Differs from members of the P. kuhlii and P. shelfordii groups and the Myanmar P. signicauda and P. lumbriciformis by having plain brown color pattern. Distinguished from species of the P. anguillaris group and P. signicauda and P. lumbriciformis by possessing fewer abdominal vertebrae (34-39 vs 40-52). Differs from the other members of the P. oblonga group by the following characters: from P. filinaris and P. mariarum by the absence of the nasal barbel (vs presence) and from P. oblonga by a narrower body (7.6-9 times SL vs 7.2-7.7). Can be differentiated from all other Myanmar species by the longer pectoral fins (8.2-9.6 % SL vs 5.3-7.0), and further from P. elongata, P. lumbriciformis and P. signicauda by a deeper body (body depth 13.5-16.3 % SL vs 6.5-9.3) and a deeper (caudal peduncle depth 7.5-9.7 % SL vs 4.1-5.5 % SL) and shorter caudal peduncle (caudal peduncle length 10.5-12.5 % SL vs 14.9-16.6 % SL), from P. fusca and P. apoda by presence of the pelvic girdle and pelvic fins (vs absence), from P.signicauda and P. lumbriciformis by the plain brown coloration (vs with dark marks on body and fins), from P. fusca by the number of abdominal vertebrae (34-39 vs 41-44) and the absence of a nasal barbel (vs presence), and from P. elongata by relatively more posteriorly placed pelvic fins (prepelvic length 79-86.8 % SL vs 56.3 % SL) (Ref. 57993).