This new species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: anal fin rays 3, 6; pectoral fin rays 1, 12-13 (modally 13); lateral-line scales 37-38 (modally 37); transverse scales 7; predorsal scales 10-11 (modally 10); gill rakers 16; vertebral counts 4 + 33-34; papillae lobes internally covered with clusters of 20-26 well-developed pearl-like papillae; a pair of barbels flat and slightly short, 16.2-18.4% of head length, maximum barbel diameter 27.0-29.8% of barbel lengthm and the medial pad on lower lip is divided. Colouration: body with five distinct black crossbars; 2 horizontally aligned black dashes above and below each lateral-line scale; caudal fin membrane with two rows of distinct verticallyaligned black lines (Ref. 119378).