The species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of 5 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 7); premaxilla broad elongate (vs. narrow, short), 25-29 premaxillary teeth (vs. 9-10); tooth cusps symmetrically bifid, spatulate and tips not diverged from one another along midline (vs. cusps asymmetrically bifid, or symmetrically bifid with tips diverging from one another along midline); further distinguished from L. wahari

by having odontodes along entire length of the ventral surface of the first pelvic-fin ray (vs. no odontodes from proximal portion of ventral surface); accessory premaxillary teeth present (vs. absent); anal fin dusky (vs. intense pigment band along fin base and diffuse spot at midlength of fin rays); adipose fin with an ossified spine along its anterior edge; further distinguished from L. villosus by having a 9 branched pectoral-fin rays (vs. 8); first lateral cheek plate laminar, broad (vs. thin, narrow rod); trunk plates of dorsal and ventral series small, not contacting those of midline series posteriorly (vs. large plates, contacting plates of midline series at least posteriorly); snout region uniformly pigmented or mottled (vs. presence of a dark pigment band lateral to nares) (Ref. 83588).