This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: two posterior-most dorsal and ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays segmented; subtruncate caudal fin; interopercular odontodes 20-22; specimens below about 40 mm SL having flank light grey with small black dots that are arranged in irregular rows, coalesced on the anterior portion of the longitudinal midline to form a stripe; nasal barbel reaching area just anterior to opercle; ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays 13 or 14; jaw teeth irregularly arranged procurrent caudal-fin rays 21 dorsal and 13 or 14 ventral; opercular odontodes 12; pectoral-fin rays 7; anterior infraorbital absent; posterior margin of the caudal fin slightly convex; hypertrophied papillae on the ventral surface of the head absent; pectoral-fin filament absent; opercular odontodes 12; interopercular odontodes 20-22; dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays 21; ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays 13 or 14; dorsal-fin origin at a vertical through the centrum of the 21st or 22nd vertebra; jaw teeth pointed, irregularly arranged; vertebrae 39 or 40 (Ref. 137708).