Diagnosis: Chalinochromis cyanophleps is distinguished from C. brichardi by flank colour brown to dark grey vs. beige or light grey; dark brown stripe below eye vs. contrasting black vertical stripes on head; iris and eye ring partly orange vs. orange colour not or faintly visible; opercular blotch absent vs. prominent; black blotch posteriorly in dorsal fin absent vs. present; dorsal and caudal fins dark with white dots vs. pale and dots absent; black spot at pectoral-fin base absent vs. present; more teeth in upper jaw, 13-16 vs. 5-10 in hemiseries, and lower jaw, 17-26 vs. 2-3 in hemiseries; and slender caudal peduncle, its depth 9.9-10.7% of standard length vs. 11.6-12.4% (Ref. 95611). It is distinguished from all other species of Chalinochromis by absence of stripes and blotches on head; lips not folded over adjacent jaw and not callous or papillate on lip surface outside that close to teeth vs. lips wide and folded over adjacent premaxilla and dentary, and more or less extensively papillose on abroad surfaces; presence of tricuspid inner teeth vs. exclusively unicuspid; and five mandibular lateralis foramina vs. four (Ref. 95611). It is distinguished from all species of Altolamprologus, Lamprologus, Lepidiolamprologus, Neolamprologus, Paleolamprologus and Variabilichromis by number of dorsal-fin spines, 22-23 vs. 14-21; from all species of Congo River Lamprologus by first pelvic-fin ray longest vs. second to third rays longest, and lateral line scales 37-39 vs. 29-37; from all species of Telmatochromis by dentition, inner teeth mostly unicuspid vs. only or predominantly tricuspid, posterodorsal corner of opercle rounded vs. pointed, and upper jaw projecting vs. jaws equal; from all species of Julidochromis by absence of bars and bands on body, and scales in longitudinal row 37-39 vs. 36 or less (Ref. 95611).

Description: Body elongate, moderately compressed laterally; trunk anteriorly elliptic in cross section, posteriorly more compressed; sides vertical, dorsum and venter rounded (Ref. 95611). Head relatively short; frontal contour steep, ascending straight or slightly curved, strongly curved above orbit, joining about straight dorsal-fin base contour; in both sexes a low soft swelling anterior to dorsal-fin origin (Ref. 95611). Interorbital space wide, convex; head contour well removed from orbit; orbit lateral, in middle of head length, in dorsal half of head, well separated from mouth by deep lachrymal bone; eye exposed in dorsal view of head, not exposed in ventral view of head (Ref. 95611). Ventral profile almost straight, horizontal; anal-fin base slightly ascending; caudal peduncle contours slightly constricted at middle (Ref. 95611). Snout short, blunt; mouth low, at ventral contour, relatively small, narrower than interorbital space; upper jaw protruding slightly before short lower jaw; ascending processes of premaxilla not reaching orbit; maxilla not reaching to vertical from anterior margin of orbit; lower jaw articulation anterior to vertical from anterior margin of orbit; nostril situated at one-third distance from orbital margin to tip of upper jaw; lips relatively narrow, thick; fold of lower lip broadly interrupted anteriorly; lips smooth except close to teeth where surface beset with short papillae similar to tissue in toothed field of jaws (Ref. 95611). Dorsal-fin rays XXII-XXIII,7-8; first dorsal-fin spine 1/3 length of last, inserted above opercle; spines subequal from sixth, gradually slightly longer to last spine; soft dorsal-fin rays all branched or first ray unbranched, gradually slightly longer to fifth or sixth, beyond which shorter; soft portion ending in acute tip at 1/4 to beyond middle of caudal fin (Ref. 95611). Anal-fin rays VI-VII,6-7; first anal-fin spine inserted opposite antepenultimate dorsal-fin spine; spines gradually increasing in length to last; soft anal-fin rays all branched, increasing in length to third or fourth ray, posterior rays shorter; soft portion ending in pointed or blunt tip at caudal-fin base or, usually at 1/4 to beyond middle of caudal fin (Ref. 95611). Pectoral-fin rays 12-13; pectoral fin short, not quite reaching to vertical from genital papilla; rounded, fifth ray longest (Ref. 95611). Pelvic fin long, reaching base of