Distinguished from all other characid fishes by the following combination of characters: infraorbitals fused uniquely, resulting in less than six autogenous bones; presence of a single tooth row in the premaxilla; presence of cheirodontin-like teeth, somewhat pedunculated, expanded and compressed distally, with cusps similar in shape and perfectly aligned along dorsal margin; ventral margin of toothed portion of maxillary curved towards the ventral margin of the premaxilla and maxillary teeth forming a continuous series with premaxillary teeth; margins of pre- and postzygapophyses with projections anteriorly and posteriorly directed; accumulation of epithelial cells forming globular structures distributed over head and scales; and base of anal-fin without scales covering basal portion of unbranched and anterior branched rays (Ref. 54751).

Description: Dorsal-fin rays ii,8,i or ii,9. Anal-fin rays iv,14, iv,15, iv,16 or iv,17. Pectoral-fin rays i,10 or i,11. Pectoral-fin rays i,7 (Ref. 54751).