Blacktop Chiselmouth

Its dark olive dorsal surface and light golden ventral surface are sharply divided at the lower edge of the lateral line scale row. Its has relatively narrow mouth without barbels or with one pair of minute posterior barbels. The unbranched dorsal ray is flexible.

Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 13; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Occurs in fast flowing stretches of river and deeper pools. Common particularly in rocky pools. Feeds by scraping algae off rocks with its horny lower jaw.

Occurs in fast flowing stretches of river and deeper pools. Common particularly in rocky pools. Feeds by scraping algae off rocks with its horny lower jaw. Varicorhinus xyrocheilus occurs sympatrically and syntopically with V. dimidiatus.

Labeobarbus dimidiatus is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to the Ruo River in Malawi.