Distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: 10 transverse bands on the dorsal surface, deeper caudal peduncle, two prominent rows of papilla encircling upper lip where the proximate row has small papillae while distal row has larger papillae, 66-68 lateral line scales, 8-9 simple rays in pectoral fin, two simple rays in the pelvic fin and pectoral fin not surpassing pelvic fin base. Can be diagnosed from its related species in the ratios such as caudal peduncle length to depth (2.21-2.89), standard length to body depth (7.48-8.72), head length to head depth (2.11-2.50), head length to interorbital distance (2.20-2.96), head depth to head length (0.42-0.47), eye diameter to head length (0.13-0.17) and head width to gape of mouth (3.12-4.78). In terms of percent of standard length, this species can be separated from other related species with respect to caudal peduncle depth (6.3-7.4%), caudal peduncle length (15.0-20.0%), body width at anus (8.7-11.5%), body depth at anus (9.1-11.4%), pre-dorsal fin length (43.7-47.4%), prepectoral fin length (12.9-16.2%), pre-anal fin length (74.3-79.3%), pre-pelvic fin length (44.4-48.3%), pelvic fin length (19.3-23.7%), pectoral fin length (24.1-28.9%) and body depth at dorsal (11.5-13.4%) (Ref. 91759). Pectoral-fin rays viii-ix 10-11 (Ref. 93254).