Diagnosis: body with numerous dark brown elongate spots; caudal peduncle deep, 9.6-11.9% SL; anterior edge of pectoral spine with anteriorly directed serrations; caudal fin rounded; body moderately slender, adipose fin moderately long, its base 28.5-34.5% SL; snout length 38.3-48.4% SL; eye diameter 17.2-25.7% SL; both sexes with short (< 0.1 mm) tubercles on dorsal and lateral surfaces of head; supracleithral process not reaching to vertical through posterior-most tip of nuchal shield; dorsal spine curved (Ref. 81251).

Description: body compressed; predorsal profile steep; postdorsal body sloping gently ventrally; head depressed and broad, broadly rounded when viewed laterally and with rounded snout margin when viewed from above; eye large and ovoid, horizontal axis longest; mouth inferior and crescent-shaped; lips plicate; maxillary barbel long and slender, extending to just beyond base of last pectoral-fin ray; inner mandibular-barbel origin close to midline, extending to base of pectoral spine and with 2 short, thin branches on anterior half and 3-4 long, thin branches on posterior half; outer mandibular barbel originates posterolateral of inner mandibular barbel, extending to middle of pectoral-fin base and with 3-4 long, thin branches; gill openings narrow, extending from immediately ventral to posttemporal to immediately ventral to base of pectoral spine; dorsal fin located at anterior third of body, with convex margin; dorsal-fin spine long, stout and slightly curved, smooth on both anterior and posterior margins; adipose fin moderately long, margin slightly convex for entire length and posterior end deeply incised; caudal fin rounded, with i,5-6,6,i principal rays; anal-fin base located ventral to posterior half of adipose fin, with iii-iv,7-8 rays and convex margin; pelvic-fin origin at vertical ventral to posterior end of dorsal-fin base, with slightly convex margin; pectoral-fin spine slightly curved and stout; anterior spine margin with 3-16 small serrations along entire length of spine, serrations antrorse on distal two-thirds and anteriorly directed on proximal third; posterior spine margin with 6-12 strong serrations along entire length; lateral line complete and midlateral (Ref. 52369).

Coloration: dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and body light to medium brown, fading to cream on belly and ventral surfaces in preserved specimens; dorsal and lateral surfaces of head and body frequently with dark brown elongate spots evenly distributed and forming a reticulate pattern; snout with a series of cream spots delineating anterior and posterior nares; cheek region with 1-2 cream spots immediately ventral to orbit; cream band encircling nape at supraoccipital (Ref. 52369). Dorsal third of body with series of 4 (Ref. 81251) or 5 (Ref. 52369) cream vertical bar-shaped marks extending to lateral midline of body: 1st at middle of dorsal-fin base, 2nd at adipose-fin origin, 3rd at middle of adipose-fin base, 4th at posteriormost point of adipose-fin base (Ref. 52369, 81251) and last on caudal peduncle immediately posterior to adipose fin (Ref. 52369). Ventral third of flanks with a longitudinal series of 4-7 cream spots or vertical bar-shaped marks; adipose fin brown, with an extensive hyaline margin; dorsal, pectoral, pelvic and anal fins hyaline with 1-2 rows of elongate spots forming longitudinal brown rows; caudal fin hyaline, with elongate brown spots forming 2-3 irregular columns (Ref. 52369, 81251).