This species is distinguished from its only congener, C. stigmatias, by having the following characters: interorbital space scaleless (vs. embedded scales); usually 4 pairs of barbels on ventral surface of head, with 3 pairs of long barbels and a pair of short one (vs. usually 3 pairs of long barbels only); pectoral-fin rays 22-25, modally 24 (vs. 21-23, modally 22); most of pectoral-fin rays are branched, not forming free rays (vs. ventral 3-5 rays of pectoral fin simple, forming free rays); longitudinal scale rows 50-58 (vs. 47-53); transverse scale rows 20-25 (vs. 17-21); predorsal scales 23-29 (vs. 20-22); gill rakers on outer surface of first gill arch 2-6?9-13?12-16 (vs. 4-6 + 11-14 ? 16-19); pseudobranchial filaments 7-13, usually 9-11 (vs. 6-8, usually 7); preopercular canal with pores M' and N' (vs. only with pore N'); longer snout, its length 7.7-10.0% of SL (vs. 6.1-8.1% of SL) (Ref. 93271).