Diagnosis: last simple ray more or less ossified at base (no strong spine), but always shorter than head; ossified part 50-70% head length; lower lip well developed, forming a generally well visible mental lobe, sometimes rubber-lipped; 9-10 dorsal fin branched rays; scale formula 4.5/24-27/4.5; 2.5 scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin base; 12 scales around caudal peduncle; 4-5/14-17 gill rakers on first gill arch (Ref. 2940, 81282).

Description: large species; fairly deep body; subterminal mouth; well developed lips forming rounded, sometimes hypertrophic, mental disk; 2 pairs of moderately developed barbels; distal margin dorsal fin concave; longest dorsal-fin ray is first branched ray; D:IV,9-10; A:III,5-6; P:I,15-17; V:I,8 (Ref. 2940, 81282).

Coloration: body light brown in preserved specimens (Ref. 2940, 81282).