This species is distinguished from other species of the H. heterorhabdus

group by the following characters: dorsal-fin rays 3 simple, 8 branched (vs. 2 simple and 9 branched rays, except in H. oritoensis, H. notidanus and H. ocasoensis that have iii, 8; pored lateral line scales 3-5 (vs. 7-23); scales in the lateral series 27-28 (vs. 29-35, except in H. proteus which has 27-30); 3 scales from lateral series to anal fin (vs. 4-7); anal-fin rays 2 simple (vs. iii-iv) and 14-16 branched (vs. 18-27) except in H. diancistrus

with 14-16 branched anal-fin rays); length of the caudal peduncle, mean 26.75% SL (vs. 8.84-15.89% SL); upper jaw length, mean 15.66% SL (vs. 22.70-30.51%); males with a convex modification at base of anal fin in the anterior anal-fin rays (vs. no modification) (Ref. 84248).