third or fourth anal-fin spine; pointed, outer branch or equally long branches of first ray longest, inner rays gradually shorter (Ref. 95611). Caudal-fin hind margin rounded or with short straight vertical apex or slightly indented medially; caudal-fin rays 31-34 (Ref. 95611). Scales in logitudinal row 37-39; trunk scales moderately large, ctenoid, with free margin; cheek naked; predorsal scales minute, cycloid, embedded in thick skin; squamation extending anteriorly to slightly posterior to orbits; field of minute embedded, cycloid scales extended posteriorly on side between anterior part of dorsal fin and lateral line; lateral chest scales minute, cycloid, embedded, squamation extended along abdominal side; midline abdominal scales small, about half size of flank scales, with free margin, cycloid or weakly ctenoid; smaller cycloid scales around anus and genital papilla, and flanking beginning of anal fin; anterior half of prepelvic area naked, posteriorly minute embedded cycloid scales; upper lateral line distance from dorsal-fin base anteriorly at about 12-15, posteriorly at 1-1.5 scales; reaching posteriorly to below last rays of dorsal fin, not continued to caudal peduncle; upper lateral line scales 29-33, lower lateral line scales 9-13, pored scales 8-18; lower lateral line reaching forward to above spinous anal fin, anterior to that continued by scattered pored scales or short rows of pored scales reaching almost to cleithrum; two rows of scales separating upper and lower lateral lines where overlapping above anal fin; circumpeduncular scales 16, of which 7 above and 7 below lateral lines (Ref. 95611). Gill rakers sparse, short, slender, villiform (Ref. 95611). Lower pharyngeal tooth-plate broad, wider than long; toothed surface cardiform; pharyngeal teeth erect, slender, compressed, dense, only little difference in length between largest and smallest; most teeth bevelled with distinct sharp caudal directed posterior cusp; posteriorly narrow band of hooked teeth with low anterior shelf and longer antrorse posterior cusp (Ref. 95611). Lateral teeth in upper jaw relatively large, slightly recurved canines; anteriorly on each side a slightly enlarged stout canine tooth followed by two slightly smaller canine teeth; inner teeth in both jaws in about two series, restricted to anterior part of jaw, very short, only tips emerging, mostly recurved, caniniform or with flattened tips much narrower than base; inner teeth close to symphysis somewhat larger and frequently tricuspid, with short lateral cusps emerging from base of median narrow tip; lateral teeth in lower jaw very short, contrasting in size with anterior teeth comprising a large recurved caniniform tooth followed symphysially by a similar but slightly shorter tooth; outer teeth in lower jaw procumbent, paralleling ventral head contour, but tips strongly recurved (Ref. 95611).

Colouration: In preservative it is pale brownish on cheek, gill cover, underside of head, chest, anteriorly on abdomen; on dorsum anteriorly above lateral line fading to grey posteriorly; front and top of head grey; faint dark brown stripe along neuromast row below orbit; flanks brownish or greyish brown, each scale with light margin; dorsal fin dark grey, light dots absent or present on interradial membranes of spinous portion; lappets white with black margin; soft portion paler grey, with white margin edged with black, posterior rays with a few white dots; caudal fin grey, lighter posteriorly; posterior 1/4 to 1/2 with many scattered white dots; posterodorsal margin white with black edge; anal fin grey, paler distally on soft portion; small white dots present or absent on interradial membranes; pelvic fin grey with narrow white leading margin; pectoral fin colourless; indistinct dark pigmentation at pectoral-fin base (Ref. 95611). In life, fins bluish; dorsal fin with bright blue margin, continued on dorsal margin of caudal fin; below eye a blue iridescent stripe; iris and eye ring partly orange or yellow; a bluish shine forms a faint neon blue stripe along middle of side from slightly posterior to gill opening to above anal-fin origin; epithel containing inner tooth band in both jaws yellow (Ref. 95611). The sexes share same live colouration (Ref. 95611).