This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: A 150-167; P 13-17; C 15-17; total vertebrae 61-71; 5th infraorbital absent as a tubular laterosensory canal segment; ossified lateral ethmoid; the number of scales above the lateral line at the midbody 10-13; the number of scales along the lateral line 73-80; the extent of the middorsal groove; tail length 6.9-9.9 % of LEA; mouth length 49.4-56.4% of HL; tail depth 22.2-28.7% of CL; orbital diameter 4.0-5.9% of HL. Colouration: body dark and head dark brown; prominent pale, broad, longitudinal band extending from chin along dorsal midline of head and body to beginning of dorsal filament; pectoral- and anal-fin rays dark brown with translucent interradial membranes; pale band encircling base of caudal fin; caudal fin pale at base and dark brown posteriorly (Ref. 93867).