This species is distinguished by the following characters: pectoral fin of male slanted upwards, branched ray 1 wider than following rays, branched once and branches close together, without membrane between them except near tip; wide, thickened unculiferous pad extending along the anterior branched pectoral-fin rays, covered dorsally by small conical tubercles; two air bladder capsules connected by a manubrium and posterior chamber small and circular, or absent; the lower lip with wide median interruption, two halves forming an acute angle, not in contact medially, wide and fleshy medially, forming a triangular ‘cushion’, partly free from jaw and connected to throat by a frenum; suborbital flap present, with small tubercles on the posterior extremity (Ref. 132209).