Can be diagnosed from all other species belonging to Adrianichthyidae in Sulawesi by the following combination of characters: anal fin with 17-18 fin rays; dorsal fin with 10-12 rays; lateral midline with 33-36 scales; ½14 transverse scale rows at dorsal fin origin; total vertebrae 30-32; small eye size relative to head length (28.2-35.5% HL); absence of dark bluish or steel blue body coloration or brilliant red marks in both sexes; conspicuous blackish courtship coloration of males, including a blackish belly and posterior lateral body, presence of 6-9 blackish lateral bars, and presence of a narrow black line on a light brown background on dorsal surface; principal caudal fin with I,4/5,I rays; and a conspicuous pelvic brooding behavior associated with sexually dimorphic body depth and pelvic fi n length (Ref. 91779).