Diagnosis: The presence of bicuspid teeth in the anterior portion of the outer row on both the upper and lower jaws and a moderately-sloped ethmo-vomerine block with a swollen rostral tip place this species in Maylandia (Ref. 93436). The yellow/orange dorsal fin of males in combination with distinct black bars on a blue ground colour and the absence of a yellow chin distinguish this species from all other members of the genus except for M. emmiltos and M. pyrsonotos (Ref. 93436). The lateral bars of male M. pambazuko infiltrate the proximal portion of the dorsal fin and can form a solid band in males of the Lundo population, while the lateral bars of most males of M. emmiltos and M. pyrsonotos stop at the base of the dorsal fin; in some individuals of the latter species narrow bar extensions are visible in the dorsal fin but none have been encountered with black membranes in the soft-rayed part of the dorsal, which is another character of the colour pattern of M. pambazuko; also the anal fin of male M. pambazuko is darker and often black, while that of most male M. pyrsonotos and M. emmiltos is light blue (Ref. 93436). Female Maylandia pambazuko have a light brown to beige ground colour while those of M. emmiltos and M. pyrsonotos are dark brown to blue-brown; Maylandia pambazuko has more teeth in the outer row of the left lower jaw than M. emmiltos and M. pyrsonotos, being 13-23 vs. 8-12 and 4-10 respectively, and differs further from M. emmiltos by a larger distance between snout and pelvic-fin origin, being 35,3-44,2% of standard length vs. 22,8-32,8% (Ref. 93436).

Description: Moderate compact species with greatest body depth at about base of fifth dorsal spine (Ref. 93436). Dorsal body profile with gradual curve to caudal peduncle; ventral body profile slightly convex with similar, mirrored curve upward to caudal fin; dorsal head profile straight between snout tip and interorbital, making about 45° angle with body axis, then rounding to dorsal fin origin (Ref. 93436). Eye almost twice depth preorbital and positioned in anterior half of head with posterior orbit margin in or slightly posterior of vertical median of head; snout short with isognathous jaws; teeth on lower jaw in 2-4 rows with outer row bicuspid and inner rows tricuspid (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin with 16-18 spines and 8-10 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 7-8 soft rays; first 3 or 4 dorsal-fin spines gradually increasing in length posteriorly with first spine about half the length of fourth spine; last 14 spines slightly increasing in length posteriorly with last spine longest; soft dorsal fin with rounded or subacuminate tip, third or fourth ray longest, about to middle of caudal fin in males and to base of caudal fin in females; anal-fin spines progressively increasing in length posteriorly; fourth or fifth ray longest, length to almost middle of caudal fin in some males, to about base of caudal fin in females, length slightly shorter than dorsal fin; caudal fin subtruncate to emarginate; pelvic fin not reaching anal fin in females, length in males to first anal-fin rays; pectoral fin rounded, paddle-shaped, short, reaching vertical through base of 10th or 11th dorsal-fin spine (Ref. 93436). Flank scales large, ctenoid; abrupt difference to small scales on breast and belly; cheek with 3-6 rows of small scales; dorsal and anal fins scaleless; tiny scales over proximal ¾ of caudal fin (Ref. 93436).

Colouration: Live breeding males with blue ground colouration and 5-7 distinct black bars; caudal peduncle blue/black; breast dark blue/black; belly gray/black; head black with two blue interorbital bars; opercular spot gray-green/black; throat black (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin proximally blue/gray/black and distally yellow to orange/red; lateral bars extended onto proximal dorsal fin; dorsal fin with light-blue/white lappets in spinous portion; caudal fin gray/black with wide, orange distal margin; proximal half of caudal-fin membranes black, distal half blue/gray; anal fin black with 3-5 orange/yellow ocelli in rayed portion, with light-blue/white narrow margin; pectoral fin with black/gray rays and clear membranes; pelvic fin with narrow blue, white, or yellow leading edge; remainder black (Ref. 93436). Females with gray-blue or light-brown ground colouration and 4-6 gray bars; lateral scales brown with blue center; caudal peduncle beige/brown; belly and breast white/gray; head brown/gray; opercle with blue/green highlights; black opercular spot; throat gray (Ref. 93436). Dorsal fin proximally gray and distally orange/brown; caudal-fin rays gray; membranes clear; anal fin gray without ocelli or with very small yellow/orange spots; pectoral fins with gray rays and clear membranes; pelvic fins with first two membranes black/gray, remainder clear (Ref. 93436).