| Main Ref. | Stiassny, M.L.J., A. Lamboj, D. De Weirdt and G.G. Teugels, 2008 |
| Appearance refers to | Male; Female |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | no special organs |
| Different appearance | males alike females |
| Different colors | males alike females |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | short and / or deep |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | clearly convex |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | more or less normal |
| Position of mouth | terminal |
| Type of scales | cycloid scales |
| Diagnosis |
Diagnosis: 17-20 rakers on lower limb of first arch; length of lower pharyngeal jaw < 43.5% of head length; 30-32 scales in lateral line; head length 39-48% of standard length (Ref. 81260). Toothed area of lower pharyngeal jaw contained 2-3 times in length of ventral keel (Ref. 2, 81260). Total dorsal rays (including spines) 26-28 (Ref. 81260). General color dull grey; breeding (or spent?) males with black or grey smudges; no tilapia-mark, at least 6.2 cm SL or over (Ref. 2). Description: head very massive (Ref. 52307), head length 39.5-48.0% SL (Ref. 81260). Lower pharyngeal jaw with unicuspid anterior and posterior row teeth; ventral keel elongate, longer than dentigerous plate; 2-6 rows of teeth in oral jaws, outer row teeth bicuspid (Ref. 81260). Caudal peduncle short and slender (Ref 52307). Coloration: pale grey, sometimes greenish, with dark spots or blotches ventrally on head and body (Ref. 81260). "Tilapia spot" in juveniles, disappears at length of about 60 mm SL (Ref. 52307, 81260). Larger males sometimes with a greenish flush on the head (Ref. 52307). |
| Ease of Identification |
| Lateral Lines | 2 Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | 30 - 32 |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | 3.5 - 4 |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | 0 |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | absent |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | 17 - 20 |
| on upper limb | |
| total | |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 29 - 30 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal 0 |
| Ventral 0 | |
| Spines total | 15 - 16 |
| Soft-rays total | 10 - 12 |
| Adipose fin | absent |
| Attributes | more or less truncate; more or less normal |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 3 - 3 |
| Soft-rays total | 9 - 11 |
| Pectoral | Attributes more or less normal |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position thoracic beneath origin of D1 | |
| Spines | |
| Soft-rays |