively; from Z. kafuensis in the narrower head, smaller premaxillary tooth patch and smaller numbers of rays in median fins; from Z. pallidus in the shorter barbels, e.g. maxillary 1.3±0.1 times in head length vs. 1.0±0.1, steeper snout and in the colour pattern, rows of blotches vs. pallid with fine spots (Ref. 86935).

Description: Lateral line moderate, usually ending above the anterior half of the anal fin (Ref. 86935). Snout bluntly rounded, not protruding much beyond mouth, strongly arched in profile; eye relatively large, 4.6±01 in head length; mouth width less than half head width; barbels near mean length for the genus, the maxillary barbel reaching the base of the pectoral-fin spine (Ref. 86935). Dorsal fin II,5; caudal fin slightly emarginate, with the lower lobe longer than the upper, with 11-13 branched rays; anal fin with 9-12 rays, the first 4-6 simple; pectoral fins with 6-7 branched rays, only the holotype with 7, the spine bearing 6-9 serrae (Ref. 86935). Premaxillary tooth patch narrow; branchiostegal rays 6-7, usually 7 (Ref. 86935). Vertebrae 37-38 plus the ural complex, the first haemal spine usually on the 14th vertebra but also on 15th and 16th; six pairs of ribs; humeral process long, ending between supra-occipital process and dorsal, or beyond origin of dorsal (Ref. 86935).

Colouration: A series of dark patches dorsally, a second series of about ten patches mid-laterally and a third series ventro-laterally from above back of pelvic to above base of anal, scattered brown flecks between the blotches anteriorly, becoming more widely spaced posteriorly; head marbled, cheeks pale; melanophores on body small; dark spot at tip of dorsal spine; dark patch at base of caudal fin, bar about midway along fin and trace of another bar near tip of fin (Ref. 86935).