This species is distinguished from its congeners in the Chindwin-Irrawaddy and Ganga Brahmaputra river systems by the following set of characters: weakly developed bilobed proboscis; lateral line scales 34; faint blackish lateral stripes mainly distinct at caudal region 5-6; circumpeduncular scales 14; width and length central callouse pad of adhesive disc 31.1-35.8% HL and 19.7-26.3% HL; depth of head at occiput 64.0-71.4% HL; snout length 44.0-49.1% HL; eye diameter 19.6-23.2% HL; interorbital distance 39.6-43.8% HL; disc length 38.2- 43.9% HL; vent to anal distance 26.3- 32.5% pelvic to anal distance; chest and belly with scales; unbranched dorsal and anal fin rays 2; base of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th branched dorsal fin rays are distinctly spotted with black (Ref. 119361).