This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: unique rounded, stapula-shaped caudal fin in specimens above about 40 mm SL; short barbels, with the nasal barbel not reaching the orbit in specimens above 60 mm SL and maxillary and rictal barbels not reaching the interopercular patch of odontodes; anterior segment of the infraorbital series absent; procurrent caudal-fin rays 21 or 22 dorsal and 15 or 16 ventral; opercular odontodes 10-12; hypertrophied papillae on the head surface absent; narrow nasal barbel; unique pattern of ontogenetic colouration change consisting of flank pale yellow with irregularly shaped and arranged; dark brown to black blotches in specimens below about 40 mm SL, dark brown, with small, irregularly shaped pale yellow marks forming reticulate pattern in larger specimens; 7 pectoral-fin rays; anterior infraorbital absent; posterior margin of the caudal fin convex; pectoral-fin filament absent; 9 or 10 opercular odontodes; 29-32 interopercular odontodes; 15 or 16 ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays; dorsal-fin origin at a vertical through the centrum of the 21st or 22nd vertebra; jaw teeth incisiform, teeth arranged in rows; and 38-–40 vertebrae (Ref. 137708).