Diagnosis: fronto-parietal fontanel absent in adults, sometimes pore-like in juveniles; snout long, comprimised 3x in head length; dorsal fin origin distinctly behind pelvic fin insertion; adults large-sized; no sexual dimorphism affecting anal fin shape; 21-31 lateral line scales; 4.5 scales between lateral line and dorsal fin; 10-16 anal fin branched rays; 14-22 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; 8-14 teeth in outer premaxillary row (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Head length/snout length 2.6-2.9; 10-12 predorsal scales (Ref. 80290). Body depth more than 3x SL in adults (Ref. 2880, 81279).

Description: anal fin with 3 branched and 10-16 unbranched rays; 8-14 premaxillary teeth, two of which shift progressively backwards with growth; supraorbital bone well-developed; upper jaw projecting beyond lower jaw in adults (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279).

Coloration: humeral spot; black precaudal blotch extending partly unto median caudal-fin rays; greenish back, white belly; juveniles with white spot on upper part of caudal peduncle (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). Sides sometimes with an orange (Ref. 2880, 81279) or broad dark (Ref. 80290) longitudinal band from opercle to caudal fin in adults only. This color pattern is not correlated with sexual activity (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279). In most fish fin color varies from red-orange or pink (Ref. 2880, 80290, 81279) to grey (Ref. 80290). In some populations fin margins are trimmed with dark pigment (Ref. 80920). Only live specimens from Cavally River (Côte d'Ivoire) have vermillion red fins (Ref. 2880, 81279).