This species is distinguished from its congener H. texis (shown in parentheses), by the following set of characters: total vertebrae 127-137 (vs. 123-133), caudal vertebrae 90-98 (vs. 87-94); snout short, its length 42.5-53.1% UJL (vs. 53.3-63.6 %); eye is much smaller than gill-slit aperture, diameter 37.5-59.4% gill-slit length and 11.8-16.9% UJL (vs. nearly equal to or larger, 84.4-157.6% gill-slit length and 18.4-25.1% UJL); eye positioned closer to middle of the mouth gape, postorbital length-to gape 23.5-32.5% HL and 40.5-50.9% UJL (vs. closer to posterior end of gape, 11.5-18.2% HL and 19.3-31.4% UJL); gill-slit aperture is wide, length 15.8-22.1% HL and 24.8-35.7% UJL (vs. 9.0-14.1% HL and 15.1-24.1% UJL), orientation oblique to body axis (vs. horizontal) (Ref. 96071).