This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 71-76; A 53-59; pelvic rays 3-4; lateral-line scales 88-95; lateral line on ocular side of head with a ventral branch of 4-9 pores, remaining horizontal anterior part with 5-7 pores; vertebrae 40-41 (modally 40); dorsal pterygiophores anterior to fourth neural spine 8; body depth 3.0-3.45 in SL; no caudal peduncle or extremely short; head length 4.35-4.7 in SL; small eyes, eye diameter 7.35-8.5 in HL; interorbital width 9.3-13.7 in HL; longest dorsal ray 1.85-1.95 in HL; caudal fin 4.3-4.6 in SL; pelvic fins and genital papilla not joined, their origins adjacent; short pelvic fins, reaching little beyond base of first anal ray, 2.8-3.2 in HL; ocular side light brown mottled with small darker brown blotches; 3 longitudinal rows of dark brown blotches of one to two eye diameters in size; dorsal and anal fins with indistinct brown spots centered on single rays and membrane to each side; caudal fin pale yellowish with a row of dark brown spots at base and small fainter spots on basal half of fin (Ref. 84817).